Stormy Daniels’ lawyer: ‘Yes,’ porn star had sexual fling with Trump

A lawyer representing adult film actress Stephanie Clifford – who performs under the name Stormy Daniels – confirmed on Wednesday that his client had a sexual relationship with President Donald Trump years ago.

‘Yes,’ Michael Avenatti said on the ‘Today’ show, answering the question on every Trump-watcher’s mind.

Daniels had previously refused to say out loud what news outlets had reported breathlessly, citing a nondisclosure agreement that she signed in exchange for $130,000 in hush money just days before the 2016 election.

But on Tuesday she sued the president, alleging that he never signed it.  

‘We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,’ Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

It’s unclear whether Trump and his lawyer have a signed copy. 

Porn actress Stormy Daniels’ lawyer confirmed Wednesday that ‘yes,’ his client had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump a decade ago

Michael Avenatti said on the 'Today' show what his client had been coy about for months

Michael Avenatti said on the ‘Today’ show what his client had been coy about for months

Daniels sued Trump on Tuesday, saying that he never signed the nondisclosure agreement that had kept her quiet since just before the 2016 election; 'We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,' Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday

Daniels sued Trump on Tuesday, saying that he never signed the nondisclosure agreement that had kept her quiet since just before the 2016 election; ‘We look forward to sunlight serving as a disinfectant,’ Avenatti told DailyMail.com on Wednesday

Daniels says Trump’s longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen has continued to try to silence her about her ‘intimate’ relationship with Trump that ran from 2006 to 2007 and began shortly after first lady Melania gave birth to their son Barron.

Her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court includes copies of the nondisclosure agreement – in which she and the president are referred to by aliases – and a side letter that identifies her and Trump by name. 

Avenatti said Daniels is prepared to return the payment, which Cohen insists he made out of his own pocket.

‘I think she may have to,’ he said, ‘and she is prepared to do that.’

But ‘in light of the amount of misinformation that’s out there, some of which has been disseminated by Mr. Cohen and others,’ he insisted, ‘she believes it’s important that the public learn the truth about what happened.’

The lawyer also said Daniels 'may have to' refund $130,000 in hush money, 'and she is prepared to do that'

The lawyer also said Daniels ‘may have to’ refund $130,000 in hush money, ‘and she is prepared to do that’

Avenatti also said he doubts that Cohen, and not Trump, paid his client off.

‘We think it’s highly questionable as to whether it came from his personal funds … there’s no question the president knew about it at the time,’ he told NBC’s audience.

‘The idea that an attorney would go off on his own without his clients knowledge and engage in this type of negotiation and enter into this type of agreement, quite honestly I think is ludicrous.’

Avenatti said Tuesday on ‘CBS This Morning’ that Daniels is ‘absolutely not’ trying to sell her story to the highest bidder. But he admitted that ‘I don’t know whether she’s going to ultimately seek payment or not.’

Donald Trump and porn Stormy Daniels aka Stephanie Clifford pose together in 2006; she says her agreement with him to stay quiet about their alleged affair should be tossed out

Donald Trump and porn Stormy Daniels aka Stephanie Clifford pose together in 2006; she says her agreement with him to stay quiet about their alleged affair should be tossed out

Daniels says because Trump did not sign the NDA, the courts should find the agreement 'invalid'

Daniels says because Trump did not sign the NDA, the courts should find the agreement ‘invalid’

The lawsuit filed Tuesday lists Donald Trump, as well as an alias he used for the nondisclosure agreement, 'David Dennison'

The lawsuit filed Tuesday lists Donald Trump, as well as an alias he used for the nondisclosure agreement, ‘David Dennison’

Attached as exhibits in the suit is the NDA, as well as a side letter from October 28, 2016.; where Trump aka David Dennison would have signed was left blank

Attached as exhibits in the suit is the NDA, as well as a side letter from October 28, 2016.; where Trump aka David Dennison would have signed was left blank

All of the papers attached as exhibits in the lawsuit were unsigned by a not-yet-president Trump

All of the papers attached as exhibits in the lawsuit were unsigned by a not-yet-president Trump

The pages were signed however by Trump's attorney Michael Cohen as well as by Clifford's attorney at the time 

The pages were signed however by Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen as well as by Clifford’s attorney at the time 

The agreement at the center of the legal dispute was signed by Clifford – using her professional name – and Cohen on October 28, 2016.

The copy included with Tuesday’s lawsuit features a blank space where Trump would have signed. 

The suit says that Cohen tried to keep Clifford from talking about her relationship with Trump as recently as Feb. 27, 2018.

‘To be clear, the attempts to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and “shut her up” in order to “protect Mr. Trump” continue unabated,’ according to the suit.

‘On or about February 27, 2018, Mr. Trump’s attorney Mr. Cohen surreptitiously initiated a bogus arbitration proceeding against Ms. Clifford in Los Angeles.’ 

Avenatti is asking the court to declare that the ‘hush agreement’ and the side agreement ‘were never formed, and therefore do not exist, because, among other things, Mr. Trump never signed the agreements.’

‘In the alternative, Plaintiff seeks an order of this Court declaring that the agreements in the forms set out in Exhibits 1 and 2 are invalid, unenforceable, and/or void under the doctrine of unconscionability.’

The suit also alleges that the president must be aware that Cohen is trying to keep Clifford quiet because, as a member of the New York bar, he is required to keep his client informed at all times.

‘[I]t strains credulity to conclude that Mr. Cohen is acting on his own accord and without the express approval and knowledge of his client Mr. Trump.’

The 2016 agreement paid Daniels $130,000, days before the presidential election to keep her from disclosing any confidential information about Trump or his sexual partners to anyone beyond a short list of individuals she’d already told about the relationship.

She was also forbidden to share any texts or photos from Trump.

Avenatti said Tuesday that he was ‘not at liberty’ to say whether or not Daniels still has them.

Clifford also alleges Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen (pictured), has continued to try to silence her 

Clifford also alleges Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen (pictured), has continued to try to silence her 

Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, shared the full complaint with the attached NDA agreement and side letter as exhibits to Twitter on Tuesday 

Clifford’s attorney, Michael Avenatti, shared the full complaint with the attached NDA agreement and side letter as exhibits to Twitter on Tuesday 

The president has never addressed the alleged relationship publicly, and the White House has side-stepped questions about it with spokesperson Raj Shah telling members of the press he had never asked the president about it.

Cohen has acknowledged the payment, and has previously claimed it came from his own funds – but has never said what the payment was for.

In the suit, Clifford also alleges that in January 2018, Cohen, ‘concerned the truth would be disclosed … through intimidation and coercive tactics, forced Ms. Clifford into signing a false statement wherein she stated that reports of her relationship with Mr. Trump were false.’



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