Lawyers for Michael Cohen filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump alleging he breached a contract, among other claims.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, was decried as "an abusive act of pure retaliation" by Cohen's lawyers in the Monday filing.
NEW YORK JUDGE SILENCES TRUMP ON SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT HUSH MONEY CASE
"This suit combines the worst of Mr. Trump’s vindictive impulses," the filing said. "The complaint, frivolous and scattershot, is an abusive act of pure retaliation and witness intimidation, albeit a ham-fisted one. It must be dismissed as a matter of law."
Cohen's lawyers argue the lawsuit should be dismissed because they are "time-barred" by the statute of limitations, the allegations made regarding the breach are "vague," and Trump's lawyers do not show damages done by the breach.
They also allege the lawsuit was filed in direct retaliation for Cohen's cooperation in the Manhattan grand jury inquiry, which saw Trump indicted on 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records. The charges were related to alleged hush money payments made to two women in 2016 ahead of the presidential election.
"This timing is no coincidence: this action almost immediately followed the unsealing of criminal charges against Mr. Trump brought by the District Attorney for the County of New York on April 4, 2023," according to the filing. "The DANY indictment relates to the hush money payment scheme between Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen, and others to influence the 2016 presidential election by paying off an adult film star so that she would not publicize her affair with Mr. Trump."
"This is the same scheme to which Mr. Cohen had pleaded guilty, and Mr. Trump is well aware that Mr. Cohen is an important government witness against him in the pending criminal matter."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The lawsuit was filed on April 12, shortly after Trump was indicted and arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse. Trump is seeking $500 million over allegations that Cohen violated their attorney-client relationship, among other claims.
"This is an action arising from [Cohen’s] multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion, and breaches of contract by virtue of [Cohen’s] past service as [Trump’s] employee and attorney," the lawsuit filed by Trump said.