"THE 11th HOUR" GETS UNDER WAY ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
>>> THIS WAS DAY 510 OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.OF THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. THERE IS NEW PRESSURE ON THE
PRESIDENTS LONG-TIME PERSONAL
ATTORNEY AND SO-CALLED FIXER, MICHAEL COHEN OF NEW YORKXER,
MICHAEL COHEN OF NEW YORK TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
AND BY EXTENSION ON THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF. COHEN IS CURRENTLY THE SUBJECT
OF A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO
HIS BUSINESS DEALINGS.
THE CASE WAS REFERRED, YOU MAY
RECALL, TO THE FEDS IN NEW YORK
FROM THE MUELLER TEAM IN
WASHINGTON.
SOURCES CLOSE TO COHEN TELL NBC
NEWS HES NOW LOOKING FOR A NEW
LEGAL TEAM, OR LAWYER, TO
REPRESENT HIM.
ONE REPORT EVEN RAISES THE POSSIBILITY THAT COHEN MAY. MORE
LIKELY TO FLIP AND START
COOPERATING AS A HIGHLY VALUABLE
WITNESS FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
NBC NEWS REPORTS THAT COHEN HAS NOT YET SPOKEN WITH PROSECUTORS,
BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HIM
FLIPPING HAS RATTLED TRUMPS ALLIES, WHO SEE THE POTENTIAL
LEGAL JEOPARDY FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT.
IN LARGE PART, BECAUSE REMEMBER,
THE PRESIDENT KNOWS THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE SEIZEDDS OF
THINGS THAT WOULD BE SEIZED DURING A RAID OF COHENS HOME
AND OFFICE.
AND OFFICE. >>> ALSO TONIGHT, "THE
WASHINGTON POST" HAS BRAND-NEW
REPORTING ON ROBERT MUELLERS
CONTINUED FOCUS ON MICHAEL
COHEN.
COHEN.
QUOTE, COHEN IS UNDER INTENSIFYING SCRUTINY FROM
MUELLER WHOS CONTINUING TO
INVESTIGATE EPISODES INVOLVING
COHEN, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS
WHO TESTIFIED IN TO FRONT OF A
GRAND JURY IN WASHINGTON LAST
WEEK.
WEEK.
A FORMER MEMBER OF THE UKRAINIAN
PARLIAMENT SAID IN AN INTERVIEW
THAT MANY OF THE QUESTIONS HE
FACED DURING SEVERAL HOURS OF
TESTIMONY ON FRIDAY WERE FOCUSED
ON HIS INTERACTIONS WITH COHEN.
"THE POST" WRITES THAT THE
WITNESS MET WITH COHEN IN
JANUARY 2017 TO DISCUSS A BACK CHANNEL PEACE INITIATIVE FORCK
CHANNEL PEACE INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE.
UKRAINE.
ALSO REPORTS THAT WITNESSES TOLD THE PAPER, QUOTE, I REALIZE THAT
MICHAEL COHEN IS A TARGET OF
SPECIAL INTEREST TO MUELLER.
RUDY JEWEL JANNEY, THE DEFACTO
SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRUMP LEGAL
TEAM IN THE RUSSIA MATTER IS
SPEAKING OUT ABOUT COHEN
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
HE FIRST TOLD NBC NEWS KRISTEN WELKER, QUOTE, I HAVE NORISTEN
WELKER, QUOTE, I HAVE NO INFORMATION SUGGESTING COHEN IS
GOING TO FLIP.
AND THERES NOTHING INVOLVING THE PRESIDENT, EVEN IF HE DID,
AND THEREFORE IM NOT CONCERNED.
AND THEN HERE IS WHAT GIULIANI
SAID TO LAURA INGRAHAM ON FOX
NEWS IN JUST THE PAST HOUR.
>> WE DONT THINK HES
COOPERATING, NO DOE WE CARE
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT DID
NOTHING WRONG.
MICHAEL COHEN, I THINK HE WOULD TELL YOU, HAS NOTHINGK HE WOULD
TELL YOU, HAS NOTHING
INCRIMINATEING WITH THE PRESIDENT.EING WITH THE
PRESIDENT.
AND REALLY, THEY SHOULD STOP GOING AFTER HIM. SHOULD STOP
GOING AFTER HIM.
THEYRE TORTURING THE GUY.
THEYRE TRYING TO FRIGHTEN HIM.
>> HE HANDLED DELICATE MATTERS
IN TRUMPS PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
HERE IS COHEN ON THE SUBJECT OF
HIS CLIENT PRIOR TO THE
INAUGURATION.
>> ILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT
MR. TRUMP, THE FAMILY. FORTUNATELY MR. TRUMP HAS A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
I LIKE TO KEEP MYSELF IN THAT
LITTLE CIRCLE OF EXTREMELY LOYAL
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. AND WE WILL DO WHATS NECESSARY
TO PROTECT HIM AND THE OFF OF
THE PRESIDENCY.
THE PRESIDENCY. -- OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
>> THAT RAID OF COHENS HOME AND
OFFICE A FEW MONTHS BACK YIELDED
A LARGE TROVE OF DOCUMENTS, IN
ADDITION TO NUMEROUS CELL PHONES
AND COMPUTER, WHICH THE FEDS ARE
USING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF HE
BROKE THE LAW DURING ANY OF HIS
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
PAYING OUT THINGS LIKE HUSH
MONEY TO PORN STAR STORMY
DANIELS WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE AN
AFFAIR WITH TRUMP.
WHILE COHEN DESCRIBED HIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUMP AS
OFFERING PROTECTION, HERES HOW
TRUMP DESCRIBED IT.
>> MICHAEL WOULD REPRESENT ME
AND REPRESENT ME ON SOME THINGS.
HE REPRESENTS ME LIKE WITH THIS
CRAZY STORMY DANIELS DEAL.
HE REPRESENTED ME AND, YOU KNOW,
FROM WHAT I SEE, HE DID
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG.
>> WE ALSO KNOW THAT COHEN WAS
PAID BY A COMPANY WITH TIES TO ONE OF RUSSIAS WEALTHIESTES TO
ONE OF RUSSIAS WEALTHIEST OLIGARCHS, VICTOR VEKSELBERG WHO
REPORTEDLY MET WITH COHEN DURING
THE TRANSITION AND AT THE
INAUGURATION
INAUGURATION INAUGURATION.
INAUGURATION. COHEN THEN WORKED ON A SECRET
PROJECT TO BUILD A TRUMP TOWER
IN MOSCOW AND HIS NAME APPEARS
IN THES DOS DO DOSSIER.
>> HERE IN NEW YORK, NELSON
CUNNINGHAM, NORMER ASSISTANT
U.S. ATTORNEY IN THE SOUTHERN
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK WHO WORKED
UNDER RUDY GIULIANI AND ALONG
SIDES JAMES COMEY AMONG ERR POPS
HES ALSO THE FORMER GENERAL
COUNSEL UNDER PRESIDENT CLINTON
AND HAPPENS TO BE THE FORMER
GENERAL COUNSEL FOR SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
AND DANIEL GOLDMAN IS BACK WITH US AS WELL.GOLDMAN IS BACK WITH
US AS WELL. ALSO FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY
GENERAL FOR THE SOUTHERN
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE SOUTHERN
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK THESE DAYS.
I WONDER WHY.
SHANNON, BRING US UP TO DATE ON
YOUR LATEST REPORTING ON MICHAEL
COHEN.
COHEN.
AND THE REPORTING OUT THERE
TODAY THAT WHAT HES LOOKING FOR
IN A LAWYER IS EXACTLY WHAT BEV
AT THE STUDIO IN NEW YORK, PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE IN THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
>> WELL, THAT COULD BE WHAT HES
LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW.
THE INDICATION WE GOT IS THAT HE
NEEDED SOMEONE TO HELP HIM
THROUGH THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS
CASE.
CASE.
NOW, WHETHER THAT MEANS HE NEEDS
SOMEONE TO HELP HIM THROUGH A
PHASE WHERE HES A COOPERATING WITNESS, PAST DOCUMENTERATING
WITNESS, PAST DOCUMENT
PRODUCTION OR A PHASE WHERE HE
HAS TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO PAY HIS LEGAL BILLS.ENT WAY TO
PAY HIS LEGAL BILLS. WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF SO FAR TODAY.
BUT WE DO KNOW TO THIS POINT
THAT WAS MADE EARLIER, HIS LEGAL
BILLS WERE BECOMING
ASTRONOMICAL. HE HAD 15 LAWYERS, TWO DATA
SPECIALISTS, A TEAM OF
PARALEGALS AND ASSOCIATES
WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK,
SLEEPING ON COUCHES, TRYING TO
REVIEW ALL THESE DOCUMENTS.
ACTUALLY, ONE ASSOCIATE HAD TO
BE SENT HOME BECAUSE HE
DEVELOPED A HAND TREMOR.
SO THAT IS THE TYPE OF LEGAL
MITE THAT WE
MIGHT THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT
HERE. THIS COULD BE SOMETHING
THAT REACHES WELL ABOVE $1
MILLION. SO THE IDEA AND THIS ISSUE OF
HIM PAYING FOR HIS LEGAL BILLS
IS A REAL CONCERN.
