Why is Donald Trump suing Michael Cohen? How much money does Trump want Cohen to pay?
Donald Trump’s attorneys have filed a lawsuit against the former president’s ex-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, whose own lawyer has called it “frivolous”.
The battle between former President Donald Trump and his onetime lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen has just added a new chapter. Cohen is being sued for $500 million for breach of attorney-client privilege according to the lawsuit and for profiting off of it by “spreading falsehoods” about Trump.
Cohen wrote a tell-all book about the former president while he was serving time on a conviction in part for his involvement in a hush-money payment scheme that took place during the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s ex-lawyer paid adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she claims to have had a decade earlier with the then reality star of ‘The Apprentice’.
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Cohen’s lawyer says lawsuit is “a form of harassment and intimidation”
Trump was arraigned on 34 felony charges last month by the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg related to that and more payments made to cover up other alleged infidelities. Cohen, who once said that he would “do anything” to protect Trump but now says that he’s “ashamed” because he now knows who his ex-boss is, is the star witness in the case. The timing of the lawsuit against Cohen has led his lawyer Lanny Davis to call the lawsuit “frivolous.”
Davis says that the former president “is once again using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation.” Trump is well-known for filing lawsuits against his adversaries, at times claiming enormous sums in alleged damages.
Trump’s lawsuit claims Cohen is pursuing “financial gain” while fixing “shattered” reputation
The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Miami, accuses Cohen of releasing his tell-all book “when it would be most lucrative to do so” as well as “would be sure to have the most damaging reputational effect.” The book entitled ‘Disloyal’ was published just prior to the presidential election in November 2020 which Trump lost to Joe Biden.
“Defendant breached his fiduciary duties owed to Plaintiff by virtue of their attorney-client relationship by both revealing Plaintiff’s confidences, and spreading falsehoods about Plaintiff, likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct,” the lawsuit states.
The filing claims that Cohen “despite being demanded in writing to cease and desist” has continued to commit “breaches through myriad public statements” in his two books, his podcast and multiple media appearances.
“Defendant appears to have become emboldened and repeatedly continues to make wrongful and false statements about Plaintiff through various platforms. Such continuous and escalating improper conduct by Defendant has reached a proverbial crescendo and has left Plaintiff with no alternative but to seek legal redress through this action.
“Defendant chose to capitalize on his confidential relationship with Plaintiff to pursue financial gain and repair a reputation shattered by his repeated misrepresentations and deceptive acts, fueled by his animus toward the Plaintiff and his family members. His actions constitute grave violations of his contractual and fiduciary duties to the Plaintiff, and Defendant must be held accountable,” the lawsuit said.