Before a court hearing Monday, Michael Cohen’s attorneys said Cohen had three clients in 2017: Donald Trump, Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy, and a third person he declined to name. That third client, we learned later in the day, is Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
This news undoubtedly came as a surprise to Hannity’s Fox News colleagues, including afternoon anchor Shepard Smith. Above, watch how they reacted live in the hour after the news broke.
After Mr. Hannity was named, there were audible gasps in the courtroom.
On the Fox News Channel, the anchor Shepard Smith reported that his colleague’s name had been mentioned as a third client of Mr. Cohen’s in open court. He did so after other news outlets had broken the story, saying that it was time for him to address “the elephant in the room.”
“Hannity’s producers are working to contact him,” Mr. Smith said. “Since it’s now a part of the story, we’ll report on it when we know the rest of it. A lot of people here know his number, so we’ll get on that in just a second.”
At roughly the same time, Mr. Hannity was hosting his nationally syndicated radio show. He said it was strange to see his name appearing on the Fox News Channel and wondered aloud if he should release a statement.
Just before 4 p.m., he posted a message on Twitter: “Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.”
In a follow-up tweet, Mr. Hannity added, “I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party.”
After offering those initial statements on Mr. Cohen, Mr. Hannity returned to Twitter late Monday afternoon to provide more detail, saying that his “de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen” had been “almost exclusively about real estate.”
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Mr. Cohen is under criminal investigation by the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan. The F.B.I. raided Mr. Cohen’s office, home and hotel room on April 9, seizing business records, emails and documents related to several topics.
Without disclosing his relationship with Mr. Cohen, Mr. Hannity was fiercely critical of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, and the F.B.I. during the April 9 broadcast of “Hannity” on Fox News.
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During the show, Mr. Hannity described the F.B.I. raid, adding, “Now, what that means is Mueller’s witch-hunt investigation is now a runaway train that is clearly careening off the tracks.”
“We have now entered a dangerous phase and there is no turning back from this,” he continued.
“We will always be fair and balanced,” Mr. Hannity said as he closed his segment. “We hope you’ll always join us.”
The Fox News host has long been one of Mr. Trump’s most zealous supporters. Before a nightly audience of more than three million viewers, the biggest in cable news, Mr. Hannity has regularly defended the president and excoriated his critics.
His close relationship with Mr. Trump goes back to the fraught final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. After The Washington Post published the so-called “Access Hollywood” tape, during which Mr. Trump was captured on a hot microphone boasting in vulgar terms of “grabbing” women, Mr. Hannity continued to support the candidate at a time when many other conservative commentators had turned against him.
Last summer, Mr. Hannity dined with Mr. Trump at the White House. As recently as last month, he was a guest of the president’s at his Florida retreat, Mar-a-Lago.
In a legal filing before the proceeding on Monday, Mr. Cohen revealed that he had worked as a lawyer since 2017 for 10 clients, seven of whom he served by providing “strategic advice and business consulting.” Of the other three, two were President Trump and the Republican fund-raiser Elliott Broidy, the filing said. The third person remained unnamed — at least until Judge Wood forced Mr. Cohen’s lawyers to identify him as Mr. Hannity before a packed courtroom.
Last week, it came to light that Mr. Cohen had arranged for Mr. Broidy to pay $1.6 million to a former Playboy model, Shera Bechard, who became pregnant during an affair with Mr. Broidy. The payment, to be made in installments over two years, was intended to keep her silent about their relationship. After the confidential deal became public on Friday, Mr. Broidy resigned from his post as deputy finance chairman of the Republican Party and offered a public apology to his wife and family.
The contract in the confidential settlement between Mr. Broidy and Ms. Bechard included the same aliases — “David Dennison” and “Peggy Peterson” — that were used in a 2016 contract between Mr. Trump and Stephanie Clifford, the pornographic actress known as Stormy Daniels, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Image copyright Twitter/ Sean Hannity Image caption Sean Hannity (left) and Michael Cohen
A Fox News host is the mystery third client of US President Donald Trump's lawyer, a court has heard.
A judge ruled that Michael Cohen, the president's personal attorney, must reveal the link to Sean Hannity.
A vocal Trump advocate who has never previously divulged any legal ties to the president's attorney, Hannity denied he was a client of Mr Cohen.
Monday's hearing in New York City follows an FBI raid this month on the presidential lawyer's home and office.
Agents were seeking evidence on various matters, including a $130,000 (£90,000) payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Hannity visited the White House shortly after Mr Trump was elected
The judge also denied Mr Cohen's attempts to prevent prosecutors from reviewing the materials seized in the FBI raids.
Mr Trump's attorney says the computers, phones and documents should be protected under attorney-client privilege.
But Judge Kimba Wood ruled his application for a preliminary injunction was premature.
It is not clear why Mr Hannity hired Mr Cohen.
There are unconfirmed reports that the work was linked to an advertiser boycott of Hannity's show by the left-wing Media Matters group.
Skip Twitter post by @seanhannity In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf, I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen, — Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018 Report
The conservative host, who is known for passionately defending Mr Trump on his Fox News show, issued a statement of denial.
"Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter," the Fox host said.
"I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.
"I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party."
He maintained it was no "big deal".
After last week's raid on Mr Cohen's offices, Mr Hannity took to the airwaves to denounce the probe as a "declared war against the president of the United States".
Just before Monday's hearing, Mr Cohen said in a statement he had only provided advice to three clients in the past year.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, goes through security screening at court
One was Mr Trump. Another was a Republican fundraiser who admitted to paying a former Playboy model after she became pregnant during their affair.
The third client, Mr Cohen said, had refused to give him permission to be publicly named.
But Judge Wood made one of the lawyers identify Mr Hannity on Monday.
Also in the Manhattan federal court was Ms Daniels, whose appearance triggered a scrum from photographers outside.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Non-disclosure agreements have been in the news a lot - but what exactly are they?
Mr Cohen has admitted making a payment to the adult film actress, who claims the money was to keep her quiet about an affair she says she had with a married Mr Trump in 2006.
Mr Trump's attorney says he made the payment just before the 2016 election, but maintains Mr Trump did not know about it.
He is facing a criminal inquiry, which the president has strongly criticised.
The payoff to Ms Daniels could amount to a campaign finance violation, say legal analysts.
The White House has denied Mr Trump had an extramarital affair.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Michael Cohen walked through Manhattan over the weekend
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