Stormy’s lawyer wants Cohen to release ‘Trump tapes’
Likening them to the infamous “Nixon tapes,” Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti called on ​Donald ​Trump’s “fixer” Michael Cohen to release recorded audio conversations that Avenatti claims will show Cohen conspired with the president “to commit one or more potential crimes.”
Immediately after a court hearing where Avenatti was scolded ​to rein in his public comments about Cohen, the lawyer repeated allegations that Cohen secretly recorded conversations pertaining to Avenatti’s ​porn-star ​client, who was paid $130,000 in “hush money” to keep quiet about her claims of a fling with the president.
“Just like the Nixon tapes years ago, we now have what I will refer to as the Trump Tapes,” Avenatti told reporters outside the courthouse.
Avenatti then said Cohen’s lawyer, Stephen Ryan, “admitted that there are audio recordings that Michael Cohen was taking for years.”
“Not only do they exist, but they are under lock and key, and some of them relate to my client and her attorney-client privilege communications,” Avenatti said.
“Mr. Cohen and his attorney Mr. Ryan should release all of those audio recordings to the American people and the Congress so that they can be heard by all and people can make their own determinations as to their importance relating to the president and what he knew and when he knew it and what he did as to conspiring with Michael Cohen to commit one or more potential crimes.”
In court, Avenatti said Cohen leaked audio recordings of his discussions with Daniels’ former lawyer Keith Davidson, who negotiated Daniels’ $130,000 payment, repeating allegations he made earlier this month in a court filing.
Cohen attempted to leak the recording “in an effort to paint a false narrative,” Avenatti told the judge. “We want to take steps to protect this information,” he added, contradicting later statements that the recordings should be made public.
Cohen’s lawyer, Ryan, didn’t deny the existence of audio recordings between ​his client and Daniels’ former lawyer.
Ryan said that if they exist, they would be in his office “under lock and key” and therefore not leaked to the press.
“If we had released those audio recordings to a reporter, it would be the biggest story in America,” Ryan said.
“I am unaware of any release of any audio files at this time,” he added.