Talk about the art of the deal...!
6
Confidentiality agrees are very common in settlement agreements. If they do not have to be honored, then there will be a lot of victims of medical malpractice etc. that will never see a dollar.
Mr. Avenatti, you are good... real good! Checkmate Mr. Trump.
3
#releaseallNDAs? DJT can release all “his” captives at any time. He is free to release the truth at any time. #metoo needs to go after “groper” in Chief big time. Force lie test on him and release of all NDA sighners NOW!
2
She wants us to know "what really happened" - like we really care - puleeze!
So pathetic.
3
Trump has denied all sexual accusations. Only when someone can provide proof that he is lying will this bring down his house of cards. This is why this particular incident is so important.
2
This conclusively proves that DJT never learned to play chess. Stormy to Donny: CHECK!
3
And the mainstream media goes on trying to bring down the President that has done a lot of good for the folks the media is so concerned about...African Americans.
African Americans have higher employment now than ever.
Their lives can get better because of more job opportunities.
There is a whole list of things that the President has done to make this country better for all people. You people that read here, know what they are.
Yet , because of a couple social issues Liberals=The media+Democrats go on.
The Porn story is probably true, but Trump voters don't care.
Evangelicals forgive.
Gritty Trump voters that sat out voting for 30 years don't care.
African Americans don't care.
This media ploy against Trump may actually backfire..remember most Americans like an underdog...don't forget those EAGLES !
4
Underdogs yes. Rabid dogs - not so much.
7
If there is an element of criminality i.e. potential Federal Election Commission violation, a court could rule the "Hush" agreement is against public policy and therefore unenforceable. "Let Her ... Show & Tell"
3
Donald and Michael Cohen revealed as the gang that couldn't shoot straight, tangled up in their own machinations. And poor Michael Cohen, having to tap into his home equity line of credit after being head legal honcho for the self proclaimed billionaire for so many years. No savings account? Or was it simply having to shell out for the 100s of women as Steve Bannon alleges in Fire and Fury that kind of exhausted his funds, creating a cash flow issue?
I think now that secret agent Devin Nunes has concluded the Russia investigation that he so brilliantly ran, absolving NO COLLUSION Donald of any malfeasance as was his objective, he should turn his attention to Stormy. Is she colluding with Hillary Clinton to bring down Donald? Was she a source for the Steele dossier? Inquiring minds want to know. She may be as big a threat to Devin's idol as Bob Mueller is. Oh the delicious irony of it all.
Donald is always ranting about witch hunts. It makes me think that he is very frightened of witches. But he is as silent on Stormy as he is on Putin. I don't think that's a coincidence.
3
How much of the $130,000 did she get and how much went to her lawyers? Does this mean the lawyers will also return the money?
1
The New York Times should at least consult a qualified attorney and include that information in the article. Stormy and her attorney can offer to do anything they want but no one has to accept the offer. Heck, I will offer the city of New York $1.95 for exclusive use of all streets in the city-bet I will not get a response from the city attorney. Pure media nonsense.
4
It is all about -selling sex for money- only now SHE has expanded her sales effort- as one of her former clients proved vulnerable.- EMIS-
We should not become accessories to an expansion of "sex for money"- no matter who got caught in her web. The end does not justify the alliance.
3
I really don't care about Trump and his affairs. I do care that we have a misogynnist as our President. And gun control. And women's rights. The Supreme Court. Health Care...
2
It seems team Clifford is playing a masterly game of chess....no...make that Go, while the opposition is playing checkers. And if I didn't know better I'd swear item (b) in team Clifford's gambit; you know, the:
"(b) use and publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession, all without fear of retribution and/or legal liability for damages.”"
is about as explicitly a sharp knife placed at the throat of the POTUS as any legal team could bring to bear. It's a masterful stroke by team Clifford, and it seems to have team POTUS pinioned. Master stroke indeed.
John~
American Net'Zen
2
After all the revelations by the President's own mouth, does anybody really think that this affair did not occur? Of course, the salacious aspects of it will sell lots of newspapers and provide another distraction from the contemptible way the government now operates.
