Michael Cohen Drops Steele Dossier Lawsuits

Michael Cohen has dropped his lawsuits over the infamous "Steele dossier." President Trump's personal lawyer was suing BuzzFeed over its publication of the 35-page document put together by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele that includes what NBC News calls "lurid" allegations about then-presidential candidate Trump that fueled speculation about his connections with Russia. Cohen had claimed the "false" allegations about him in the dossier, including claims that he traveled to Prague and met with Russian operatives there, hurt his reputation. He was also suing the research firm that compiled the dossier, and Politico reports he's dropped both suits.

"The decision to voluntarily discontinue these cases was a difficult one," Cohen's attorney said in a statement. "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." (Robert Mueller reportedly has evidence to prove that Cohen did indeed travel to Prague, despite his denials.)