A federal judge on Friday refused to grant Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, an immediate restraining order against the attorney for the adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
US district judge James Otero said Cohen had not shown he would suffer “immediate, irreparable injury” without emergency relief against Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti.
Daniels claims to have had a sexual relationship with Trump. In October 2016, Cohen set up a limited liability corporation, Essential Consulting, that was used to pay Daniels as part of a hush agreement. Cohen was reimbursed by the president.
Cohen has been under the microscope since FBI agents raided residences and an office belonging to him on 9 April.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, a day of high political drama, Trump said Cohen was “not my lawyer any more”.
“I always liked Michael Cohen,” the president said. “I haven’t spoken to Michael in a long time.”
He added: “No, he’s not my lawyer any more. But I always liked Michael, and he’s a good person.”