Mr. Cohen is just another cheesy part of the current administration, even if he doesn't work for it. He should be disbarred just for existing. Does anyone believe that he spent 130,000 of what is allegedly his own money to protect his good buddy Trump? Who are we kidding?
After writing a comment yesterday to Charles Blow's column, in which I was somewhat defensive of Melania Trump as an innocent bystander to her husband's idiocy, I am told that she appeared often defending her husband's "birther" claims. If that's so, then as far as I am concerned, she has made herself a target of whatever salacious material comes forward that might embarrass her. The kid is the real victim in all this!
1
It's a legal striptease with SD of course doing the teasing But it's t who's being stripped.
Now that all Hope is gone - time for Change...
Perhaps re-brand herself as "Change de Ville" - and get hired as our #1's body person...
Not a new concept...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/us/politics/reggie-love-is-leaving-oba...
...If the job requires spending a lot of "private time" with her employer - a natural for the role
Had job interview videos long before job interview videos were cool...
Clearly most people just aren't that concerned about Trump's sex life (can ya blame them?). It shows the huge difference between what many Republican voters claim they value, and their actual complete lack of any value system..
I mean, trump's tawdry sexual melodramas have been known for decades, and mainly because Trump himself would talked about them to anyone who'd listen..
Remember that look of sheer dumbfounded terror that was on Donald Trump’s face when he found out he won the election? I wonder if this is the sort of thing that was going through his head.
2
Daniels wants to “tender back” the settlement money because she now sees a much more lucrative money-making venture catering directly to the Trump-haters and playing to their desire to hear every dirty detail.
3
Let's say I sold you my house. Later I decide I want it back because it's gone up in value. I write you a letter offering to give you the money back if you'll return the house. Deal?
2
Trump has finally done a service to the nation. He has let every previous president off the hook as worst womanizer in chief. He has made himself into the al time champ; can't touch this.
Stormy Daniels and her lawyers are circling Trump and his boy like vultures eying a dying animal. I don't mean that in a negative way....
3
I hate to tell you, Trump's mistresses are saying his reputation as a lothario would be more appropriately examined by a TV program called "60 Seconds." SAD!
4
I would like to see her be able to talk about the affair and the 19 other women be permitted to have their #me too day. You do the lifestyle you suffer the consequences.
2
So Trump has an affair with a porn star while his wife is caring for a new child. And still he's the darling of the "religious" right. This is an interesting sort of religion, one that can ignore morality and ethics in the pursuit of political power.
1
We need to focus on the actual corruption which politicians engage in while in office such as getting friends no show jobs or their kids off of drug charges. Bribes paid for voting on legislation.
I don't care if Trump had a consensual relationship with an adult. This is different from Clinton who was accused of sexual harassment of women in their workplaces while he was the sitting governor of Arkansas and his subsequent perjury. This is a private issue between Trump and his wife.
This story opens the door into the private lives and bedrooms which had nothing to do with professional actions. Now everyone's private sex lives are open game. I want to know what Nancy Pelosi's and Andrew Cuomo's sex fetishes are. How about the Principal of your kids school? What porn to they stream over the internet? Be careful what doors you open, you might not like what comes out.
1
As a high school teacher for 42 years and a concerned American woman, I respectfully urge to stop and ponder the unfortunate message you are sending to young impressionable teens, especially young woman. Please show yourself some self-respect and dignity in the face of a situation you created for yourself. You agreed to have sexual relations with a married man and to accept a mere $130,000 for silence. You willingly and greedily signed the agreement regardless of who else signed or did not sign it. Surely your self-worth, character and image is more valuable than all the publicity and pain you are causing. I am sure I am not in the minority in viewing your willingness to smear your vile campaign all over the news as a vengeful, self-indulgent, and shameless act. I would think, as a woman, you would at least consider the feelings of Mrs. Trump and her son. You are such a beautiful woman, and you could have used your beauty and charm to make a positive and profound difference in the world. Do you really want to be remembered in such an unflattering manner? Do you not have a daughter, niece, sister, or Mother whose respect you would like to earn.? Regardless of what President Trump did or did not do, your publicity stunt reveals much more unfavorable insights about YOU than it will ever reveal about him.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Dupuy
1
Oops...change error to .... especially young women....
Merci.
