Ending a Trump Organization investigation doesn't mean it's over by a long shot.
Trump might claim this as a victory but it’s Pyrrhic at best. This was never going to be a slam dunk on the campaign finance violations, because there will be so much more there, there. So many unindicted co-conspirators.
Cohen’s conviction will be small potatoes compared to what will eventually come forward, considering the tax fraud, money laundering, state-level charges, and perhaps some old-fashioned hanky-panky.
None the less, the documents (with limited redactions) will be interesting.
Links to documents here.
According to a Wednesday ruling from Manhattan federal Judge William H. Pauley III, “the Government now represents that it has concluded the aspects of its investigation that justified the continued sealing of the portions of the Materials relating to Cohen’s campaign finance violations.”
Pauley ordered that the government release documents from the investigation, including search warrant materials, with limited redactions.
“The campaign finance violations discussed in the Materials are a matter of
national importance,” the order reads. “Now that the Government’s investigation into those violations has concluded, it is time that every American has an opportunity to scrutinize the Materials.”
talkingpointsmemo.com/...
CNN reported Friday that the Manhattan US Attorney's office had
approached the end of its investigation of the Trump Organization and wasn't poised to charge any executives involved in the company's effort to reimburse Cohen for money he paid to silence one of the women. That payment constituted an illegal campaign contribution, according to prosecutors. Trump has denied the affair allegations.
"The campaign finance violations discussed in the Materials are a matter of national importance," US District Court Judge William Pauley wrote in his decision. "Now that the Government's investigation into those violations has concluded, it is time that every American has an opportunity to scrutinize the Materials."
Trump tweeted some disinformation about MS-13 at the same time the documents were released.
1/ Today SDNY released unredacted versions of the search warrant materials in their campaign finance investigation that resulted in charges against Michael Cohen. You can read some of them at the link below.
courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
2/ Generally speaking, the materials show that federal law enforcement sought and conducted searches of a number of different locations, many of which have already been reported, such as Cohen's home, office, and hotel room. Other "locations" were his devices such as his iPhone.
3/ When the Feds seek a search warrant, the way that they present evidence to the judge is by submitting a sworn affidavit from a FBI agent setting forth the evidence that has been obtained in the investigation as well the agent's interpretation of that evidence.
4/ The purpose of the affidavit is to give the judge sufficient evidence to find that there is probable cause (which basically means a good reason to believe) that a federal crime was committed and that evidence of that crime exists at the location or device to be searched.
5/ It's very different than how a criminal trial would work. At trial, the standard is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Also an agent's interpretations and opinions about the evidence would not be admissible as evidence. They're included to help the judge interpret raw evidence.
6/ The majority of the evidence found in the affidavits has been the subject of reporting by news outlets in the past, and the overall picture that is painted is consistent with news reports as well as the case that federal prosecutors brought against Michael Cohen.