Judge Kimba Wood, who is presiding over the case against President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, was nearly nominated by then-President Bill Clinton to serve as attorney general in 1993.
Wood was hand-picked by Hillary Clinton, who had been asked to submit a list of possible nominees for her husband’s consideration.
Wood first raised eyebrows when the Clinton White House learned that she had trained to be a Playboy bunny while still a student. She was later forced to withdraw herself from consideration when it was revealed that she had employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny.
Michael Cohen case is being heard by Judge Kimba Wood — who was almost nominated to be Attorney General for President Bill Clinton, but had once employed an undocumented immigrant (back before it was illegal to do so) so her name was withdrawn from consideration.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 16, 2018
Some of us remember Judge Kimba Wood, who heard Michael Cohen case today, was nominated as Attorney General by @BillClinton, who withdrew her name when it was reported she’d briefly been a Playboy bunny (also had undocumented nanny). Boy, the drama is thick.
— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) April 13, 2018
Wood’s relationship with Clinton is now causing at least one Trump supporter to call for her recusal. Former White House adviser and frequent Fox News guest Sebastian Gorka tweeted on Monday that she should not be allowed anywhere near this case.
This is the woman presiding over the court case involving @realDonaldTrump’s lawyer.
Her name is Kimba Wood.
She forced lawyer Michael Cohen to disclose the names of his OTHER clients.
She is a Clinton confidante who was chosen by Hillary to be AG.
The #DEEPstate is real. pic.twitter.com/bpnPgdsVBU
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) April 16, 2018
Judge Kimba Wood is presiding over trial of @realDonaldTrump’s lawyer.
She was picked by Bill Clinton to be Attorney General.
Now she has power over the lawyer who works for the man who beat Bill’s wife in the 2016 election.
WHERE’S THE THE RECUSAL?https://t.co/p6lYldIOFa
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) April 16, 2018
During Monday’s hearing, Judge Wood ordered Cohen to expose the identity of a previously unnamed client. Fox News host Sean Hannity was revealed to be the mystery client. Hannity has said that he only asked Cohen, a friend, for legal advice and he never retained or paid him for any legal services.