Michael Cohen disputes report of alleged payments released by Stormy Daniels attorney
Longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen said in a court filing Wednesday that a document released by Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti contains numerous inaccuracies. Cohen's legal team slammed the document in a court filing opposing Avenatti's motion to appear in the legal dispute over search warrants that were the basis for the raid on Cohen's home and office last month.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood, Cohen's lawyers claimed Avenatti published "numerous incorrect statements regarding Mr. Cohen."
Cohen's lawyers cited three allegations of transactions that they claim are incorrect. In one instance, they claim Avenatti identified a different "Michael Cohen" who was involved in a transaction.
The court filing did not dispute described payments from AT&T, Novartis and an American investment firm linked to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who was made a target of U.S. sanctions last month.
AT&T and Novartis have acknowledged that they had hired Cohen. Vekselberg and his firm have denied any "contractual relationship" with Cohen.
Cohen's legal team made the filing to oppose Avenatti's motion to appear in the legal dispute over search warrants that were the basis for the raid on Cohen's home and office last month.
Federal investigators have been probing Cohen's personal business dealings, and raided his home and office in April. In a separate case, Daniels, whose given name is Stephanie Clifford, has sued Cohen and Mr. Trump, claiming a nondisclosure agreement she signed is invalid because it lacks Mr. Trump's signature.
"Mr. Avenatti is apparently in possession of and has published information from some of Mr. Cohen's actual bank records, and Mr. Cohen is concerned that Mr. Avenatti has no lawful basis to possess those materials; and Mr. Avenatti has made numerous incorrect statements to the public in an apparent attempt to prejudice and discredit Mr. Cohen on this matter for which he seeks admission," the lawyers wrote.
Rudy Giuliani, Mr. Trump's attorney, told CBS News that Avenatti documents include "no allegations against the president" and "no clear allegations of a crime." Giuliani said it was his "impression" that Mr. Trump was unaware of Cohen's offer to companies to provide access to administration officials.
Cohen has not responded to CBS News' previous requests for comment.