Everyone knows it happened. There are a lot of people out there, like me, that don't care. It did not happen in the oval office, it did not happen with his employee. He did not rape her. He paid for sex with a sex worker. This is a non issue. No one cares. If anything its between the President and his wife. I don't think a billionaire is going to pay 130,000 little dollars out of his campaign fund. That's why it came from his lawyer who took out a mortgage on his house. This should end here. People that are interested in this also read the National Inquirer.
Talk about making the ultimate sacrifice--this woman claims to have seen Trump naked and had sex with him! Tapes of this stuff could be used to coerce confessions from captured terrorists.
Now let's really drive the GOP crazy and have her take over for Mitch McConnell.
This story is growing like a malignant cancer cell by the minute...
1
Ms. Clifford beat Putin to the punch. She might also be giving Melania an easy and possibly quite remunerative path out of her loveless marriage with Trump. In the hands of a smart lawyer, any pre-nuptual agreement might well become legally meaningless in the face of such infidelity.
Imagine what Stephanie and Melania could talk about over lunch.
4
Not to in any way suggest that Trump has a case, but $130K? That's peanuts for squashing a story about sexual shenanigans, considering that the men caught in the #MeToo machinery lost *everything*---their jobs, their reputations, their families, their life accomplishments. Surely if Stormy had a really good story to sell, it would have been worth much more than that.
2
Talk about a circus. DeMille could not have assembled a better cast of clowns, acrobats, trained animals, dancers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists for The Greatest Show on Earth. This sequel has a clown employ a working girl to perform some crowd pleasing acrobatics. When his emissary pays her $130k to keep her lips sealed she apparently is offered a better deal to spill the beans and hires her own snake oil salesman in an attempt to replace the dollar bills stuffed into her G-string with fives and tens.
1
Hackers of the world: how difficult can it be to hack Stormy’s computer, find the photos and emails and post them? Dear Stormy: can you keep your computer turned on tonight please? Why not a Wikileaks style release from the left?
2
How ironic is it that a porn star and not a feminist, Gloria Allred or a member of the Metoo movement is the one to hopefully bust Trump. Woman of the year? And I'm not disparaging any of them. Kudos to Stormy for standing her ground.
3
The rat is cornered and the traps are set with the juiciest bait.
2
Eventually your lies catch up to you.
And they’re the hardest things to remember.
2
At least she has more guts than Melania , melania could learn a thing a two from Stephanie to save this country.
2
Name me a time when we could say we believe a porn star over the President of the United States. I just hope God is jotting down the names of the so-called Evangelicals who still believe the President. They are the definition of hypocrisy.
2
Trump likes to call people names. From now on, let’s refer to him as President Davidson.
1
Evangelicals...your comments please?
Vice President Mike Pence who never dines alone with women unless it's his wife....anything from you?
No? Nothing???
5
You go gurl!
1
She was offered a condo, more, before the "affair" started. Sorry, that's not an affair. Payment for sex is known as prostitution.
1
This is what happens when your porn star is smarter than President "I'm like a genius."
I'll donate to your GoFundMe page if you give back the hush money.
4
We should not meddle in the private life of anybody for the sake of political gain. He is elected to office not based on sainthood. Ordinary people have such and such stories and we do not care. why now ?
1
Trump paid her $130000 not to talk. Trump should demand $1.3 million payment if she wants to run her mouth about the affair.
2
Democrats are sadly mistaken if they thing this alleged affair with Stormy Daniels matters much to the public. People who voted for Trump already knew he was sleaze - it was clear as day when that infamous audio tape of him talking about groping women was leaked. Trump's lawyer would do well to ignore this stunt by Daniels and let her claims fade into irrelevance.
If you really want to challenge Trump in the next election, then focus on the inequality which festered under Obama's policies following the great recession. Don't let your candidate make secret paid speeches to Goldman Sachs where she blames the public and expect the common people to support you.
4
But it's good for (yet another) laugh over the morality and truthfulness on display from Trump and his lawyers. What next? Aeguments about what is the meaning of "is"....?
