Judge orders release of Cohen search warrants sought by Mueller

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the release of search warrants relating to former Trump lawyer Michael CohenMichael Dean CohenHouse Intelligence Committee to subpoena Trump associate Felix Sater Hicks repeatedly blocked by White House from answering Judiciary questions The Hill's Morning Report - Trump and House Democrats resume battle MORE that had been sought by special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerKamala Harris says her Justice Dept would have 'no choice' but to prosecute Trump for obstruction Dem committees win new powers to investigate Trump Schiff says Intel panel will hold 'series' of hearings on Mueller report MORE.

 

Beryl Howell, the chief judge for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., wrote in her order Tuesday that the documents can be unsealed after the government makes any necessary redactions.

 

A group of media outlets — including The New York Times, Politico and The Washington Post — had requested that the search warrants issued by the D.C. court be released after they were referenced in previously unsealed search warrant materials in the Southern District of New York.

 

The released documents are expected to reveal further details on Mueller’s own attempts to investigate Cohen before the special counsel referred the case to federal prosecutors in New York.

 

Howell noted in her order that federal prosecutors do not oppose the release of the warrants as long as authorities are allowed to make certain redactions to them first.

 

The judge said that Cohen, who is in federal prison in New York, has not responded to the potential documents release “nor otherwise objected to the requested unsealing.”

 

Other materials relating to the raids on Cohen’s apartment, hotel room and office were released earlier this year but largely related to the SDNY investigation into the president’s former lawyer and fixer.

 

Those documents showed that Mueller sought the search warrants for Cohen nearly a year before the FBI raids on the former Trump lawyer’s properties.

 

Cohen reported to prison earlier this month after pleading guilty last year to several bank fraud, tax fraud and campaign finance law violations.