Trump lawyer Michael Cohen says he'll plead the Fifth in porn actress case

U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer MichaelCohen said on Wednesday he would assert his Fifth Amendmentright against self-incrimination in connection with a lawsuitfiled by adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who says she had anaffair with Trump.

In a filing in Los Angeles federal court, Cohen said hedecided to invoke his constitutional right after the FBI raidedhis home, office and hotel room two weeks ago.

The FBI search was partly a referral from special counselRobert Mueller, who is investigating allegedRussian interference in the 2016 presidential election andpossible collusion with the Trump campaign. Russiadenies meddling in the election and Trump has denied anycollusion.

Last month, Daniels sued Trump and Cohen to end anon-disclosure agreement related to a $130,000 US payment shereceived from Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet abouther alleged one-night stand with Trump a decade earlier.She argues it isn't valid because Cohen signed it, but Trump did not.

Cohen has asked for the Danielscase to be put on hold for90 days. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Oterosaid he needed more time to review the request for a stay, buthe told Cohen's attorney "there's some gaping holes" in therequest.

Lawyers for Trump and Cohen have said Daniels's civil lawsuitoverlaps the criminal probe of Cohen's business affairs, andthat letting her case proceed could both impair Cohen'sconstitutional right against self-incrimination and make itharder for Trump to defend himself.