President Trump’s former longtime attorney Michael Cohen has flipped. On Tuesday, CNN aired an audio of a private conversation between Trump and Cohen discussing forming a company to “buy the rights” to Karen McDougal’s story.
In the September 2016 audio, Trump says, “I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David,” referencing David Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media, publisher of the National Enquirer.
Trump is heard asking Cohen “what financing?” and “pay with cash,” or “don’t pay with cash.” Trump also yells to an aide, “GET ME A COKE, PLEASE!”
Without hearing the full audio, it is impossible to determine what Trump and Cohen are discussing.
Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani denies any payment was ever made to McDougal. Legal experts agree that it is not illegal to discuss buying the rights to anyone’s life story.
The former Playboy Playmate praised Trump in an appearance on Anderson Cooper 360 earlier this year. McDougal told Cooper she voted for Trump in 2016 and she plans to vote for him again in 2020.
The audio tape is part of over 1 million documents and other evidence seized by federal agents in a raid on Cohen’s home, office and a hotel room earlier this year.
CNN got the Trump/Cohen tape. The best part is in the middle Trump yells out to his secretary, "GET ME A COKE, PLEASE." pic.twitter.com/kYcpzYBhIF
— David Mack (@davidmackau) July 25, 2018
Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images