WHETHER THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THE SWITCH IN LAWYERS OR
NOT, ITS THE ISSUE OUT THERE.
>> ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE
HOURLY RATE WHILE THE METER IS
RUNNING.
RUNNING.
DANIEL, I RECEIVED QUESTIONS FROM A NICE MAN, A LAWYER NAMED
ROB HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.
AND YOURE THE PERFECT MAN TO
ANSWER THIS.
ANSWER THIS. WOULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER ASKING
YOUR GUESTS WHETHER THIS MIGHT
BE A PLOY TO SIMPLY DELAY THE
CASE AS NEW LAWYERS ARE IDENTIFY
IDENTIFIED AND GET UP TO SPEED?
SECOND, HOW MANY TIMES CAN A
CLIENT REPLACE THEIR ATTORNEYS
AND FOR WHAT REASONS?
>> WELL, THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST
IS I DONT THINK ITS A PLOY TO
DELAY THE CASE BECAUSE THERE IS
NOT YET A CASE.
LETS REMEMBER WHATS GOING ON
RIGHT NOW IS SIMPLY A REVIEW OF
DOCUMENTS THAT WERE SEIZED
PURSUANT TO SEARCH WARRANTS.
HE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY
CRIME YET.
CRIME YET.
AND SO THERE IS NO CASE HERE.
WHAT I THINK IS HAPPENING IS THAT MICHAEL COHEN ISNING IS
THAT MICHAEL COHEN IS RECOGNIZING THAT HE NEEDS TO GET
READY FOR THE PREINDICTMENT
PHASE OF THIS CASE, WHICH MEANS
THAT THERE WILL BE NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE
ABOUT WHAT THEYRE INTERESTED
IN, WHAT CHARGES THEYRE
THINKING OF BRINGING, WHETHER HE
MIGHT COOPERATE.
MIGHT COOPERATE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS
THAT THE LAWYERS HAVE -- THE
PROSECUTORS AND THE DEFENSE
LAWYERS.
MY GUESS IS THAT MICHAEL COHEN
IS READYING HIMSELF TO GET PAST
THIS DOCUMENT REVIEW, WHICH DID
NOT REVEAL VERY MANY PRIVILEGED
DOCUMENTS TO THIS POINT.
AND THERES STILL A LOT THAT
REMAIN TO BE SEARCHED.
BUT HES STARTING TO GET READY
FOR THE BIG TIME, WHICH IS WHAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENS WITH THE CASE
AND WHETHER HE IS CHARGED.
>> NELSON IS, THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL THUS FAR IN ALL YOUR
EXPERIENCE, AS YOU LISTEN TO US
RECITE THE DETAILS OF THIS CASE,
IS IT UNUSUAL THAT HE HASNT MET
WITH THE FEDS?
ANYTHING UNUSUAL YET? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE DONT
KNOW FOR A FACT WHETHER OR NOT
HE HAS MET WITH THE FEDS.
MUELLERS TEAM, OF COURSE, HAS
BEEN VERY QUIET.
THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH IS HANDLING THEW
YORK, WHICH IS HANDLING THE OTHER PART OF THE CASE IS ALSO
BEING VERY QUIET HERE.
WE SIMPLY DONT KNOW. EVERY CRIMINAL CASE, 7/8 OF IT
ARE YOU SHOULD WATER, LIKE AN
ICEBERG.
ICEBERG.
WE ONLY SEE THE TIP THATS ABOVE THE WATER.E THE TIP THATS ABOVE
THE WATER. IT IS UNUSUAL AT THIS MOMENT
THAT COHEN WOULD BE LOOKING TO
CHANGE LAWYERS.
CHANGE LAWYERS. PERHAPS ITS THE MONEY, AS MANY
OF US SUSPECT.
BUT DONT FORGET, UNTIL NOW, THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS PAYING
COHENS LEGAL BILLS.
WE LEARNED FROM CAMPAIGN FINANCE
DOCUMENTS RELEASED A COUPLE OF
MONTHS AGO THAT THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN PAID $228,000 TOWARD
MICHAEL COHENS LEGAL BILLS FOR
OCTOBER TO JANUARY.
AND WELL LEARN IN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS WHEN THEY PUT OUT THEIR
NEXT CAMPAIGN FINANCE FILINGS
HOW MUCH MORE THEY WILL HAVE
PAID FOR COHENS LEGAL WORK.
MAYBE THEYRE FED UP WITH PAYING
IT, MAYBE TRUMP HAS CUT HIM OFF.
THAT WOULD LEAD TO -- THAT COULD