Former President Donald Trump addresses the press during a lunch break on the third day of his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court on October 4, 2023 in New York City.
David Dee Delgado | Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday unexpectedly dismissed a $500 million lawsuit against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, while vowing to revisit the suit at a later date.
In a two-page document filed in Miami federal court, an attorney for the former president said Trump was “voluntarily dismissing” the lawsuit that alleged breaches of attorney-client privilege.
The former president had accused Cohen of “disparaging” him “through myriad public statements, including the publication of two books, a podcast series, and innumerable mainstream media appearances,” the complaint said.
A spokesperson for Trump said in a statement Thursday that the former president would pursue the Cohen lawsuit after he “has prevailed in dealing with the witch hunts against him,” adding that Cohen “will be held accountable for his unlawful words and actions.”
Trump faces numerous cases and trials, both civil and criminal, including four indictments.
Trump was scheduled to sit for a deposition in the Cohen case on Monday, when he’s also scheduled to hold a campaign event in New Hampshire.
In a statement Thursday night, Cohen said: “This case was nothing more than a retaliatory intimidation tactic, and his attempt to hide from routine discovery procedures confirms as much. Mr. Trump’s cowardly dismissal spells the end of this latest attempt to deter me from providing truthful testimony against him.”
“My legal team and I now look forward to turning our full attention to holding Mr. Trump accountable for his latest abuse of the legal system,” Cohen added.
Cohen has frequently been called to testify about his dealings with Trump. He was the key witness to testify earlier this year before a Manhattan grand jury, which approved a 34-count indictment against Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Cohen is listed among a group of 28 witnesses the New York Attorney General’s Office intends to call in a civil fraud trial that kicked off this week against Trump, his two adult sons and the family’s business. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Source link: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/trump-drops-500-million-lawsuit-against-former-attorney-michael-cohen.html