In a major legal blow, the U.S. Supreme Court has officially closed the door on Michael Cohen’s attempt to sue former President Donald Trump.
As reported by Fox News, the high court declined Cohen’s appeal without providing a statement, putting an end to his efforts to revive a lawsuit claiming retaliation.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court just rejected Michael Cohen’s efforts to sue President Trump.
Excellent.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) October 21, 2024
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Cohen, who once served as Trump’s personal lawyer, argued that his 2020 imprisonment was a direct act of revenge by the Trump administration for publishing a book critical of the former president.
The lawsuit sought monetary damages not only from Trump but also from former Attorney General William Barr, federal prison officials, and the federal government.
Trump’s legal team, unsurprisingly, welcomed the decision. “Michael Cohen has exhausted every avenue of his pathetic attempt to drag my client into court time and time again. As expected, the Supreme Court has correctly denied Michael Cohen’s petition, and he must finally abandon his frivolous and desperate claims,” said Trump attorney Alina Habba in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Michael Cohen has exhausted every avenue of his pathetic attempt to drag my client into court time and time again. As expected, the Supreme Court has correctly denied Michael Cohen’s petition and he must finally abandon his frivolous and desperate claims.
— Alina Habba (@AlinaHabba) October 21, 2024
Cohen had previously spent three years in prison for a variety of federal crimes linked to his work with Trump, including lying to Congress.
Although he was released to home confinement during the pandemic, Cohen found himself back behind bars after refusing to sign an agreement restricting his social media use and press interactions.
He argued that his re-imprisonment was due to his refusal to stay quiet about his tell-all book, Disloyal: A Memoir, which exposed alleged wrongdoings during his time as Trump’s attorney.
Cohen expressed deep frustration, describing the ordeal as a violation of constitutional principles. “The Constitution is the bedrock of our democratic republic and is what makes America the beacon of the world,” Cohen said.
He further claimed that Trump was “weaponizing” the Department of Justice, a tactic he believes is characteristic of autocracies, not democracies.
Despite these arguments, the courts have not been kind to Cohen’s claims. Two lower courts ruled against him, citing a narrow interpretation of the 1971 Supreme Court case Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents, which limits a citizen’s right to sue federal officials for violating constitutional rights.
In 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein stated “It’s retaliatory because of his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish a book and to discuss anything about the book or anything else he wants on social media and with others.”
However, with the Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case, Cohen’s legal avenues have officially run out.
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