Trump has successfully fought documents subpoenas for three years, until Thursday. Other former Manhattan prosecutors say search warrants can actually hinder a probe. Get a daily selection of our top stories based on your reading preferences.
Search warrants can work well when law enforcement wants to seize such physical evidence as guns, drugs, or money, says white-collar defense attorney John Moscow, who prosecuted complex financial crimes at the Manhattan DA's office.
In court papers filed in January, James complained that Trump officials were not sufficiently helping a third-party document search firm that has been hired, under court order, to help gather all subpoenaed documents. "Now, it's late in the game," said Alonso.
A person familiar with the matter told NBC News there have been conversations inside the Justice Department about the far-reaching implications of pursuing a case against the former president, should it come to that. So far, no public evidence has surfaced that Trump has become a criminal target.
Such a search requires high-level approval. The USAM requires such a search warrant to be approved by the U.S. Attorney — the head of the office, a Presidential appointee — and requires "consultation" with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
1. According to Cohen's own lawyer, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (widely regarded within itself as being the most important and prestigious U.S. Attorney's Office in the country) secured the search warrants for the FBI.
April 9, 2018 by Ken White. The Very Big News of the day: FBI Agents raided the law office of Michael Cohen, President Trump's lawyer who was involved in payment of $130,000 to adult performer "Stormy Daniels" for a nondisclosure agreement.
As the USAM puts it: In order to avoid impinging on valid attorney-client relationships , prosecutors are expected to take the least intrusive approach consistent with vigorous and effective law enforcement when evidence is sought from an attorney actively engaged in the practice of law.