Ex Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Played A Major Role In Donald's 2012 Presidential Campaign
These days, Michael Cohen is known as one of the once-close allies who've turned against Donald Trump, as well as a key reason the politician is officially a felon. The former lawyer was also the driving force behind Trump's short-lived 2012 presidential campaign. Although the real estate mogul had hinted his interest in politics as far back as the '80s, these musings remained theoretical until Donald Trump Jr. helped Cohen land a job with the Trump Organization in 2016.
By 2010, Cohen was a member of Trump's inner circle and was convinced that his boss could be president, so he partnered with other Trump loyalists and created the "Should Trump Run?" website. Their plan was to kill two birds with a stone by evaluating the public's support for a Trump presidency while selling the idea to more people.
The website was a major success, so Trump began what he would later term "unofficially campaigning" for the Republican party nomination (via The Guardian). If he had won, he'd have faced off with Barack Obama, who was running for a second term. However, months before the primaries, he dropped out and backed Mitt Romney, who was later defeated by Obama.
Michael Cohen was a Democrat before working for Trump
Given Michael Cohen's staunch support for Donald Trump, it's an understandable misconception that he was a die-hard Republican. After all, he once told ABC News that it was his job to target anyone who did something wrong to Trump: "I'm going to come at you, grab you by the neck and I'm not going to let you go until I'm finished."
However, years before turning into a Trump loyalist, Cohen was an active Democrat and a fan of Barack Obama. He even voted for him in 2008: "I thought it was the greatest thing ever. [...] This fantastic orator was going to make a change in this country." Eventually, Cohen grew upset with Obama's policies and accused him, like Trump had, of turning America into a "third-world nation."
When Trump ran for president in 2016, Cohen willingly took part in his campaign, continuing to work as a fixer. Per New York State prosecutors, Trump used his services to erase the possibility of a scandal from Stormy Daniels after their reported affair. Trump was still reeling from the aftermath of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which he can be heard boasting that his celebrity status allows him to grope women. "They let you do it," he says in the footage from 2005 (via Vox). "You can do anything. Grab 'em by the p****." To fix the situation, Cohen would later admit that Trump paid him to keep Daniels quiet and that he mis-recorded the expenses at Trump's directive.
Donald Trump abandoned Michael Cohen after his legal battles began in 2018
The public downfall of Michael Cohen's relationship with Donald Trump began in January 2018, following a story from The Wall Street Journal about the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels. Initially, Cohen refuted the allegations and insisted that he had paid Daniels himself. However, that April, FBI agents paid surprise visits to Cohen's home, office, and hotel room, looking into his relationship and correspondence with Trump.
By June, the then-president publicly distanced himself from Cohen, telling reporters that the lawyer wasn't working for him anymore. Two months later, the New York Post reported that the FBI was investigating Trump's former fixer. Cohen soon pleaded guilty to making false financial statements and participating in a campaign unlawfully. He also pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
More importantly, Cohen directly exposed Trump, stating that it was his "duty to cover up his dirty deeds" (via CNN). He was given a three-year prison sentence and disbarred for his unethical actions. Cohen would later claim to be ashamed over his longtime connection with Donald Trump. Many predict that Alina Habba, whose Trump gig has gotten to her head, might face a similar fate.