Report: Top Trump donor agreed to pay Michael Cohen $10M to promote nuclear power project

Kevin McCoy | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Breaking down Michael Cohen's Trump Tower claims President Donald Trump denied Friday that he knew in advance about a critical meeting in Trump Tower in June, 2016, putting him at odds with the claims of his former attorney. AP Reporter Eric Tucker explains why it's significant. (July 27)

A top contributor to President Donald Trump agreed to pay $10 million to Trump's then-personal attorney in exchange for help in promoting a nuclear power project, according to a report.

Franklin Haney, who gave $1 million through a business entity to fund Trump's 2017 inauguration, agreed to the contract with Michael Cohen in April with the aim of having the attorney assist efforts to complete two unfinished nuclear power plants in Alabama, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The agreement included seeking a $5 billion federal government loan for the project, known as the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant, the report said.

The agreement marks the latest in a series of ventures in which private companies and individuals enlisted Cohen to push their causes with the Trump administration.

Lanny Davis, an attorney representing Cohen, declined to comment.

Larry Blust, an attorney representing Haney, did not respond to a message seeking comment. However, he told the Journal: "Neither Mr. Haney nor Nuclear Development LLC ever entered into a contract with Michael Cohen or his affiliate for lobbying services related to the Bellefonte project."

The longtime relationship between Cohen and Trump dramatically fell apart following an April raid in which federal investigators searched the attorney's New York City office, home and hotel room.

The raid sought evidence for an ongoing investigation widely believed to focus on potential campaign-finance violations, as well as possible banking irregularities.

Cohen used a limited liability company to arrange an October 2016 payment to Stephanie Clifford, the stripper and former adult film star known as Stormy Daniels. The payment, made the month before Trump won the White House, was aimed at keeping her from publicly discussing a sexual liaison with Trump — one that he has denied.

The nuclear project was at least the second time that Cohen worked with Haney. Both participated during an April session in which they met with the vice chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority about a potential investment in the nuclear plant, the Journal reported in May.

More: Omarosa says in tell-all White House book she saw 'mental decline' in Trump

More: Trump defends Putin meeting after U.S. officials warn of midterm interference

More: OnPolitics Today: Ivanka knows her Trump 'low point.' Do you?

Other companies also reached out to Cohen for his legal expertise and contacts after Trump beat former secretary of state Hillary Clinton to win the White House.

New York investment firm Columbus Nova said it retained Cohen "regarding potential sources of capital and potential investments in real estate and other ventures." Although the firm is affiliated with Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, it said Vekselberg had no role in the decision to hire Cohen.

U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T sent a memo to employees earlier this year that said Cohen was among several consultants hired in early 2017 "to help us understand how the president and his administration might approach a wide range of policy issues important to the company." Cohen did no legal or lobbying work for AT&T, and his contract expired in December 2017, the company said.

Novartis, a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company, said it contracted with Cohen because it believed he "could advise the company as to how the Trump administration might approach certain U.S. health care policy matters, including the Affordable Care Act."

The company said the one-year agreement was to pay $100,000 a month to Essential Consultants — the company Cohen used for the payment to Clifford. However, after an initial meeting, Novartis said it determined that Cohen and his company "would be unable to provide the services that Novartis had anticipated related to U.S. health care policy matters."

Korea Aerospace Industries said it hired Cohen's company for "legal consulting concerning accounting standards on production costs."

Follow USA TODAY reporter Kevin McCoy on Twitter: @kmccoynyc