Michael Cohen, the former legal advisor to ex-President Donald Trump, has approached the U.S. Supreme Court, alleging retaliation linked to his intent to publish a controversial book about his former client.
According to Fox News, Cohen claims his re-incarceration was an act of vengeance engineered by Trump and supported by the Judicial branch.
Michael Cohen has lodged a Supreme Court petition accusing the former president and his administration of using punitive measures against him for his planned publication. According to Cohen, these actions included his return to prison in July 2020 under harsh conditions such as solitary confinement.
U.S. Federal Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein previously stated that Cohen’s return to incarceration was motivated by retaliation, violating his First Amendment rights. The Bureau of Prisons' official response denied these allegations, maintaining that there was no retaliatory intent in the decision.
Disputes over legal interpretations have marked the judicial journey of Michael Cohen. Two inferior courts have already dismissed his case, referencing a narrow application of a Supreme Supreme Court precedent known as “Bivens.” This makes his current appeal to the higher court particularly significant.
Cohen's attorney, Jon-Michael Dougherty, emphasized the larger implications of the case, asserting its importance in defining the safeguards of American constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, Trump’s legal representative, Alina Habba, dismissed the allegations as unfounded, asserting that the legal fight was over before it started.
Now, the matter lies with Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who must garner the agreement of at least three other Supreme Court justices for the full court to consider the case.
This legal battle arrives after Cohen was a central witness in a precedent-setting trial that saw Donald Trump convicted on multiple felony charges. Trump had previously hinted during campaigns about pursuing political adversaries, saying, "I would have every tonight to go after them," though these statements were allegedly not acted upon.
During this period, Cohen released his book "Disloyal: A Memoir," which exposed details of his experiences working with Trump, intensifying the scrutiny and legal challenges around him.
Michael Cohen expressed his concerns about the misuse of presidential power dramatically, saying that such actions threatened the democratic foundations of the United States. "Presidents are not kings, and no president should ever be permitted to weaponize the Department of Justice," stated Cohen, highlighting the severity of his accusations.
Commenting on the appeal to the Supreme Court, Jon-Michael Dougherty summarized the gravity of the situation: "This case presents an important and unprecedented question—what remedy will this country provide a citizen who was incarcerated because of their criticism of government officials?"
Michael Cohen's appeal to the Supreme Court is not just about his personal grievances or political affiliations. Still, it touches upon the fundamental aspects of constitutional rights and the protection against executive overreach. It encapsulates the ongoing struggle between individual rights and executive authority in American jurisprudence, awaiting a resolution that could potentially recalibrate the balance of power.
