The FBI reportedly has a tape, secretly recorded by Michael Cohen, of President Trump talking about hush money payments to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Michael Avenatti says it's not the only one.
The lawyer for Stormy Daniels, a porn star who's also gotten hush money payments via Trump's ex-lawyer Cohen, has repeatedly said there are multiple "Trump tapes" out there. And after The New York Times reported one's existence on Friday, Avenatti immediately demanded its release.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
"I know for a fact this is not the only tape," Avenatti told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. "And I think that any and all tapes Michael Cohen has in his possession relating to this president should be released immediately for the benefit of the American public and they can decide what happens next."
Avenatti claimed Cohen is "one of the world's great hoarders of evidence" in a June MSNBC appearance, and predicted secret recordings had already been seized during an FBI raid of Cohen's office in April. He was at least partly right, as the Times revealed Cohen taped a discussion with Trump about a payment to McDougal, who alleged she had an affair with Trump in 2006.
Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted that this appears to be the only tape. Avenatti, for his part, wouldn't say how he apparently knows there are more recordings out there — just that he knows.
