Quick Hit:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday shut down Michael Cohen’s attempt to revive a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump. Cohen, a disgraced former lawyer for Trump, claimed that Trump and federal officials retaliated against him for writing a book critical of the former president. The courts have consistently ruled against Cohen, affirming that his claims hold no legal merit.

Key Details:

• Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, sought damages for what he called retaliatory imprisonment in 2020 after writing a book criticizing Trump.

• The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case after the lower courts dismissed it, ruling that Cohen’s claims had no legal standing under current precedent.

• Cohen’s attorney described the Court’s refusal as a "dangerous moment" for democracy, while Trump’s legal team expressed relief, calling Cohen’s efforts "frivolous."

Diving Deeper:

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Michael Cohen's appeal to revive a lawsuit accusing Donald Trump and former federal officials of retaliating against him. According to a report from the New York Post, Cohen’s accusations revolved around his claim that Trump’s administration imprisoned him in 2020 in retaliation for writing a book critical of the then-president. Cohen, who had pleaded guilty to multiple federal felonies in 2018, including campaign finance violations, sought monetary damages, arguing that his return to prison violated his constitutional rights.

Trump’s legal team, led by Alina Habba, slammed Cohen’s lawsuit as frivolous, noting that Cohen has tried to drag Trump into court repeatedly with baseless accusations. “Michael Cohen has exhausted every avenue of his pathetic attempt to drag my client into court time and time again,” Habba remarked. “The Supreme Court has correctly denied Michael Cohen’s petition, and he must finally abandon his frivolous and desperate claims.”

Cohen’s legal battle stems from his return to prison in July 2020 after violating the terms of his release, including restrictions on media engagements and publishing his tell-all book, Disloyal: A Memoir. Though a judge ordered his release after 16 days, ruling that Cohen was subjected to retaliation, his broader attempt to sue Trump and federal officials was dismissed by lower courts. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, who originally dismissed the case, stated that precedent from the Supreme Court required him to do so.