This afternoon news broke that President Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, had a secret tape of a conversation between himself and Mr. Trump seized in an FBI raid earlier this year. The New York Times has reported that at least one tape was seized, and on it, Cohen and Trump are heard discussing payments to Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claims to have had an affair with Mr. Trump.
Following this news, further details have emerged from both CNN and from Micheal Avenatti, related to these revelations.
First, CNN’a Dana Bash and Gloria Borger have reported that multiple tapes have actually been seized from Michael Cohen by the FBI. CNN’s Keith Allen has also just reported that Trump’s reaction when he was informed that at least one tape was in the FBI’s possession, was, “I can’t believe Michael would do this with me.”
And there are MORE tapes of Michael Cohen’s phone conversations with Trump, reports @DanaBashCNN and @GloriaBorger
When informed about the tape, the president said “I can’t believe Michael would do this with me,” according to a source familiar with the tapes.— Keith Allen (@CNNKeith) July 20, 2018
Also it appears as if Cohen and Trump are not the only individuals on these tapes:
NEW: There are other tapes of Michael Cohen and other “powerful” individuals that the FBI seized beyond the president but could be embarrassing for the people on the tape and for Cohen, according to a source familiar with the tapes. @DanaBashCNN and @GloriaBorger report
— David P Gelles (@gelles) July 20, 2018
Additionally, Michael Avenatti has just posted a tweet also implying that Cohen taped more than just one phone conversation with the President:
And there is a reason why I used the term that I did and demanded the release of the #TrumpTapes as opposed to the #TrumpTape. If Michael Cohen is a patriot, then ALL of the tapes should be released to the American people. Now. Too much is at stake. #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 20, 2018
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani claims that the tape will be exculpatory evidence, helping show that Trump is innocent. However, CNN national political reporter MJ Lee claims that Gloria Borger says otherwise:
???
Source tells @GloriaBorger that the conversation between Trump and Cohen is not as Rudy Giuliani described. This source says the tape is not good for Trump (Giuliani said it is exculpatory).— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) July 20, 2018
While, such tapes do not necessarily imply guilt on the part of Cohen or the President, Trump’s reaction certainly doesn’t sound like something coming from an individual with nothing to worry about.