MICHAEL Cohen, US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, is “under criminal investigation,” the Justice Department said on Friday, and has been for months, according to documents obtained by ABC News.

Mr Cohen’s home, office, hotel room, safety deposit box, and electronic devices were raided on Monday under the authorisation of a federal judge and evidence pertaining to deals made with women, the media, and the campaign was seized.

CNN reported that Monday’s raids included a search for communications related to efforts to suppress negative information ahead of the election, including communications that Mr Trump had with Mr Cohen regarding the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump made lewd remarks about women.

Records related to Mr Cohen’s taxi medallion business were also sought.

Lawyers for Mr Cohen and Mr Trump argue that some of the records are subject to lawyer-client privilege and should not be viewed by prosecutors until the material can be reviewed.

Mr Cohen’s lawyers “applied [on Thursday] evening for an opportunity to take the first cut” at determining whether the documents are privileged or relevant to the investigation, Judge Kimba Wood said. “Both parties recognise the search of an attorney’s devices and offices are subject to special consideration.”

A hearing on Friday in Manhattan federal court was put on hold until Monday after a lawyer for Mr Trump intervened and requested additional time.

Mr Cohen’s lawyer, Todd Harrison, and Mr Trump’s lawyer, Joanna Hendon, asked to review the Department of Justice filing.

Ms Hendon said her firm, Spears & Imes LLP, was engaged by Mr Trump on Wednesday and she was “not prepared” to present her argument.

“He as an acute interest in these proceedings,” said Ms Hendon, who noted the “exceptional nature” of her client and expressed concern about the prosecutors’ internal “taint team” that separates evidence that is privileged from evidence that is available for prosecutors to view.

“We don’t need to rush,” Ms Hendon said. “There is an appearance of fairness problem.”

A taint team is standard and determines what falls under lawyer-client privilege and should not be shared with investigators.

“The government’s use of a filter team appropriately protects applicable privileges,” the court documents obtained by ABC News state.

Mr Cohen has not been charged with anything and did not respond to news he is under investigation, declining to comment to press.

TRUMP FRIEND STEPS DOWN AMID ALLEGATIONS OF HUSH MONEY
Fat-cat Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy has stepped down as Republican National Committee deputy finance chair after lurid revelations that he paid a former Playboy model $2 million in hush money to clam up about their affair, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The nondisclosure deal was brokered by Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s personal lawyer and longtime fixer.

Broidy is close friends with the president, and a frequent guest at both the White House and Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago.