Trump Financial Disclosure Shows Reimbursement to his Personal Lawyer Cohen

840
SHARE

President Donald Trump officially disclosed that he reimbursed his long-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen for the expenses he “incurred” in 2016.

On Wednesday, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) released Pres. Trump’s CY 2017 financial disclosure indicating that he reimbursed Cohen as much as $250,000 for expenses. However, the disclosure did not contain specific details or reason for the reimbursement.

Earlier this year, Cohen admitted paying porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 using his personal funds before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claimed that the payment was for her to keep quiet about her sexual affair with Trump in 2006. For months, the President denied any knowledge about the hush money. He also denied the alleged affair.

On May 2, Rudy Giuliani, who recently joined Trump’s legal team, revealed that the President reimbursed Cohen for the payment made to the porn star. The following day, the President admitted the $130,000 payment to Daniels to stop her false and extortionist accusations about an affair. He also stated that he reimbursed Cohen through a “monthly retainer” that did not come from his campaign.

Trump disclosure may be relevant to any inquiry

According to the OGE, Trump should have included the payments to Cohen on his annual financial disclosure last year. In a note on the 2017 form, the agency wrote, “OGE has concluded that the information related to the payment made by Mr. Cohen is required to be reported and that the information provided meets the disclosure requirement for a reportable liability.”