Indicted Giuliani Henchman Lev Parnas Raises Executive Privilege in Federal Court

Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born business associate with ties to Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, raised the issue of executive privilege during a court proceeding Wednesday, arguing it could apply to some of the evidence gathered in his campaign-finance case in New York.

The issue was raised during an arraignment for Parnas and Igor Furman, who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges in a four-count indictment that accused them of funneling money through straw donors into U.S. elections in an effort to gain influence. Prosecutors also allege the pair petitioned U.S. politicians, including a congressman, to have the ambassador to Ukraine removed from her post.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah Donaleski, offered a glimpse into the “voluminous” evidence that prosecutors have recovered so far on the two men who have become figures in the Trump impeachment proceedings, through “dozens of search warrants,” property searches, and subpoenas. The information includes emails and social media accounts and financial records from more than 50 bank accounts.

During the hearing, Parnas’ attorney, Edward MacMahon, told the judge that his client was told to invoke executive privilege in a letter that was submitted on Parnas’ behalf by John Dowd, a former lawyer for the president, to a congressional committee conducting the impeachment inquiry.

https://news.yahoo.com/giuliani-henchmen-lev-parnas-igor-180928108.html

"You can't use that evidence against me because I'm two degrees of separation from Trump" doesn't strike me as a particularly compelling argument.