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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowFederal prosecutors in New York have decided not to file any additional charges in their investigation of illegal hush money payments orchestrated by President Donald Trump’s lawyer before the 2016 election.
The two people spoke Thursday. They were briefed on the decision but weren’t authorized to speak about it publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty last year to violating campaign finance law by arranging payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal after they claimed they had affairs with Trump. Trump denies the allegations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan revealed Thursday that its investigation into Cohen’s campaign finance violations included an inquiry into whether other people gave false statements or obstructed justice — a broader scope than the office had previously acknowledged.
Court records show that in the days leading up to the 2016 election, Trump spoke with aides rushing to squash stories about alleged affairs he had.
Search warrants unsealed Thursday shed new light on the president’s role as his campaign scrambled to respond to media inquiries about hush-money paid to two women who said they had affairs with Trump.
U.S. District Judge William Pauley ordered the materials unsealed this week after prosecutors said they had concluded their investigation into a scheme intended to protect Trump’s reputation as he ran for president.
The investigation involved payments Cohen helped orchestrate to porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal after they claimed they had affairs with Trump.
Trump denies the allegations.
Cohen later pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations. He is serving a three-year sentence.
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