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Trump Attorney Asserts Fifth Amendment In Porn Star Lawsuit
President Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen said he will assert his fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination in the Stormy Daniel’s lawsuit that was filed against him.
In federal court papers filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Cohen said, “Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my Fifth Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.”
Stormy Daniel’s attorney Michael Avenatti said on Wednesday that the Cohen’s decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment right is “stunning.”
Avenatti tweeted, “This is a stunning development. Never before in our nation’s history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amendment in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the “fixer” for Mr. Trump for over ten yrs.”
Last week Avenatti predicted Cohen would plead the fifth. Avenatti told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, “Well, I think Michael Cohen’s going to file a declaration admitting now that it’s his intention to plead the fifth amendment against self-incrimination.” “I do not think the case will ultimately be stayed. I think the court may make some accommodations with the intention to plead the fifth, but I think we’re going to march forward at full speed,” Avenatti said.
Cohen and his attorneys are seeking a stay in the Stormy Daniels case. Since they requested the stay, Judge S. James Otero said the burden is on them to show that significant enough overlap between Daniel’s case and FBI raids in New York to warrant a stay.
Otero said, “the scope and breadth of the criminal investigation remain a mystery.” “You’re going to make sure that it’s more than just a bare-bones case. It’s probably substantially likely that there’s some sort of criminal action to follow,” Otero said.
Cohen’s attorney Brent Blakely argued that Stormy Daniel’s civil case should be sent to arbitration.