Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer, reacted to news of his former client’s federal indictment related to the classified documents case on Saturday.
The 45th president was indicted Thursday in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. He faces 37 federal counts that Smith said Friday were related to “felony violations of our national security laws as well as participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.” Trump has maintained his innocence and blasted the charges as politically motivated.
DONALD TRUMP INDICTED: CHARGES UNSEALED IN CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CASE AGAINST EX-PRESIDENT
“This is 18 months in order to get back everything, including having lawyers lie in attestations stating that there was nothing left for him [to return to the government],” Cohen told MSNBC of the charges on Saturday. “That’s where you have the obstruction case from, this is more than just an Espionage Act [violation].”
The former lawyer, who pleaded guilty and served time over his involvement in the alleged hush money scheme that Trump was indicted over earlier this year, suggested on Saturday that the 45th president could be holding onto remaining classified materials to use as leverage with federal prosecutors.
“You need to sort of play that game. Where’s Waldo? Except it’s not Where’s Waldo. It’s Where’s Donald? And where are the top secret documents? he said. “Every single location that Donald went to, from the time that he left the White House to today needs to be examined.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump in late March on charges related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. The indictment marked the first time a former U.S. president was criminally charged.
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Cohen testified before Congress in 2019 that he paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, $130,000 during the 2016 campaign to prevent her from going public about an affair she claimed to have with Trump in 2005. Cohen, who pleaded guilty and served time over the alleged payment, told lawmakers Trump reimbursed him in monthly installments.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in the New York case and denies having an affair with Daniels.
