New York state investigators subpoena Michael Cohen in Trump Foundation probe
Investigators in New York state have issued a subpoena to former longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen as part of their ongoing criminal probe into the Trump Foundation, a state official confirmed to CBS News' Pat Milton.
The subpoena was issued Wednesday by the New York state's Department of Taxation and Finance seeking "relevant information in light of the public disclosure made yesterday," according to the state official. The news comes a day after Cohen pleaded guilty, in a separate case, to eight counts, including two campaign finance violations. The Cohen subpoena was first reported by the Associated Press.
As a former close Trump confidant, Cohen could potentially be a significant source of information for state investigators looking into whether Mr. Trump or his charity broke state law or lied about their tax liability.
Anyone charged with a state crime could not be pardoned by the president.
Messages the AP left with attorneys for Cohen and Mr. Trump were not immediately returned Wednesday.
In June, New York's acting attorney general Barbara Underwood filed a lawsuit against the Trump Foundation over alleged illegal conduct, claiming Mr. Trump used the foundation's charitable assets to pay off his legal obligations, promote his businesses and purchase personal items — including a painting of himself for $10,000 that was displayed at the Trump National Doral in Miami.
A Trump spokesperson at the time of the filing of New York lawsuit called it "politics at its very worst."
The Department of Taxation and Finance cannot prosecute anything on its own. Any potential evidence of wrongdoing found by the investigators at the Department of Taxation and Finance will ultimately be referred to the State Attorney General's office for prosecution, according to a source familiar with the matter.