Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, plead the fifth amendment in the lawsuit Stormy Daniels filed against him. Simply put, he doesn’t want to incriminate himself. Bloomberg reports:
“Cohen filed a declaration in federal court in Los Angeles Wednesday after a judge said at a hearing last week that he won’t put the case on hold unless he hears from Cohen himself rather than his lawyers.
Federal investigators are looking, among other things, at the $130,000 Cohen paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in 2016 to guarantee her silence about the alleged affair she had with Trump.”
JUST IN: Trump lawyer Michael Cohen says in court filing that he will assert Fifth Amendment right "in connection with all proceedings" of Stormy Daniels case – @anblanx pic.twitter.com/VgFBGnwdhI
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 25, 2018
Chief Legal Correspondent @AriMelber on breaking news that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen will plead the 5th in Stormy Daniels case
"Something that you do, because on the advice of counsel or based on what you know about what you've done, you don't want to confess to a crime" pic.twitter.com/y9aIPexYr9
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) April 25, 2018
Daniels’ attorney predicted Cohen would take the fifth a couple weeks back. He reacted to the news late Wednesday saying this development is one for the history books.
This is a stunning development. Never before in our nation’s history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the “fixer” for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs. #basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 25, 2018
Speaking of Trump, this is a good time to remind everyone that he isn’t a big fan of the fifth amendment.
TRUMP in September 2016: "The mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" pic.twitter.com/jpuNAJ1Q4L
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 22, 2017