What everyone seems to be missing about this is that the real crime here is probably tax fraud or something worse. If the hush money came from Trump or some entity he controls, then I would bet good money that the payer characterized it as a business expense. If the money came from someone other than Trump, it was even more likely characterized as a business expense (and what were they buying)? You have to remember we are dealing with dishonest people who were trying to hide the payment. And it would have killed them not to take a write off. So they probably did. It’s either tax fraud or worse. Will anyone ever dig into this? Trump needs to shut up Stormy pretty quickly.
Nobody here seems to understand contracts. It doesn't matter who signed the NDA. It doesn't matter even if nobody signed, as long as she signed it and accepted the money. The agreement does not have to address whoever provided the money. It could have said, I will give you $130K and you won't say anything bad about the Pope. There is no free speech issue here.
If she had returned the money within days, there is an argument akin to "buyer's remorse". Not a slam dunk, but an argument. She kept the money for over a year, she must stick to the conditions in the NDA.
Of course, nothing stops her from breaching the agreement and disclosing whatever she wants to disclose. She will then be in breach of the agreement, and whoever suffers as a result (provided that party was described in the NDA) will have damages to collect, including disgorgement of whatever money she made (presumably more than $130K). The damages could be enormous, in the proper lawyer's hands.
My guess is that Ms. Daniels will ultimately regret breaching the NDA if that's what she does. Her best strategy now is to keep quiet. She has gotten enough publicity for a person in her profession. Husbands no longer have to worry that wives will raise eyebrows if they accidentally mouth the words "Stormy Daniels".
Her lawyer is a gold-digger. He should be careful not to get disbarred, if he advises her to breach the contract. There is no question of performance on the other side: she got the money.
6
I do believe her book sales will amply cover the loss of $130,000.
Hey Trump, what goes around comes around.
4
isn't her "punishment" per the agreement, a million dollar fine? she should just speak and let them pursue the action. in any case, she will make much more than a million and be a NATIONAL HERO if she manages to take down trump.
4
Melania Trump is, or should be, the goal here. Trump's base doesn't care about his infidelities. And democrats have already heard enough. But Melania's status as First Lady, the institution itself, is supposed to mean something. She's a role model for American women whether she wants to be or not. And sooner or later, she needs to comment on this, on the man, her husband, and explain the nature of their relationship. Then, let his ecumenical, family values-based friends and party defend this man and their continued support for him. The Stormy Daniels scandal only costs Trump votes if it forces Melania to speak finally. Right now, her silence is deafening.
2
I have a question about arbitration. As I understand it, Stormy's NDA includes the provision that any dispute is to be resolved through binding arbitration. Thus, if she violates the agreement, some type of non judicial, "binding" arbitration can be invoked. But how does the ruling of the arbitrator carry any weight? Let the arbitrators rule and bluster all they want. Given that the contract specifies "binding arbitration", no effective (state judicial) enforcement can be used to enforce the arbitrators' decisions.
What am I missing?
I rather thought of this as a desperation move by Daniels because the 'contract' may well be enforceable. Of course, contracts are made to be broken, as Trump knows better than anyone, so this probe will surely create more opportunity to talk about what cannot be talked about creating a Kabuki Theater or, perhaps more appropriately, a fan dance, of disclosure/non-disclosure that will keep this in the headlines. And there are likely others waiting to see what happens, though the benefits will flow to the first out the door--Stormy.
1
It’s an election year. All this has to do is serve as a big distraction. That’s how she’s beating Trump and the GOP. Masterful.
12
After Ms. Daniels appears on 60 Minutes, the House GOP's decision to shut down its investigation of Trump will be seen for what it is: a premature exoneration.
17
Next thing, we'll read about Trump meeting in the oval office, at night, with Stormy's lawyer about joining the president's legal team -- if for no other reason than to preclude him from counseling North Korea! Being taken down by a porn star would be such a fitting end for this administration.
20
As much as I would like to see this story come out, it's hard to imagine that there was not a valid agreement here, full signatures or not.
Trump wins the presidency and she want to renege the contract.
If Trump had lost (a distinct possibility at the time of signing) and he then came looking to get his money back on the basis of no contract (due to a missing signature), what would Stormy's lawyers likely have said?
