FBI raids office of Donald Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen

FBI raids the office of Donald Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen, seizing records including those related to Stormy Daniels payment.

FBI agents have raided Michael Cohen’s offices. Picture: AP

The FBI yesterday raided the office of Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, seizing records including those related to a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels who alleges an affair with the US President.

The development came after federal prosecutors received a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the Trump administration over a wide range of issues, including its links with Russia. The raid enraged Mr Trump, who called it a “disgrace” that federal agents “broke into” the New York office of his personal lawyer. He also labelled Mr Mueller’s investigation “an attack on our country”.

Mr Cohen has admitted that he paid $US130,000 ($169,000) to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, after she claimed to have had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006. Daniels claimed the payment was made to silence her.

Mr Cohen said the payment, made shortly before the 2016 presidential election, was a personal decision of his and Mr Trump has said he knew nothing of it. He claims to have used a personal home equity loan to pay Daniels. Several former officials at the Federal Election Commission have said the payment appears to be a violation of campaign finance laws, and Washington-based groups have filed complaints with the FEC, urging it to investigate.

It is unclear exactly what the FBI was searching for in the raids, but the decision by Mr Mueller’s team to ask for the raids indicates a new escalation in its investigation. The raid led to the seizure of emails, tax documents and business records. It is reported to have also seized communication between Mr Cohen and Mr Trump although it is unclear if these are covered by lawyer-client privilege and therefore confidential.

A lawyer for Mr Cohen described the raids as “completely inappropriate and unnecessary”.

“Today the US Attorney’s ­Office for the Southern District of New York executed a series of search warrants and seized the privileged communications between my client, Michael Cohen, and his clients,” lawyer Stephen Ryan said.

“I have been advised by federal prosecutors that the New York action is, in part, a referral by the Office of Special Counsel, Robert Mueller.”

Caught off guard and furious with the inquiry, the President showed a flare of temper watching cable news coverage of the raid, summoning lawyers Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow to get their opinion. Aides and outside allies described Mr Trump as shaken and increasingly frustrated by the development, and they said his reaction had sparked discussion about whether the raid would usher an unpredictable new phase in how the President responds to the probe.

Mr Trump vented from the Oval Office that Mr Mueller’s investigators were “going too far” and conducting “their witch hunt” to undermine his presidency, according to three people familiar with the President’s views. Minutes later he publicly unleashed his sharpest invective to date against the sweeping investigation.

“It’s an attack on our country in a true sense,” he said in the cabinet room, flanked by the nation’s military brass, who watched the scene stone-faced. “It’s an attack on what we all stand for.”

The President didn’t bat away the idea of firing Mr Mueller, saying people have advised him to take that action. “Why don’t I just fire Mueller? Well, I think it’s a disgrace what’s going on — we’ll see what happens,” he said.

The harsh tone of Mr Trump’s comments drew warnings from Capitol Hill.

Republican senator Lindsey Graham said he didn’t know the purpose of Mr Mueller’s raid on Mr Cohen, but added, “I just want to let Mr Mueller do his job without any political interference.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned Mr Trump against firing Mueller. “The investigation is critical to the health of our democracy and must be allowed to continue,” he said.

Mr Trump answered questions about Daniels for the first time last week, saying he had no knowledge of the payment made by Mr Cohen and he didn’t know where the lawyer had obtained the money.

Additional reporting: AP

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia