Michael Cohen Drops Suit Over Russia Dossier Amid Prague Trip Reports

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By Dave Goldiner April 19, 2018

Michael Cohen angrily filed a defamation lawsuit against Buzzfeed when the web site published details of the so-called Steele dossier on President Trump’s alleged ties to Russia during the campaign.

The pit bull lawyer proved his bark is way worse than his bite when he abruptly dropped the suit even though he still claims the dossier is full of lies, Politico reported.

Apparently Cohen doesn’t want to have to make any of his claims about Trump under oath, which would be required if he really hoped to win a lawsuit claiming the news organization acted improperly.

The legal ground has shifted under Cohen’s feet since he found himself under serious criminal investigation over his business deals, which may or may not have ties to the allgeed collusion of Trump’s campaign with Russia.

One of the key details in the dossier about Cohen was that he met with Kremlin insiders in Prague during the late summer of 2016.

He unequivocally denied ever visiting the Czech capital but new reports say special counsel Robert Mueller has evidence suggesting he did.

Cohen could have made his Prague denial under oath in the defamation case — but has now passed on the opportunity.

Dave Goldiner is the Forward’s director of digital media. Dave is a veteran journalist who has spent two decades working at newspapers in the United States and Africa. A native New Yorker, Goldiner wrote for the New York Daily News, where he covered some of the biggest stories of our time, including the attacks of September 11, along with thousands of stories of hope and heartbreak. He also studied and worked in Southern Africa and has written for publications in South Africa and Zimbabwe. He holds masters degrees in journalism and public administration from Columbia University. Dave can be reached at goldiner@forward.com, or follow him on Twitter @davegoldiner

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