4
What if there are images and audio recording of Donald J. Trump in VERY COMPROMISING situations. What if these snippets portray conduct of a "powerful" misogynist male who actually prefers moments of supreme humiliation. Think about it, America. It wouldn't surprise me if Russia (Putin) has quite a video and photographic library to keep Donald J. Trump wanting to please his ultimate master.
14
Trump and his advisors would be well advised to let Stormy Daniels' so-called settlement offer expire. Daniels, her lawyers, and the media have already publicized all of the essential elements of her overworked tale (pun intended) and cannot cause Trump more damage than they've already inflicted in their prurient zeal to exploit the the sordid affair. Accepting Daniels' settlement offer would accomplish nothing but to free her, her lawyer and their enablers, including CBS, 60 Minutes and Anderson Cooper, to create a series of "breaking news" events by publicizing the most personal, intimate, and presumably salacious details. That result most arguably would not be in the public's interest, and it certainly would not be Trump's own interest.
5
"....cannot cause Trump more damage than they've already inflicted"
DO NOT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS.
2
A prenuptial protects the person with the greatest wealth, but I would imagine it also contains duties that trump must fulfill. Chained immigration to bring in her parents? Infidelity penalties? Non-disparagement clause as to the size of his tiny...hands? It will be interesting to see such a document if it is made public as a result of his pending divorce. Likewise, I wonder if she has performance bonuses which accrue for number and gender of births; tolerating the invasion of privacy suffered as first lady. It might be quite a read.
2
She is going to maximize the value of her tail before it depreciates.
11
Actually, as you must know, it's now her "tale" that's of great value.
1
So is Trump - why shouldn't she?
May the Stormy Daniels matter encourage all the other women in Trumps past to all their stories - could be like a floodgate opening. Probably make for very interesting reading and all sorts of questions from reporters to ask Sarah H Sanders to answer.
21
Those who want to return money, just do it. They do not pre-announce
Also the money is to be returned to the Lawyers HELOC. where it came from.
4
She sold out the country for $130,000. And now she wants a re-do. A perfect match for President Trump.
8
She is not running for public office.
1
She sold out the country by opting not to discuss her sex life ?
1
Let’s not pretend that this will change anything. Most of the men who voted for Trump probably want to high five the guy for cheating on his wife right after the birth of their son.
42
Your first sentence is well aimed. Your second sentence falls into the gutter.
So, if you’re right, what does that say about the women who voted for him?
I didn't fall in, I'm just taking a four year swim.
Anything to keep her name in the news. Her 15 minutes were up about 10 years ago. Give it a rest.
12
So why are you so concerned?
10
and why are you so concerned?
Who cares about illegal campaign fund abuses, am I right? Ask Nixon how that turned out for him- pretty sure he claimed he wasn’t a crook too.
Should I care that our President had an affair with a porn star years ago while his wife took care of their young child at home? No.
Should I worry about the uncertainty of potential problems when such sleazy-low-life becomes our President and uses strength and power to harm and intimidate those who are weaker than him? You bet.
48
So is there a Go Fund Me somewhere for the 130K?
14
trump finally meets his match . or to be precise, better deal maker than he ever is !
24
Well-done, Stormy! You and your lawyer have done it. I hope you prevail
31
I adore seeing Trumpists bewail Stormy Daniels' lack of moral fiber, and being a money-grubber.
38
The sunset of the Caligula-Commodus reign may require some strange bedfellows.
I just hope—if she is a priming force—that she never runs for office. The current electorate is too easily seduced.
8
You don't think she could do better than Trump?
Well, rah rah, and I guess she wants to get something off her, er, chest. Good for her. But this guy has more Teflon than one of those cheap cookware sets. He is without blame, seemingly, no matter what he is accused of, for over a year now in office. Lovely......
1
I hope Stormy does something to make the news every day!
22
How much more do the Russians have on Trump. The Russians are the ones with the non disclosure agrrenent on Trump.
17
She fights farce with farce.
18
Is there any reason Stormy doesn't violate the NDA? A million is nothing compared to all the $$ people are lining up to pay her for her story! In fact, isn't that the reason she's trying to extricate herself from the contract in the first place? She wasn't too eager to save our republic 18 months ago.
8
? And therefore we should ignore whatever she has to disclose ?
