Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Denies He Ever Threatened Stormy Daniels
There’s a new Vanity Fair interview out with Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who denies that he was involved in any threats towards Stormy Daniels.
And the man who arranged the payment for her NDA he claims to have never met her:
“In fact, I have never spoken to her. I have never e-mailed her. I have never met her. I have never texted her,” he told me. “Every interaction with Ms. Clifford was always through her previous attorney.” I asked if he knew whether she was threatened by anyone with any connection to Donald Trump. “I can only speak for myself,” he said. “I reiterate: I have never threatened her in any way and I am unaware of anyone else doing so.”
Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti claimed last week she had been physically threatened, and naturally there was some speculation as to who that may have been.
Cohen took a few shots at Avenatti during the interview, saying, “Unlike Mr. Avenatti, we are not handling this matter through the court of public opinion.”
He denied that he or his counsel spoke to CBS about Daniels’ upcoming 60 Minutes interview and said whatever she says on-air would just be “another breach by Ms. Clifford and will only further increase the damages I will be seeking pursuant to the agreement.” (Cohen also made some odd remarks about what he would do with the money if he wins, including maybe taking an “extended vacation” on her dime.)
He also addresses the initial payment itself and the involvement of President Trump:
As to confusion regarding why he would pay six-figures of his own money without expecting to get paid back, he told me that he did it for his own reasons and it’s irrelevant if people believe him or not. When I asked if he bullied Clifford or if she signed the agreement under duress, he responded, “Absolutely not”…
“People are mistaking this for a thing about the campaign,” he continued. “What I did defensively for my personal client, and my friend, is what attorneys do for their high-profile clients. I would have done it in 2006. I would have done it in 2011. I truly care about him and the family—more than just as an employee and an attorney.”
[image via screengrab]
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