TPM - "What To Make Of The FBIs Extraordinary Raid Of Michael Cohen"

[NRaleighLiberal]

from last night, but worth a read

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/michael-cohen-fbi-raid-experts-react

The FBI’s raid on Michael Cohen, to put it bluntly, is a big frickin’ deal, former federal prosecutors and other criminal justice experts say.

To raid any law office would require investigators to jump through a whole special series of hoops and added review. That one of the lawyer’s longtime clients is the sitting President of the United States adds another layer of extreme sensitivity and caution.

“The spotlight on this is so bright and the measure is so extraordinary that they would have to be a little crazy to do this without pretty ironclad evidence of some kind of wrongdoing,” said Julian Sanchez, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute who studies technology, privacy, and civil liberties.

“You pull a move like this and it was all a big understanding, that’s hugely embarrassing,” he said.

snip - read it all at the above link

[CatMor]

1. I don't think lawyers should be treated any differently..

than any citizen suspected of criminal activity. I am not impressed with opinions from the Cato Institute.

[Cha]

5. I know.. isn't

Cato Institute/Civil Rights an Oxymoron?

[CatMor]

8. It sure is.....

The Cato Institute and Civil Rights is if you're white, rich and Republican. Founded by one of the Koch brothers.

[Cha]

9. That's right.. they need "civil rights" for

rich white folks. Not the kind I was thinking about.

[Major Nikon]

7. Shouldn't, but it would be naive to think they aren't

The people who write laws and DOJ rules are mostly lawyers. No chance they aren't going to stack the deck in their favor. Cato is like a broke clock. Every now and then even a blind mouse find the cheese. The DOJ would have had to jump through some extraordinary hoops to raid Cohen, and would have done so knowing the political risk was high.

I think there's two things going on here. One is they have an open and shut case of criminality against Cohen. The other is they are moving into a new phase of the investigation that is going to reveal some of the hole cards they have against Herr Dipshit.

[Cha]

2. The New York Times, in breaking the news of the raids, said investigators seized business records,

emails and documents related to several topics, including Stormy Daniels, an adult film star whose alleged affair with Donald Trump in 2006 Cohen sought to keep quiet ahead of the 2016 election through a $130,000 hush payment."

Emails! Hope they find something incriminating. Wonder if they just happened on the Stormy Daniels' docs or they were after them specifically as well as other topics?

The Justice Department has extensive rules about seizing records of lawyers that could typically fall under attorney-client privilege. Prosecutors are required to consult with the the Criminal Division at Main Justice, and to get the sign off of the U.S. attorney overseeing the investigation or the relevant assistant attorney general. It’s also recommended that a special team of attorneys who are walled off from the prosecutors overseeing the inquiry be set up to review the potentially privileged documents.

Thank you, NRL

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. thanks for commenting! so much great stuff gets brought to DU to read...

it becomes a wonderful one stop reading shop for us all - I just want to play my tiny part in bringing stuff here.

[Cha]

10. Yes, and I try to thank all you

news hounds who make this place so interesting!

Btw, I edited my previous post to make it more legible.

Mahalo, NRaleighLiberal

[NRaleighLiberal]

13. I know you do - it is noted and appreciated.

I think reading as much as we can is so important - I think the twitterverse (and I am talking like the old dude that I am) makes it challenging for some to take the time to read longer articles, since we are in such an emotional, reactive time. I always default to reading and depth (aided by lots of good background music)....helps calm and slow me down.

have a great day!

[Cha]

14. Yeah, I have a

bit of ADD going on, so Twitterverse is great for me.. but, I envy those who can calmly read long articles and retain.

Sometimes I can!

G'Day!

[Major Nikon]

16. I can't think of a more significant pants shitting event

...than learning your crooked lawyer just got raided by the FBI.

[Cha]

17. I know! Right out of living your

worst nightmare! May there be many more nighmares to come for cohen and trump.

[manor321]

4. Maybe a wire?

I'm beginning to wonder if Mueller has someone wired up and they have evidence that Cohen was withholding or destroying evidence.

[Cha]

11. Didn't think about that..

What would it take to get the requirements to Wire some willing soul?

Probable Cause?

[gratuitous]

6. One other point that oughtn't to be missed

NOBODY knew a thing about this until it actually happened. Compare and contrast that with the way the White House goes about its business, leaking like a rusty sieve.

[Cha]

12. +1!

[kentuck]

15. Yep. When you go after the king, you better be sure to finish the job.

Or something like that.