Michael Cohen's lucrative access-peddling mostly backfired, apparently

Michael Cohen
(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Very few parties involved in Michael Cohen's efforts to profit off his relationship to President Trump seem to be satisfied with the arrangement. Cohen told associates he felt he was underpaid by law firm Squire Patton Boggs, which gave him $500,000 a year plus office space in New York and a cut of any fees from clients he referred, The Wall Street Journal reports, and his work for other clients and prospective clients "dragged some of the world's largest corporations and other firms into Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation."

AT&T and Novartis shared information with Mueller's office about their agreements with Cohen and Ford provided information about Cohen's unsuccessful pitch to decipher Trump's inner circle, the Journal says. "More fortunate are the dozens of Fortune 100 companies who ... said they hadn't received any overtures from Mr. Cohen or had any contact with him." Along with Ford, Uber said it turned down Cohen's overtures.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.