Fox News Hannity exposed in court as Cohen client

[turok]

"The disclosure came in a hearing where Judge Kimba Wood also ordered prosecutors to turn over material seized in a raid last week to Cohen's legal team so they can say how much they believe is subject to attorney-client privilege."


"Cohen's lawyers had publicly identified Trump and Broidy as clients, but revealed Hannity's name only after the judge ordered them to."

"On his radio show Monday, Hannity said, "I never retained him in the traditional sense" and said he believed his conversations about legal questions were confidential."

"I've known Michael a long, long time. Let me be very clear to the media. Michael never represented me in any matter. I never retained him in the traditional sense as retaining a lawyer. I never received an invoice from Michael. I never paid legal fees to Michael," Hannity said."


"But I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective," he added. "And I assume that those conversations were attorney-client confidential."

http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/16/media/sean-hannity-conflicts-of-interest/index.html

You can't have your cake, and eat it too, Scammity, there is no gray area where you can contend having had no professional relationship with Cohen, yet claim that you are protected by atty-client privilege.

You are one of the slimiest scumbag personalities that has ever hosted a TV show on surrealty Faux Ruse network, however.

 

[biggunsbob]

Slimball is just to kind of discrption of Hannity. Scumbag is pretty close. Hannity is such a asshole.

 

[Monster]

But Hillary Clinton should be in prison. Why does nobody talk about that? /sarcasm

 

[sggatecl]

but hillary clinton should be in prison. Why does nobody talk about that? /sarcasm

impeach her now!

 

[Michchamp]

attorney-client confidential? Man, these guys are just making it up as they go along... and their viewers don't care at all.

'long as they keep stickin' it to the "libs"...

 

[tinselwolverine]

It does appear as if Hannity's tit may be a bit in the ringer.

 

[TheVictors]

attorney-client confidential? Man, these guys are just making it up as they go along... and their viewers don't care at all.

'long as they keep stickin' it to the "libs"...

When his viewers get an attorney, it?s a taxpayer-funded public defender, not some high profile wannabe consigliere

 

[Gulo Blue]

attorney-client confidential? Man, these guys are just making it up as they go along... and their viewers don't care at all.

'long as they keep stickin' it to the "libs"...

I'm sure they're being consistent. Really, it's probably the only reason they couldn't impeach Obama. Since he had a law degree everything he did was covered.

 

[Gulo Blue]

So...in movies, it seems like I've seen scenes where a lawyer is like "Quick, give me $20." so that they can then legally have whatever protection that grants, but Hannity is saying "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees." So would that mean he doesn't get attorney-client status or is the movie scene with $20 BS?

 

[TheVictors]

Doesn’t the standard to obtain the warrant for Cohen’s office already presume and consider privilege for clients? Isn’t that what the ‘taint teams’ do? So that the judge ordering the warrant would have already concluded evidence of a crime/criminal activity overrides privilege?

So does it matter? If Hannity is not a client, no privilege ...but if he is a client laundering money and silencing hookers, privilege is irrelevant.

He seemed to be smarter than he looks now. Sad.

 

[turok]

So...in movies, it seems like I've seen scenes where a lawyer is like "Quick, give me $20." so that they can then legally have whatever protection that grants, but Hannity is saying "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees." So would that mean he doesn't get attorney-client status or is the movie scene with $20 BS?

There are other ways of being reimbursed besides money, if Seanny had connections or a stream of info that would be of interest or benefit to Cohen. Hannity made $35M last year, according to what I have read online, so why would he need to consult with Trump's lawyer in particular, long-term, for any purpose?

 

[TheVictors]

My neighbor is an attorney and has taken everything from land to tractors to antique rifles from his largely rancher/farmer client base.

Doesn’t have to be money for sure.

 

[Gulo Blue]

My neighbor is an attorney and has taken everything from land to tractors to antique rifles from his largely rancher/farmer client base.

Doesn?t have to be money for sure.

Sure, but Hannity said he didn't pay him. Paying with a tractor is still paying. He didn't specify cash. Then again, I don't think he mention any legal reason for confidentiality, he just said he assumed it would be confidential.

 

[Michchamp]

So...in movies, it seems like I've seen scenes where a lawyer is like "Quick, give me $20." so that they can then legally have whatever protection that grants, but Hannity is saying "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees." So would that mean he doesn't get attorney-client status or is the movie scene with $20 BS?

That's not how it works; an attorney client relationship can (and does often) exist without payment (of any kind, not just cash, as Vic noted). Pro bono representation exists. There's more nuance to it, and the rules for creating it are not "gotcha!" kinda things like "I gave you money, now you're my attorney."

an attorney might decide after hearing your schpiel that he or she does not want to take your case. The communications between you would still be privileged though, because the perception of the client at the time determines whether privilege exists, although there are "reasonable person" standards that govern that. E.g. If the attorney tells me "You're nuts. stop calling me. I am not your attorney." I cannot stand on privilege in court after that time, as no reasonable person would still think that was their attorney.

here's a summary of the privilege (starting about halfway down) of the privilege. important thing to remember: attorney client privilege applies to communications to/from an attorney for the purpose of soliciting or receiving legal advice, with some exceptions for criminal behavior and fraud.

also note: you can also waive or "break" privilege by disclosing your privileged communications to any third party, or for example, tweeting them out. So if you forward the email from your attorney to someone, the privilege no longer applies and it can be used against you.

okay, now pay me.

 

[turok]

Why would Cohen's legal team cop to his having Hannity as a client, if there weren't any hard evidence or documentation that Hannity was a client? Cohen only represents THREE clients: President Trump, deputy Republican National Committee finance chair Elliott Broidy, and Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Something's rotten in Denmark, and it ain't just Russian hookers, porn stars, Playboy Playmates, or mistresses.

 

[tigermud]

I fail to see what Hannity having Cohen as a lawyer has to do with Russia, Trump or even Stormy.

 

[Gulo Blue]

 

[Gulo Blue]

here's a summary of the privilege (starting about halfway down) of the privilege. important thing to remember: attorney client privilege applies to communications to/from an attorney for the purpose of soliciting or receiving legal advice, with some exceptions for criminal behavior and fraud.

So if Hannity expected privilege, that may be sufficient for that part of the question.

 

[TheVictors]

Sure, but Hannity said he didn't pay him. Paying with a tractor is still paying. He didn't specify cash. Then again, I don't think he mention any legal reason for confidentiality, he just said he assumed it would be confidential.

I'm just saying there are other ways to compensate for legal advice

I doubt what Hannity is freaking out about has anything to do with how or what he might or might not have paid Cohen. His reaction seems more a panic to distance himself without much thought as to the bigger ramifications. if *anything* proves he's a client of Cohen's then at the very least he's lying AGAIN about something related to Trump, the various investigations into him and the undeniable reality that Fox "News" has a lot more interest in the Trump presidency than simply rooting for the GOP.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Someone beat me to the punch.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...o-wrong/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f1b692e33d7a

Sean Hannity?s idea of ?attorney-client privilege? was right out of ?Breaking Bad?

?I might have handed him 10 bucks [and said,] ?I definitely want your attorney-client privilege on this,? ? Hannity told listeners Monday afternoon. ?Something like that.?