Trump lawyer Michael Cohen drops libel suit against Fusion GPS as legal woes pile up

Trump attorney Michael Cohen has dropped his libel suit against private investigation firm Fusion GPS, which funded former MI6 spy Christopher Steele's dossier that alleged Cohen met with Russian government officials in Prague in the summer of 2016.

Cohen had sued both Fusion GPS and BuzzFeed News, which published the contents of Steele's dossier, for libel in 2017.

However, Politico reports that Cohen this week dropped the lawsuit as he faced mounting legal problems related to this month's FBI raid of his home and office.

"The decision to voluntarily discontinue these cases was a difficult one," Cohen's attorney, David Schwartz, told Politico. "We believe the defendants defamed my client, and vindicating Mr. Cohen’s rights was — and still remains — important. But given the events that have unfolded, and the time, attention, and resources needed to prosecute these matters, we have dismissed the matters, despite their merits."

Politico notes that Cohen's decision to drop the Fusion GPS lawsuit could help him delay a lawsuit being brought against him by adult film star Stormy Daniels, and could also help him "avoid being questioned by lawyers from Fusion GPS or having to turn over evidence related to the case" -- although the publication warns that this "could undercut his defense in the criminal probe."