4
Will 'STORMY' be the most popular girl's name given to newborns this spring, adopted by either 'confused' Trump supporters or trend setting feminists?
7
No.
1
President Trump is not a Howard Stern chump anymore. He is President of the United States of America. It would be reassuring if he exhibited some awareness and acceptance of his position in life and could make me feel good that he is leading our country. Instead he is paranoid, impetuous, misogynistic and basically "All about me". Future generations, in charter schools, will learn about how the Trump administration was successful. What a disgrace.
12
But at least we have talented and ethical cabinet members like Betsy DeVos and Dr. Ben Carson...
Deposition testimony witnesses list (on video):
Donald Trump;
Melania Trump;
Michael Cohen; and
Keith Schiller (Trump bodyguard).
Done.
11
Done?
Are you kidding?
Once something like this gets started, there's seemingly no end to it.
Why do you think he (and his backers) are so nervous?
8
I'll bet Michael Cohen would like to get his home equity line of credit back.
12
Probably better if it was not approved by the lender...
1
Stormy obviously sees that she made a bad deal accepting $130,000 of hush money when she can now make millions on interviews, a book deal...lets not forget the possible movie. DT should be proud of his ex. apprentice, in a non-presidential mode he would most likely promote her to a management position.
Sadly the nature of this is another tabloid story. like DTs scandalous front page affair with Marla Maples when he was married to Ivana Trump. This serves as another distraction from the far more serious missteps in policy decisions and the harmful rhetoric which continues to place our democracy in jeopardy. DT is so very used to this type of publicity which only serves to boost his ego. He certainly makes no pretense to being a "family man."
6
Stormy is running circles around Trump. IF she returns the money they acknowledge they paid her, if they sue her for talking they admit they paid her as well to stay quiet! Either way Trump loses! So much winning!!! I love it...
36
Even if Daniels exposes everything, the vast majority of Trump's supporters will remain steadfastly loyal.
7
Finally Trump has been had at his game of suing people. There might be justice after all. I say might because he has appointed a few of those justices and they might side with him over the public.
So Trump is making like a user car salesman and forgetting he sold that car.
8
I am following this with so much pleasure. But we'll never hear a detail. Where this ends is at about 100 million dollars. Neither of them really believed he'd be elected president. Who knew?
10
This is a very Trump legal problem of his own making. Payment to Stormy should have sufficed to make the contract binding against her. But the one common theme in Trump's personal and political life is victimhood - he must cast himself, his supporters and even America as victims. As a result, it was not sufficient for him to settle with her - the agreement had to include that he had grievances against her which he was agreeing to waive. He was the victim! Waiving those grievances is part of the "consideration" of the contract, and therefore his failure to sign the contract and waive his claims against her makes the contract invalid and unenforceable. Had he not insisted on being a victim most of us would never have heard of Stormy Daniels. Sad!
8
Moliere could not have written a better farce. America has always loved a good scandal, however, it appears we have all sighingly acquiesced to the point where there is no scandal at all, it is simply mundane. And this of course also means we have no expectations at all. This is the point where it becomes tragedy.
10
Stormy, just say it. I will personally start a GoFundMe campaign to cover your legal costs
23
I have a better idea= let's take her public.
7
Yet another reason Trump is unfit for the presidency. Not only is he an immoral philanderer, but he makes bad decisions about the women he cheats with, and he is apparently at risk of being blackmailed by over 100 women (and porn stars and prostitutes) he has paid to keep quiet.
20
Go, Stormy, go!
Even if this advances her side exactly zero, it's a smart move, if only for her personal safety's sake.
As vindictive as DJT is, and with his close, personal and dictatorial connections, she's wise to create some public 'insurance' against him trying to silence her any further than already done.
21
Imagine: a woman -- "an object of desire" calls to Genius POTUS to enter the mudpit and then she takes him out. To that Imbecile, there would be no greater disgrace, nor an outcome more apt. You go, Ms. Clifford!
27
Stormy Go!!!!!
12
Headlines....Tramp trumps Trump.
31
No!
"Wise Woman Tramples Witless Trump" .
