Cohen's third client is revealed:

[Subduction Zone]

No fan of Hannity am I. But I have to say, who cares?

So what?

It demonstrates that the walls are beginning to crumble. Cohen threw Hannity under the bus because he was being threatened by the presiding Judge of not being considered a "real lawyer" at all for Trump meaning that nothing of his would have been protected by privilege. He could still lose privilege if collusion between the two is shown.

 

[idav]

I would say "disappointing". I used to enjoy FOX News when the media was far more to the left. Sadly as the media righted its course FOX went off the deep end to the right.

Interestingly Washington Post reported a few days ago that Hannity is WH secret press secretary because Trump calls him before and after his shows.
Analysis | Sean Hannity, shadow White House press secretary?

 

[Curious George]

Seriously? A journalist sharing a lawyer with the President and that lawyer has an extremely limited client list? With the countless lawyers out there this was not a chance act. It makes the "Fair and balanced" claim go away . . . oh wait . . . it did:

Fox News Is Dropping Its ‘Fair & Balanced’ Slogan

When Sean Hannity “reports” or comments on news stories that involve Michael Cohen without revealing that he has a relationship with Cohen that’s is a clear conflict of interest. When Hannity defends Cohen concerning the Stormy Daniels issue or when Hannity says that it was inappropriate for the FBI to raid Cohen’ office he should at least reveal that Cohen is his attorney.

Both of you seem to be focused on a conflict of interest for Hannity. Is there a board of ethics for journalists? I generally do not think of people on Fox as the most ethical journalists. The two conflict of interests that matter are the president and the lawyer because those are the two with legal duties.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Both of you seem to be focused on a conflict of interest for Hannity. Is there a board of ethics for journalists? I generally do not think of people on Fox as the most ethical journalists. The two conflict of interests that matter are the president and the lawyer because those are the two with legal duties.

There is more than enough conflict of interest to go around. There are ideals associated with journalism, but then Hannity has never claimed to be a journalist to my knowledge.

 

[Curious George]

There is more than enough conflict of interest to go around. There are ideals associated with journalism, but then Hannity has never claimed to be a journalist to my knowledge.

Well I don't think conflict of interests matter to "political commentators." So, while I agree that it seems dishonest, it is dishonest, to omit ones personal connection with the person you are defending, the dishonesty just seems part for the course. But having Hannity as a client doesn't alone present a conflict of interest for Trump or his attorney.

 

[Shaul]

It demonstrates that the walls are beginning to crumble. Cohen threw Hannity under the bus because he was being threatened by the presiding Judge of not being considered a "real lawyer" at all for Trump meaning that nothing of his would have been protected by privilege. He could still lose privilege if collusion between the two is shown.

I think you have to be a contortionist to see it from that angle. Nope, I am still going with “So what”?

 

[Subduction Zone]

Well I don't think conflict of interests matter to "political commentators." So, while I agree that it seems dishonest, it is dishonest, to omit ones personal connection with the person you are defending, the dishonesty just seems part for the course. But having Hannity as a client doesn't alone present a conflict of interest for Trump or his attorney.

Correct, that is just conflict of interest for Hannity.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I think you have to be a contortionist to see it from that angle. Nope, I am still going with “So what”?

I see that you still do not understand that it illustrates how Trump's defenses are crumbling. Trump's lawyer made an illegal campaign contribution. That is fairly obvious. The question is whether there was collusion between Trump and his attorney in that donation. If there was then Trump will lose all attorney client privilege in his dealings with Cohen. Cohen's move appears to be one of desperation. He claimed that Hannity was a client, Hannity does not agree with that claim fully. He did so to bolster his claim of being a legal counsel. Now it looks like he harmed Hannity and did not do very much for his own defense.

 

[Curious George]

Correct, that is just conflict of interest for Hannity.

One that should discredit him, but I imagine the people who still felt he possessed credence will not see the impugnment of his character.

 

[Thermos aquaticus]

One that should discredit him, but I imagine the people who still felt he possessed credence will not see the impugnment of his character.

I think it comes down to whether Fox News wants to maintain whatever fig leaf of journalistic integrity they have remaining. It is entirely possible that they unabashedly become the propaganda wing of the WH and the Republican Party. Perhaps that is what their viewers actually want.

 

[metis]

Here's an interesting rub, namely that Hannity has claimed that Cohen has not been his lawyer, which may come around and haunt Hannity since now it's going to be almost impossible for him to claim attorney-client privilege. Thus all information on Hannity that the prosecutors may have found may be usable in court if it goes that far, including what may be there on Trump.

 

[metis]

I think it comes down to whether Fox News wants to maintain whatever fig leaf of journalistic integrity they have remaining.

The words "Fox" and "journalistic integrity" are not a match.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Here's an interesting rub, namely that Hannity has claimed that Cohen has not been his lawyer, which may come around and haunt Hannity since now it's going to be almost impossible for him to claim attorney-client privilege. Thus all information on Hannity that the prosecutors may have found may be usable in court if it goes that far, including what may be there on Trump.

It looks like the right has been handed a pistol and they are taking target practice using their feet.

 

[Shaul]

I see that you still do not understand that it illustrates how Trump's defenses are crumbling. Trump's lawyer made an illegal campaign contribution. That is fairly obvious. The question is whether there was collusion between Trump and his attorney in that donation. If there was then Trump will lose all attorney client privilege in his dealings with Cohen. Cohen's move appears to be one of desperation. He claimed that Hannity was a client, Hannity does not agree with that claim fully. He did so to bolster his claim of being a legal counsel. Now it looks like he harmed Hannity and did not do very much for his own defense.

