CNN obtains recording of Trump and Michael Cohen discussing payment for Playboy model's story

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President Trump speaking out, claiming that the revelation that his former lawyer Michael Cohen secretly recorded one of their conversations involving an alleged hush payment to a former Playboy model is quote, “inconceivable.” For more on the story here is Zachary Devita.
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An audio recording of a conversation reportedly between President Donald Trump and his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, about a payment to a former Playboy model was played on CNN Tuesday night. 

The recording, which aired on “Cuomo Prime Time,” was given to the cable news network by Cohen’s attorney Lanny Davis. The conversation on the tape took place in September 2016, according to CNN. 

In the recording, Cohen tells then-presidential candidate Trump, “I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David.”

“What financing?” Trump can be heard to ask after a number of other, inaudible comments. 

“We’ll have to pay,” Cohen says. 

Trump then says something about whether or not to “pay with cash” to which Cohen responds, “No. No, no, no, no. I got (inaudible). No, no no.” 

The David who Cohen refers to is believed to be David Pecker, the CEO of American Media, which owns the National Enquirer. The Enquirer paid former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for her story about an alleged 10-month affair between herself and Trump that began in 2006. 

Pecker is a longtime friend of Trump and American Media never published the story.

Federal prosecutors seized a dozen recordings that were secretly made by Cohen when the FBI raided his office, home and hotel room in April. 

According to Davis, Trump’s legal team waived claims that the audio tapes were privileged material, making them available to prosecutors. 

In an interview with The New York Times, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani confirmed that Trump discussed payments related to McDougal with Cohen on the tape. But Giuliani said the recording cleared Trump of any wrongdoing. 

“Nothing in that conversation suggests he had any knowledge of it in advance,” Giuliani said.

Davis drew a different conclusion from the recording.

“What is this about?” Davis asked Cuomo Tuesday. “This is about honesty versus false disparagement of Michael Cohen. Why is Giuliani out falsely disparaging Michael Cohen – because they fear him.” 

“They fear that he has the truth about Donald Trump,” Davis continued, adding “Giuliani knows that only drug dealers and mobsters talk about cash.” 

Cohen made a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about her own alleged affair with Trump in 2006. Trump denied knowing about the payment but later revealed that he reimbursed Cohen for the money. 

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Adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels speaks outside US Federal Court with her lawyer Michael Avenatti (R) in Lower Manhattan, New York on April 16, 2018.Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims to have had a consensual sexual encounter with Donald Trump a decade ago, said April 17, 2018 that she is pursuing legal action against the president because she is “done being bullied.””I’m tired of being threatened, intimidating me, and trying to say that you’ll ruin my life and take all my money and my house,” Daniels said on ABC’s “The View.””I’m done being bullied,” Daniels said of legal threats from Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen, who is now embroiled in his own legal troubles.”I’m done,” Daniels said. 
EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ, AFP/GETTY IMAGES
In this courtroom sketch, Joanna Hendon, right, one of President Donald Trump’s lawyers, speaks as the president’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, left, sits next to one of his own attorneys Todd Harrison, center, with porn star Stormy Daniels visible in the audience between Cohen and Harrison, during a federal court hearing in New York, April 16, 2018. Attorneys for Cohen and Trump tried to persuade U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood to delay prosecutors from examining records and electronic devices seized in the raids on the grounds that many of them are protected by attorney-client privilege. 
ELIZABETH WILLIAMS VIA AP
CBS This Morning co-anchor Gayle King, left, Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti, CNN news anchor Don Lemon and FOX News talk show host Sean Hannity pose for a selfie at The Hollywood Reporter’s annual 35 Most Powerful People in Media event at The Pool on Thursday, April 12, 2018, in New York.In court hearings on April 16, 2018, it was revealed that the client list of presidential lawyer Michael Cohen also includes Sean Hannity, one of the president’s biggest supporters. 
EVAN AGOSTINI, INVISION/AP

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