McKay noted that Cohen refused to disclose the third client’s name under seal.
“If he can’t disclose the client name, even to the court under seal…” McKay asks how the government can contest an overbroad claim of privilege.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
Cohen’s other attorney Steve Ryan says the third client is a “publicly prominent individual,” and he didn’t want the name to be released from the public.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
“We are protecting that persons identity, but not from the court,” he claims, if there will be a sealed in camera review.
Jargon explanation: In camera = for the judge’s eyes alone.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
Judge Wood wants to know the “legal grounds” for withholding the client’s name.
After commenting on Cohen’s responsibilities, Ryan says: “I’m simply trying to protect the privacy of that individual.”
An attorney for the press objects, notes that the public also has a right.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
That attorney’s name is Robert Balin, who reads a citation indicating that a client’s fear of guilt by association is not enough to prevent disclosure.
The reason this is so, Balin says, is, “So that We the People, and the press, can monitor our institutions.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
BREAKING: Judge Wood rules that the name “must be disclosed publicly now.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
Dramatic buildup here.
As noted, Judge Wood made her ruling on disclosure, but no name yet. They’re arguing about a privilege log.
Todd Harrison is up now.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
Judge Wood: “I understand that he doesn’t want his name out there, but that’s not enough under the law.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
“The client’s name is Sean Hannity”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 16, 2018
😂🍷🍟🍷🍟🍷🍟🍷🍟🍷🍟 https://t.co/4c3QpdeU9n
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) April 16, 2018
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) April 16, 2018
Unlike everyone else in my Twitter feed, I take no pleasure…[interrupts tweet to laugh uncontrollably]…whatsoever in the embarrassment of that sterling role model, family man and great journalist, Sean Hannity.
— Walter Shapiro (@MrWalterShapiro) April 16, 2018
Fox has serious questions to answer about why Hannity was allowed to rant on the Cohen raid without disclosing this. Did they not know?https://t.co/Ku3H3hdjGx
— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) April 16, 2018
Marvel: “Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover event of all time.”
Me: pic.twitter.com/TZ86d3R1Gl
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) April 16, 2018
This Sean Hannity reveal was exactly the kind of shocking twist this season needed. Good job, writers.
— Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) April 16, 2018
Currently on Fox News pic.twitter.com/Ew5ZjL6rfB
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) April 16, 2018
So Hannity has been ranting on Fox’s airwaves about the raid on Cohen’s office, never revealing that his own files may be involved. #Ethics https://t.co/tIgNpYE2oX
— Michael Freeman (@michaelpfreeman) April 16, 2018
BREAKING: Michael Cohen’s previously unnamed third client is Sean Hannity.
Watch more from @Tom_Winter pic.twitter.com/qCC8ROQSV7
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 16, 2018
Sean Hannity called the raid of Michael Cohen’s files “mission creep” and a “fishing expedition.” “If he has access to everything that his personal attorney has, I can only imagine where that’s going to lead.” A week later it would lead to him. https://t.co/DoT6y6RY4W
— Matt Viser (@mviser) April 16, 2018
It seems a little unethical of Hannity to have been covering the Michael Cohen raids without disclosing that he’s a client.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) April 16, 2018
This failure to disclose by Sean Hannity is entirely consistent with Fox News dropping its “fair and balanced” slogan last year. https://t.co/DquUc2Vgfz
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 16, 2018
Sean Hannity just now addressed the announcement on his radio show. “It’s very strange to watch my own television network with my name in the lower third.”
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) April 16, 2018
Live look at Fox’s legal team pic.twitter.com/EWi6Z6FGOx
— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) April 16, 2018
“I’m not just the president of Trump’s Hush Money Club for Men, I’m also a client” pic.twitter.com/3oWA8AKFTU
— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) April 16, 2018
The fact that Sean Hannity has been railing against the FBI’s investigation of Michael Cohen without disclosing that Michael Cohen IS HIS LAWYER is wildly unethical, and also perfectly on-brand for a Fox News host https://t.co/5aJQt3Sqh7
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) April 16, 2018
This is the sort of thing that would be a fireable offense if Hannity worked for a company that did actual journalism. https://t.co/1yoZX0ZGdY
— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) April 16, 2018
Tonight on Hannity: pic.twitter.com/yKX6UsTZEe
— Jeff Tiedrich (@jefftiedrich) April 16, 2018
ABC News: Hannity is Michael Cohen’s client
NBC News: Hannity is Michael Cohen’s client
CBS News: Hannity is Michael Cohen’s client
CNN: Hannity is Michael Cohen’s client
Fox News: Textbook doesn’t call Trump great pic.twitter.com/cdEp28du2W— JRehling (@JRehling) April 16, 2018
CNN: The third client is Sean Hannity
NBC: The third client is Sean Hannity
Animal Planet: The third client is Sean Hannity
Fox News: Dog “arrested” for fighting with deer— Quinn Sutherland (@ReelQuinn) April 16, 2018
Gabriel Sherman just told @MSNBC that Sean Hannity hired Michael Cohen to defend against “left-wing groups” who were boycotting other Fox hosts. Hannity reportedly got really paranoid and even hired private investigators to look into these “left-wing groups.”
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) April 16, 2018
Watch Fox News report on Michael Cohen representing Sean Hannity https://t.co/RkBV3rKQul pic.twitter.com/SaqDfLMF8p
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 16, 2018
Here’s Fox News reporting during Shep Smith’s program that Michael Cohen’s 3rd client was their own Sean Hannity. #delicious pic.twitter.com/tk6eoDHqvy
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 16, 2018
Sean on his radio show said he never got a retainer, never received a bill, never had a matter with a third party. He admits to asking Cohen some questions (advice, opinion about public matter) and making sure he had attorney-client privilege. (Why would you get attorney-client privilege for some opinion about public matter?) He doesn’t understand what the big deal is.
Apparently, he doesn’t believe that he should be required to disclose that relationship. Also, the representation in court was that Hannity wanted to keep it quiet. WHY, if it is no big deal?
This is nonsensical. Cohen went to court to protect the identity and communications with a ‘client’ who swears he wasn’t actually a client, thus rendering the argument moot?
Yeah, um… no. https://t.co/4Foc0abrOG
— Hunter (@HunterDK) April 16, 2018
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA https://t.co/bXwvR371MH
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 16, 2018
UPDATE: Hannity’s radio show, scheduled to start at 3PM is a train wreck.
First 10 mins was music and clips of the Comey interview.
Then Hannity came on and said they’d continue to play the Comey interview while he though about whether to say something https://t.co/2ETkMLmmAs
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 16, 2018
Sean Hannity just explained on his radio show that his conversations with Michael Cohen were privileged because, “I might have handed [Cohen] 10 bucks and said, I definitely want privilege on that.”
— Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) April 16, 2018
AND NOW HE WEIGHTS IN:
Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
I’m going to have to recheck the ethics manual, but I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to accept free services from a person you also cover.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) April 16, 2018