Michael Cohen letter surfaces showing he lied about payments to Stormy Daniels, clearing Donald Trump

A 2018 letter from Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, surfaced Wednesday that could put an end to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's entire case against the former president.

The document contradicts Cohen's testimony to federal election officials about the $130,000 payment he claims Trump asked him to give to porn actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential elections, so that she would not tell about the alleged affair with the former president.

The recently released letter would evidence that Cohen used his personal funds to make the payment as "neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford (Stormy Daniels)." The text also reveals that Cohen was never reimbursed for this money either directly or indirectly.

The document was drafted by Cohen's then-attorney, Stephen Ryan, on February 8, 2018, in response to an investigation conducted by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) due to allegations of campaign finance violations brought by Paul Ryan and the organization Common Cause.

"In a private transaction in 2016, before the U.S. presidential election, Mr. Cohen used his own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms. Stephanie Clifford," reads the letter from the attorney then working at McDermott Will & Emery.

A "totally exculpatory" letter

Donald Trump shared the letter through Truth Social and pointed out that with this document, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should put an end to the case against him, which focused on the alleged payments made by the former president.

"Wow, look what was just found—A Letter from Cohen’s Lawyer to the Federal Election Commission. This is totally exculpatory, and must end the Manhattan District Attorney’s Witch Hunt, immediately" he said adding that Cohen admitted that he made the payment himself.

"The D.A. should get on with prosecuting violent criminals, so people can walk down the sidewalks of New York without being murdered!" he added.