Cohen Secretly Taped Trump About Payments to Playboy Model
*By Alisha Haridasani*
President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, secretly recorded a discussion back in 2016 with the then-candidate about payments to a former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Trump, according to a [New York Times report](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/20/us/politics/michael-cohen-trump-tape.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=67348559&pgtype=Homepage).
Siraj Hashmi, commentary writer at the Washington Examiner, said he thinks the story was planted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team.
“Undoubtedly, this information most likely came from Mueller’s team,” Hashmi told Cheddar. “The Mueller team is looking into everything: they’re looking into Stormy Daniels, they’re looking into Michael Cohen, they’re looking into Karen McDougal, you know, anything that they could have on Donald Trump."
The recording was allegedly created two months before the presidential election and was seized in April when the FBI raided Cohen’s Manhattan office. The model, Karen McDougal, alleges her relationship with Trump started in 2006. In the final months of the presidential campaign, McDougal sold her story to the National Enquirer for $150,000, but the paper never published the story. David Pecker, chairman of the publication's parent company, is a close ally of Trump.
Trump’s new personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, confirmed the contents of the tape and that the president didn’t know he was being recorded. He also said the recordings show that Trump didn’t know about the National Enquirer’s payments to McDougal.
“Nothing in that conversation suggests that he had any knowledge of it in advance,” Giuliani told the New York Times.
The Justice Department is investigating whether Cohen’s payments to silence women claiming relationships with Trumpーmost prominently adult film actress Stormy Danielsーviolated campaign finance laws. They are also investigating whether Cohen had a hand in the deal between McDougal and the National Enquirer that effectively silenced her.
The tape highlights how important Cohen is not just for the federal investigation into campaign finance but also for Mueller’s investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Cohen has long been Trump’s trusted fixer who got front row access to all of the president’s sensitive dealings.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/former-trump-lawyer-reportedly-recorded-conversations-about-paying-playboy-model).
Catching you up on what you Need to Know on Mar 21, 2022, with updates on the Russian invasion in Ukraine, a Boeing 737-800 plane carrying 132 people crashed in China, Canadian Pacific rail workers on strike, another possible COVID surge, and the SEC's new climate rules for businesses.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has told senators that she will defend the Constitution and decide cases “without fear or favor” if she is confirmed to the Supreme Court.
David Stryzewski, CEO of Sound Planning Group, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says he believes pent-up demand is driving stocks higher and explains how Wednesday's Fed decision continues to impact investor sentiment.
Rachel Thomas, the co-founder and CEO of the non-profit Lean In, joined Cheddar amid Women's History Month, to discuss how the organization is taking on issues that continue to impact the workplace through its Circles program. "These are a program that brings women together in small groups, usually 8 to 12, for support, camaraderie, and to learn together," she said. "We also we have a lot of curriculum so women can learn how to navigate workplace biases, how to negotiate with women." Thomas also applauded President Biden's recent call to action on equal pay for women, noting that businesses must do more to be cognizant of inherent gender and racial biases.
President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping spoke Friday for nearly two hours via a video call as the White House looks to deter Beijing from providing military or economic assistance for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Senate has passed the Sunshine Protection Act to permanently set U.S. clocks to daylight saving time — meaning you won't need to change them twice a year. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) joined Cheddar News to talk about something that hasn't been changed in almost half a century. “Well, I think if you were to start from scratch and have somebody come in and say here's my idea, we're going to have two different times during the year and you're going to shift back and forth between different times and have to reset all your clocks twice a year, you'd probably throw that person out as like having a screw loose," he said regarding the status quo.
Catching you up on what you Need to Know on Mar 18, 2022, with updates on the war in Ukraine, President Biden’s meeting with Xi Jinping, Meta removing a deepfake video of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Britney Griner, vaccine updates, and tech news.
As the Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, medical experts are worried conditions in active warzones will exacerbate the current pandemic — or even give rise to other contagions. Dr. Daniel Fagbuyi, a war veteran and former Obama administration biodefense appointee, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ongoing danger of COVID-19 on top of the war, as well as the potential for new variants to emerge. "I mean just large volumes of people definitely is a breeding ground. That's the worst case," he said. "Two things don't mix: war-conflict and a virus, a potential pandemic virus."
