President Trump’s private lawyer, Michael Cohen, on Wednesday dropped a pair of lawsuits against media outlet Buzzfeed and private investigation firm Fusion GPS that claimed libel after Buzzfeed published the so-called Trump dossier, which detailed possible ties between President Trump and Russia.
“The decision to voluntarily discontinue these cases was a difficult one,” Cohen’s attorney David Schwartz said, according to Politico. “We believe the defendants defamed my client, and vindicating Mr. Cohen’s rights was, and still remains, important. But given the events that have unfolded, and the time, attention, and resources needed to prosecute these matters, we have dismissed the matters, despite their merits.”
Cohen abandoned the lawsuits after his office, home, and hotel room were raided by the FBI as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into his conduct as Trump’s “fix-it” man.
By dropping the lawsuits, Cohen could avoid being questioned by lawyers from Fusion GPS or being required to turn over evidence related to the case, which could weaken his defense in the criminal investigation.
