Michael Cohen Was Not Returned To Prison Over Trump Book, Federal Prosecutors Say

Federal prosecutors overseeing Michael Cohen’s incarceration denied accusations in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union alleging Trump’s former lawyer was taken back to jail because he's writing a book about his former client.

Cohen was taken back into federal custody on July 9 following his release in May due to the coronavirus pandemic. His release was conditioned on him serving the rest of his three-year sentence in home confinement.

However, prosecutors argue Cohen was becoming “antagonistic” at meetings with probation officers and refused to agree to conditions, such as electronic monitoring.

“Cohen and his attorney attempted to negotiate the language of nearly every provision of the agreement, and Cohen stated on at least one occasion that he would not sign the agreement,” prosecutors said in a Wednesday court filing.

“In addition to expressing concerns about his book, [Cohen] objected to the requirement that any employment be approved in advance by Bureau of Prisons and the Probation Office, that he refrain from contacting convicted felons, that he refrain from grocery shopping [which would be performed for him by a family member] and to other language that he found confusing.”

Prosecutors also insist Cohen was “free to work on his book while incarcerated.”

The planned book has become a point of contention for the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and separate law firm on behalf of Cohen. It would focus on his time serving as Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer, sharing “graphic details about the president’s behavior behind closed doors.”

“For example, the narrative describes pointedly certain anti-Semitic remarks against prominent Jewish people and virulently racist remarks against such Black leaders as President Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela,” the ACLU lawsuit said.