The Supreme Court has decided not to hear an appeal from Michael Cohen, the former fixer for Donald Trump, in a case where Cohen accused the ex-president of retaliating against him for promoting a critical tell-all book. The justices declined to comment on the case, upholding the decisions of lower courts that had dismissed Cohen's lawsuit.
In 2021, Cohen filed a lawsuit against Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and other federal officials, alleging retaliation in response to public comments he made about the book. Cohen was placed in solitary confinement for over two weeks after refusing to sign an agreement prohibiting him from speaking with the media, following his release during the pandemic.
The US District Court dismissed Cohen's lawsuit for damages, a decision that was upheld by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in January. Both Trump and the Biden administration urged the Supreme Court to reject Cohen's appeal, with Trump's attorneys stating that the case was 'entirely devoid of merit.' The Justice Department also argued that Cohen failed to demonstrate that the legal issues raised in the case were common in other instances, placing his claim 'outside the mainstream' of the court's role.