The porn star lady is a gold digger. She will get multiple times her $130 k if she can get this agreement abrogated. An independent arbitrator already knocked this back, but she is still hoping she can make a load of cash if she is allowed to tell her story. No sympathy for Trump. There are consequences to one's actions.
4
Consequences?
Indeed, that's what his lawyers have been telling him for years.
1
No reason why she shouldn't - she is not in public office - it is not as bad as being in the Presidancy for the bucks you can make for your own family!
Maybe “gold dagger” comes closer to the truth.
I would love to see him take the money back, let her tell all, and then see that it makes no difference with his base. She is barking up a very stupid tree if she thinks she holds the key to his demise. She's about to lose a lot of money for nothing.
4
Campaign fund abuses and possible disbarment of Trump’s personal attorney for ethics violations? Keep barking, Stormy- and I hope you make your money x100 while you do it.
The old/ new American dream.
8
Aside from the 60 Minutes interview now scheduled for 3/18, she will follow the old rule: "If I can't sell it, gonna sit on it, not goin' to give it away". Go Stormy!
Maybe the US citizens should crowdfund her to buy off Cohen and then let the selfies and text messages roll. I would pony up some cash!
18
silence? are you actually serious? this story should not be featured in the NYT but i assume sales are down
3
sales down? surely you jest !
1
Just go away, Stormy! We are really tired of this. Go away!!
5
"We" are tired of this?
just which "we" are you referring to?
The boost in viewership for the 11 o'clock news?
The boost in readership for the morning papers?
And that does include you, no doubt.
1
There, that oughta finish her off. Very cogent comment.
Are you really professing to speak for all of us?
1
You know a person by the company he keeps. Shady characters keep popping up in the Mueller investigation and elsewhere. This is who we elected folks. What a stain on America's soul.
17
Gosh, what a shock. I had such respect for Trump’s moral fiber. Did anyone who voted for him expect a wholesome Boy Scout? Or could anyone who finds him thoroughly revolting have a lesser opinion? So, since no one is suggesting a legal crime, what is the point?
2
No, nobody's suggesting a crime. They're flat-out saying that the payoff probably broke a couple campaign finance laws.
15
...which might be a crime.
The point? Wait and see. It's not even halftime yet.
She just has a media deal that's worth more than what Trump paid her. This is only about money.
5
And Trump is only about money. Rock meet hard place.
14
Hey, it's America.....
2
@john,
So what! She is pretending to be Lady Bountiful or Mother Theresa!
She's doing the country a great service by exposing the nasty underbelly of the trump syndicate. The crooked lawyers, the dishonesty and corruption all tied up with his campaign just as he conducted his crooked business deals in New York for decades.
To those who think all this may be dismissed like every other crazy, unethical, or seemingly criminal thing Trump has done or said, the one thing that could make this different is photo or video evidence of the affair. She and her lawyers have implied that such evidence exists. If it does exist and it goes public, that could transform this into something that's much harder to dismiss. Considering the stories that this is just one affair among possibly several, we could see the first divorce of a sitting American president (I think, historians can correct me). Melania has clearly grown irritated with Donald, this could be the proverbial straw.
9
I believe Reagan was the only person to become president despite having been divorced—but that was long before his presidency, not during.
1
This is the Mistress of the Deal! He does and he's doomed, he doesn't and he's doomed. Stormy clearly learnt from the Master herself!
16
She has a better attorney than Trump's as they are milking this for all it is worth. I think Trump's attorney was used to intimidating opponents and that does not work here.
I notice that Putin says he does not like disloyalty at the same time his ex spies were subjected to nerve gas. I wonder if this was also a warning to Trump.
8
This case should be a high priority for funding by the #TimesUp legal defense fund, right? Can't think of a better case of power imbalance!
9
In response to all the folks who say this doesn't matter, they don't care, etc:
This is amusement of the highest order. And oder.
6
It was early morning here: odor, not oder.
If Ms. Clifford can find a way to monetize the President’s lies, she’ll become richer than Midas.
14
She should give the money back without any conditions. Shame on her.
3
And him? Really?
13
Shame on him!
No shame for the shady attorney violating campaign finance laws to pay her off?
No shame for a man who cheated on his wife with an adult entertainer immediately following the birth of his child?
