Why in the World Is Sean Hannity's Name Now Tied to Mueller's Raid on Trump's Lawyer?
A federal judge rejected a move Monday by President Donald Trump and his longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to prevent federal prosecutors from going through materials seized by the FBI from Cohen last week.
One of Trump's lawyers, Joanna Hendon, had asked US District Judge Kimba Wood for a temporary restraining order so they could review the information themselves and then turn over material that wasn't privileged.
"Fairness and justice — as well as the appearance of fairness and justice — require that, before they are turned over to the Investigative Team, the seized materials relating to the president must be reviewed by the only person who is truly motivated to ensure that the privilege is properly invoked and applied: the privilege-holder himself, the president," Hendon wrote.
Wood, however, denied the request.
"I'm denying the motion for a (temporary restraining order) because it's currently moot. The government is not accessing anything," CNN quoted the judge. "With respect to a preliminary injunction, that, I think, is premature at this point. We have to wait and see what the volume is and how you can argue."
Trump's allies are reportedly concerned about Cohen's seized materials because they don't know what's in them. And some are worried that Cohen might strike a deal with prosecutors to protect himself.
Judge Wood also forced Cohen to reveal Monday that one of his clients is Fox News television and radio host Sean Hannity.
"I understand he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law," Wood said.
Meanwhile, Hannity insisted he never paid Cohen for any services, noting that he only had brief discussions with him about legal questions.
"I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party," he said in a statement.
Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf, I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen,
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
The Cohen raid is apparently not linked to the Russia probe, according to the New York Times. Nevertheless, Trump lashed out at the raid and special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, calling it a witch hunt.
"That is really now a whole new level of unfairness," Trump charged.
Speaking on his Fox show last Monday, Hannity expressed similar sentiments, warning the raid represented a "dangerous phase" of Mueller's probe.
"It seems that there's no limit at all into the fishing expedition that Mueller is now engaged in," Hannity said. "And if he has access to everything that (Trump's) personal attorney has, I can only imagine where that's going to lead."
