Donald Trump’s personal attorney has said he will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights and decline to testify in a civil case brought by porn star Stormy Daniels.
Citing an “ongoing criminal investigation” that saw the FBI raid his office and home earlier this month, Michael Cohen said he would do so "with all proceedings in this case".
"Pleading the fifth", as it is known, allows people to invoke the fifth amendment to the US constitution, which protects Americans from being legally compelled to testify against themselves in a criminal case.
The FBI raid was carried out after a referral from the special counsel, Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the US presidential election, to New York-based federal prosecutors, a lawyer for Mr Cohen said after the raid.
It was not clear that the raid related to Mr Mueller’s investigation.
Mr Cohen appeared to acknowledge the overlap between the two cases, by saying he would invoke the Fifth Amendment.
Last month, Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Mr Trump and Mr Cohen to end a non-disclosure agreement related to a $130,000 (£93,000) payment she received from Mr Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her alleged one-night stand with Trump a decade earlier.
Mr Cohen has previously admitted to making the payment.
An attorney for Ms Daniels called his decision to plead the Fifth “a stunning development”.
Michael Avenatti tweeted: “Never before in our nation’s history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President."
In his court filing, Mr Cohen corroborated reports that the FBI agents who raided his home and office were interested in the transaction with Ms Daniels,.
He said they agents seized devices and documents that contained information relating to the payment
Mr Trump has denounced the raids as “disgraceful” and accused the media of “going out of their way to destroy” his attorney
The US leader has called the probe unfounded and steadfastly maintained that his campaign did not collude with Russia
A number of his former campaign advisers have also been charged in connection with Mr Mueller's investigation.
Former foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos and General Michael Flynn, who briefly served as Mr Trump's national security adviser, have both pleaded guilty to lying about their interactions with Russian emissaries.
