Trump thanks FEC for dropping ‘phony case’ against him after Stormy Daniels payouts

Trump issued a statement on Friday in reaction to the news, saying:

"The Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C., has totally dropped the phony case against me concerning payments to women relative to the 2016 Presidential Election.

"It was a case built on lies from Michael Cohen, a corrupt and convicted lawyer, a lawyer in fact who was so corrupt he was sentenced to three years in jail for lying to Congress and many other things having nothing to do with me.

"I thank the Commission for their decision, ending this chapter of Fake News. Between two sleazebag lawyers, Michael Avenatti and Michael Cohen, we were all able to witness law and justice in our Country at its lowest!"

The case brought by the FEC asked whether Trump had violated election law by paying out $130,000 to one Stormy Daniels, in an attempt to get her to keep any details of a relationship she and Trump may have had to herself, according to The New York Times.

The money was paid out by Trump's personal attorney, Michael D. Cohen, who said that the payment was made as a result of his "own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light." Cohen made these statements before a court in 2018, and served prison time.