Trump Campaign Already Paid Part of Cohen’s Legal Expenses

Facts and Details

The information coming out from close sources to the campaign team for Trump hinted that the organization has expended almost $228,000 for the purpose of catering for some legal costs involving Michael Cohen. This brings up the curiosity on the possibility that the team might have broken the financial laws concerning campaign programs.

FEC documents revealed three transfers to one company working for Cohen, and the money was sent by Trump campaign group. The ‘litigational advising’ transfers were received by McDermott Will and Emery, a legal company which Stephen Ryan, the lawyer working for Cohen, is partnering with. Records showed that the payments dated from 2017 October to 2018 January. These transfers were connected to the legal plea involving Cohen payments, sources said.

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The attorney once said that his formal services were not rendered for the president’s campaign. He’d added that spending money meant for campaigns on oneself is unlawful. The payments were described by FEC as the money meant for costs which would be there regardless of the contestant’s campaign or duties if he/she works under the federal government.

Professionals in the legal sector said that in case the mentioned funds, according to FEC’s records, were linked to the probe on Trump/Russia deals, then laws on campaign spending were not possibly broken because the scrutiny is linked to the presidential election campaign of 2016.

On the other hand, in case the funds were linked to the issues of Stephanie Clifford, there may be a predicament for the campaign team. No clear indication has been given on the nature of services that the funds were meant for. Nonetheless, close allies to those involved in the case said that such legal services were unrelated to Clifford. One of the representatives of the campaign group didn’t say anything concerning the funds.

Cohen and Ryan

It’s been over 10 years that the working and personal relationships between the president and Cohen have been sealed. Unfortunately, he’s currently battling with legal risks connected to the same working ties.

Ryan was a representative of the presidential attorney in two major legal cases which were firstly; the bribes paid to Stephanie Clifford for her to keep silent on the alleged romp she once had with Trump 12 years ago. Secondly, Robert Mueller’s continuous probe into a suspected complicity between some Russian officers and the campaign team which was formed before the presidential polls in 2016.

The records published by FEC revealed that the campaign team expended over $830,000 meant for legal counseling within the first quarter of 2018, which also included one transfer to the legal company working for Cohen. The expenses constituted over 20% of every campaign expenses.

A week ago, Cohen said that he would utilize the privileges that protect him against blackmail as contained in the Fifth Amendment

How Were the Fees Distributed?

Over $279,000 out of the 20% was sent to two legal companies such as Larocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Blaha which got $186,279, and Harder LLP which collected $93,181. The Greenberg & Blaha firm had worked for Cohen and Trump on Clifford’s cases. However, informants explained that these fundings also concerned other cases not connected to the adult film actress’ issues.

In addition to that, the team sent fees to Larocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Blaha, which was close to $81,000 to facilitate ‘legal counsel’ when the election process was on in 2016, according to FEC filings.

Last March, Lawrence Rosen was included in Trump’s legal workforce by the president himself. This was done in order for him to take charge of the legal cases that came up after the declaration of the supposed ‘hush’ arrangement made with Stephanie Clifford through Cohen.

The provision for the legal expenses for the workers of Trump campaign team was settled through the creation of Patriot Legal Defense Fund which would aid the defense against the Russian probe

Last year, the team also sent fees meant for legal expenses to the lawyers working for key aides and their families. This was tied to the continuous investigations about the Russians. The campaign crew and the Republican National Committee sent the legal costs in the sum of $514,000 to the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr.

Also, early this year, the campaign team expended over $66,000 to the legal firm working for Keith Schiller, a former bodyguard for Trump, who was an appendage to Trump for many years and worked as the director under the Oval Office services till September last year.

Stephanie Clifford filed a lawsuit against the president and Cohen because of the bribes. She questioned the legality of the payment since there was no signature of Trump on it. Thereafter, she included alleged defamation against Cohen.