Trump Repeats Lie That The FBI Illegally Broke Into Michael Cohen’s Office

December 16, 2018

President Donald Trump accused the FBI of illegally breaking into his former lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen’s office in a Twitter meltdown immediately countered by legal experts.

The FBI raided Cohen’s legal offices in April to conduct a search for evidence of criminal activities after a judge signed off on a warrant.

The search led to Cohen being arrested for committing felonies he has since pleaded guilty to in a court of law, all while implicating Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator known as “Individual 1” in court documents.

On Sunday morning, Trump complained that Cohen only flipped on him after law enforcement raided the office, which he wrongly described as them breaking into the office.

Remember, Michael Cohen only became a “Rat” after the FBI did something which was absolutely unthinkable & unheard of until the Witch Hunt was illegally started. They BROKE INTO AN ATTORNEY’S OFFICE! Why didn’t they break into the DNC to get the Server, or Crooked’s office?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2018

Trump has repeatedly made this claim, and it has always been debunked because the FBI had a warrant giving them the right to search the premises.

This time was no different as legal experts swiftly responded to Trump’s lies.

They didn’t break into his office. A federal judge authorized a search warrant after finding that there was a good reason to believe evidence of a crime would be found in his office. The judge was right.

— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) December 16, 2018

Sir, the U.S. Attorney for the SDNY obtained a warrant prior to searching Michael Cohen’s office. This required meeting six special conditions. See: https://t.co/sIF0lb9baE

— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) December 16, 2018

I never imagined that I would see a president adopt the language of mafiosos—though since the “Don” was rumored to do business with them I can’t say I am surprised. https://t.co/WPhzyl2AAu

— Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) December 16, 2018

Wait, I thought he was a “public relations consultant”?

Curiously unmentioned is that the judge appointed a special master to protect attorney client comms. And that Cohen, after a lot of consultation w/his excellent legal team, pled guilty to felonies&didnt claim privilege vio. https://t.co/j8IYsEsZRR

— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) December 16, 2018

Also really striking to hear the President talking about “rats.” That is the way monsters talk, not Presidents.

How do we think such language makes prosecutors in the field—who rely on cooperators every day and defend them against such attacks—feel?

— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) December 16, 2018

Even Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano defended the FBI raid back in April by pointing out that Special Counsel Robert Mueller referred evidence to the Southern District of New York, which is run by Trump appointee Geoffrey Berman, who also signed off on the warrant along with the Justice Department.

Kellyanne Conway’s husband George Conway also chimed in at the time, pointing out Justice Department guidelines regarding attorney-client privilege to explain why Trump is wrong to claim that the FBI violated it.