On Monday, the United States Supreme Court rejected an attempt by disgraced attorney Michael Cohen to keep alive a retaliation lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump.
Cohen alleges Trump retaliated against him, causing his return to prison from home confinement over a critical, tell-all book written by the disbarred lawyer.
The Supreme Court’s decision—which included no comment on the case itself—leaves a string of lower court rulings in place, which dismissed Cohen’s lawsuit based on a 1971 Supreme Court decision. Cohen’s lawsuit was initially dismissed by a U.S. District Court, with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the ruling this past January.
Cohen, once a confidant and legal advisor to Trump, shifted to being an outspoken critic in 2018 after pleading guilty to several felonies. These included his involvement in an alleged “hush money” scheme related to the 2016 presidential election. Originally serving a 36-month sentence beginning in May 2019, Cohen was later released to home confinement amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, he publicized a forthcoming book critical of Trump.
In July 2020, Cohen met with probation officers who asked him to sign an agreement that required him to refrain from media appearances and not use social media. When Cohen refused to sign and attempted to negotiate a new agreement, he was returned to prison and, according to court records, spent 16 days in solitary confinement.
A federal court subsequently ordered Cohen to be again released on home confinement after his brief return to prison.