Michael Cohen has dropped his libel lawsuits against BuzzFeed News and Fusion GPS which he filed in January claiming the Christopher Steele dossier defamed him. The move comes less than a week after McClatchy DC revealed Special Counsel Robert Mueller has proof Cohen did travel to Prague as described in Steele's memos.
"The decision to voluntarily discontinue these cases was a difficult one," Cohen's attorney David Schwartz said. "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 is in court fighting to exclude potential evidence FBI agents seized in a raid on his office, home, and hotel room on April 9th.
The case against Fusion GPS, which compiled the dossier, and its co-founder Glenn Simpson was filed in federal court in New York. Cohen had sued BuzzFeed, which published the dossier in its entirety, in state court in New York.
In statements, both BuzzFeed and Fusion GPS said the suit was without merit.
"If there's one thing Democrats and Republicans agree on today, it's that the dossier was an important part of the government's investigation into potential collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia," BuzzFeed News said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Fusion GPS said: "With his decision, it appears that Mr. Cohen can now focus on his many other legal travails.”
Dropping the suits could help Cohen avoid being questioned by lawyers from Fusion GPS or having to turn over evidence related to the case — both steps that could undercut his defense in the criminal probe.
Trump Lawyer Cohen Drops Suits Against BuzzFeed, Fusion GPS (Bloomberg Politics)
Cohen drops libel suits against BuzzFeed, Fusion GPS (Politico)