I’m sure you really, really want all that to be true in your deepest fantasies, but that doesn’t make it so. Trump’s defenses (whatever that means since there is nothing here needing defense against) aren’t “crumbling”. There was not campaign contribution. Repeating that there was over and over doesn’t make it true. There is nothing “obvious” about these things. They aren’t even true much less obvious.

There are acts of desperation here all right. But they aren’t coming from Trump. They are coming from his opponents trying desperately to come up with something (anything!) to stick against him.

 

[Phantasman]

LOL.......the lynch mob is out.

Hannity said he never retained Cohan and has 7 other attorneys. He merely talked with him on occasion.

This act by Mueller has opened a redefinition of attorney/client privilege. Until now, that was a sacred respect. You had to get a ssubpoena for information, and even then attorney/client privilege was protected. Many a criminal has walked due to this action. An attorney gets a guy off knowing he is guilty.

This new method can be compared to Gestapo methods, and has. Maybe it's best the door has been opened. I just wish it had been opened before this. Like when Hillary was subpoenad for her server. She was able to bleach bit and destroy 33,000 emails with a two week forwarning. Wished they had just kicked down the door and dragged it out with no warning like they did with Cohan.

Let the Gestapo acts be opened to all. I'm for it. Time for AG Sessions to get US Marshals to kick down the doors to the FBI and just grab those 1.2 million pages Congress has been waiting a year for.

What goes around, comes around. I'm just going to pop some popcorn and watch this play out.

 

[metis]

But they aren’t coming from Trump. They are coming from his opponents trying desperately to come up with something (anything!) to stick against him.

If that were to be the case, then why is Trump & Co working so hard to try and stop Mueller's investigation? Why is it that several in his camp have already struck plea deals to serve as state's witness? Why is it that at least six in Trump's camp lied by claiming they had no Russian contacts? Why is it that Trump has refused to put forth his tax returns even though he promised earlier in the campaign that he would, and also why is it that he said that if Mueller got into them he would consider that a "red-line"?

You watch Fox, right?

 

[Curious George]

LOL.......the lynch mob is out.

Hannity said he never retained Cohan and has 7 other attorneys. He merely talked with him on occasion.

This act by Mueller has opened a redefinition of attorney/client privilege. Until now, that was a sacred respect. You had to get a ssubpoena for information, and even then attorney/client privilege was protected. Many a criminal has walked due to this action. An attorney gets a guy off knowing he is guilty.

This new method can be compared to Gestapo methods, and has. Maybe it's best the door has been opened. I just wish it had been opened before this. Like when Hillary was subpoenad for her server. She was able to bleach bit and destroy 33,000 emails with a two week forwarning. Wished they had just kicked down the door and dragged it out with no warning like they did with Cohan.

Let the Gestapo acts be opened to all. I'm for it. Time for AG Sessions to get US Marshals to kick down the doors to the FBI and just grab those 1.2 million pages Congress has been waiting a year for.

What goes around, comes around. I'm just going to pop some popcorn and watch this play out.

While attorney client privilege and work product are important bits that require protection, there are limits. Remember no right is unfettered. If you have reason to believe that the proper channels were neglected or if you have a copy of the warrant to post, please do. I understand that warrant abuse is not exactly an extreme rarity, it happens enough. But, I find it even more difficult to believe that this was an abuse without even a shred of evidence to indicate it was.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I’m sure you really, really want all that to be true in your deepest fantasies, but that doesn’t make it so. Trump’s defenses (whatever that means since there is nothing here needing defense against) aren’t “crumbling”. There was not campaign contribution. Repeating that there was over and over doesn’t make it true. There is nothing “obvious” about these things. They aren’t even true much less obvious.

There are acts of desperation here all right. But they aren’t coming from Trump. They are coming from his opponents trying desperately to come up with something (anything!) to stick against him.

Of course it was an illegal campaign contribution. Tell me, what purpose do you think that Cohen was trying to serve by making that payment?

 

[metis]

LOL.......the lynch mob is out.

I think you're confused and are referring to the Benghazi investigations against Hillary, right?

 

[Subduction Zone]

LOL.......the lynch mob is out.

Hannity said he never retained Cohan and has 7 other attorneys. He merely talked with him on occasion.

This act by Mueller has opened a redefinition of attorney/client privilege. Until now, that was a sacred respect. You had to get a ssubpoena for information, and even then attorney/client privilege was protected. Many a criminal has walked due to this action. An attorney gets a guy off knowing he is guilty.

This new method can be compared to Gestapo methods, and has. Maybe it's best the door has been opened. I just wish it had been opened before this. Like when Hillary was subpoenad for her server. She was able to bleach bit and destroy 33,000 emails with a two week forwarning. Wished they had just kicked down the door and dragged it out with no warning like they did with Cohan.

Let the Gestapo acts be opened to all. I'm for it. Time for AG Sessions to get US Marshals to kick down the doors to the FBI and just grab those 1.2 million pages Congress has been waiting a year for.

What goes around, comes around. I'm just going to pop some popcorn and watch this play out.

You are making a bit of a strawman. Much of Cohen's material is still covered by attorney-client privilege. That is why the are approaching the information gathered with care by using a "taint team". The taint team will not be able to testify about what they saw. They are separating Cohen's info into three categories, privileged, non-privileged, and wait and see. Right now only the non-privileged can be used.

It is important to note that if collusion is proven with what they can look at that Trump will lose all attorney-client privilege, and that is perfectly constitutional. An attorney cannot maintain privilege and be party to a crime.