LAWSUIT/MICHAEL COHEN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “A federal judge has granted adult film actress Stormy Daniels’ request to dismiss a defamation claim against U.S. President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, while letting her pursue her lawsuit against Trump and Cohen to end a hush money settlement. In a decision made public on Tuesday [2-5-19], U.S. District Judge James Otero in Los Angeles said federal rules permitted Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to amend her lawsuit, and there was ‘nothing wrong’ with her request to drop the defamation claim. He said not granting that request could even prejudice Cohen by potentially forcing Trump’s self-proclaimed former fixer ‘to continue to litigate a meritless defamation claim.’ Otero dismissed the defamation claim with prejudice, meaning Daniels cannot bring it again. He did not rule on the rest of her case. The judge had previously dismissed Daniels’ separate defamation case against Trump.”
–Reuters, “U.S. Judge Dismisses Stormy Daniels’ Claim Against Ex-Trump Lawyer Cohen,” The New York Times online, February 5, 2019