Trump, Worried About Self-Incrimination, Seeks to Keep Evidence in His Lawsuit Against Michael Cohen Private

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Among the multiple legal headaches currently plaguing former President Donald Trump is one he initiated and is now trying to keep private – the evidence collected in his $500 million lawsuit against his former attorney Michael Cohen.

Bloomberg legal reporter Erik Larson detailed the courtroom request on Thursday, noting Trump is concerned the release of the evidence “could potentially incriminate him in his multiple ongoing criminal proceedings.” “Trump argues that documents sought by Cohen, particularly Trump Organization financial records, should be covered by a confidentiality order amid the former president’s criminal proceedings. Cohen has said the evidence should be made public, regardless of any prosecutions,” added Larson.

Trump lawyer Alejandro Brito made a court filing on Wednesday in Miami to keep the evidence private, arguing that Cohen “has already requested documents that interfere with and/or relate to the pending criminal proceedings and the underlying facts that form the basis of such criminal proceedings.”

Cohen, who worked for Trump for over a decade and held various executive positions in his company, told Larson over the phone, “If Donald was concerned that release of this information could or will cause him damage in the ongoing criminal investigations, he should have thought twice about bringing the lawsuit in the first place. You can’t have it both ways.”

David Frum, a former Bush speechwriter and critic of Trump, reacted to the news on Twitter, writing:

Step 1: Trump sues his former lawyer for saying allegedly untrue things about him.
Step 2: During discovery phase of trial, the former lawyer seeks corroborative documents.
Step 3: Trump protests, “Hey wait a minute, these documents could send me to prison.”

Trump is suing Cohen over allegations that Cohen broke attorney-client privilege. In late July, Judge Edwin Torres “ordered both the transcript and video from [Trump’s] deposition be kept confidential — at a minimum until he finishes setting the parameters for what evidence in the case will be made public or kept from the public,” reported Politico on Trump seeking to keep his deposition in the case private.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com