It’s 2018, we are done blaming women for the men’s mistakes- get on board, or shame on you.
Nothing reported here that will surprise anyone and yet his supporters really don't care because they knew what they were getting. So for all those who believe "we finally got him", I say this story will die a natural death regardless of what the liberal media does. The Times could run front page stories from now until election day and it wouldn't make a difference. Stormy also knew who she was getting in bed with and wasn't for the money. Unfortunately Mr. Trump tried to buy silence and that almost never works, so a lesson has been learned. These consenting adults doing what adults do, and Mr. Trump wasn't president then, so it's a matter for the married couple to work out.
4
Why did she ever take the hush money in the first place? She had to know that her story would be even more valuable to anyone that wanted dirt on Trump.
4
Keep the money and say whatever you want to say.... We are looking forward to pictures and texts, etc.
8
Exactly, can't wait....
What everybody is missing is that Trump can still deny the affair, claiming that she was blackmailing him. "Of course, she is claiming they had an affair, Trump just didn't want a salacious accusation to come out prior to the election, it's not true."
Of course, if she has some proof, pictures, a stained dress, it's all over. But, does someone like Stormy hang onto stuff like that? Maybe...
5
Only if we had a few Senators and Representatives, Republican and Democratic, with a fraction of spunk and brio that Ms. Daniels and her lawyer have...
18
If Trump names the bank to which the money would be sent he would be agreeing he is a party to the agreement.
13
I am not a lawyer, but it is my understanding that non disclosure agreements are invalid if used to cover a crime. Adultery is a crime in New York. Then there's that pre-nup agreement with Melania to worry about assuming it has an adultery clause. If he agrees he's a party to to the NDA, then it's invalid because he committed adultery and covered it up. If he doesn't agree that he was a party to it, then she is free to speak about it, and then it's evidence he committed adultery. In both cases Melania would have evidence to trigger the clause in her pre-nup. Trump is painted in a corner. The whole thing about giving the money back is just trying to force his hand.
20
Not a bad legal analysis for a non-lawyer, but I think there may be a faulty assumption in your premise: he’s not formally been charged with a crime, nor is he likely to be (for the alleged adultery); therefore, I wonder if the only legal questions revolves around the agreement only.
1
Adultry a crime? Tell that to my X.
your are also assuming NY law applies
What this shows, though, as someone pointed out, is that the president can be blackmailed. That's not what is happening here, but it's close. The president, his family, their dealings, their lifestyle--it all puts this country in jeopardy because it makes them vulnerable to blackmail. I've long thought that a woman would take down Trump. I really hope it's Stormy Daniels.
36
What's the big deal? This has nothing to do with the Leader;
Cohen just gave a woman $130,000 of his own money on a whim, because he felt generous that day. I do that all the time, though I can't remember when just now.
26
Well, we'll see how much of a genius that Trump supporters' David Dennison really is. He's been through six bankruptcies and innumerable lawsuits, so maybe he's an expert on getting out of his imbroglios.
Let the games begin:
"'and (b) use and publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession, all without fear of retribution and/or legal liability for damages.'”
9
Today on the evening news, Stormy's lawyer said that she and Trump did have sex, thus assuring even the doubters that it was a genuine, consummated love affair. Trump will survive this in good condition since there isn't even a hint of any impeachment attempt. It will serve to reinforce his image of manliness.
9
Yes - I've got some Nokia stock I'd like to return at the price I bought it. Whom should I contact? Should I sue?
Someone should inform the, khm, actress, about contract laws.
8
Funny how people dismiss her because of her being so free and open about how she has monetized her sexual attraction; or, those who look at this as a tawdry distraction from the really important stuff like the Mueller investigation.
It's worth remembering that throughout history, important events don't occur because of great men but because of the tawdry stuff they do. The Reformation didn't occur in England thanks to great statesmen or theologians, but because a flirty girl, having spent years in the lax & easy atmosphere of the French court, teased a king into lusting after her so much he threw out the Catholic Church to marry her.
39
I would like to know who else was at the "celebrity" Golf Tourney where he met Daniels.
7
The best part of this, other than no one really cares.... Is watching democrats pretend to have morals lol, really never gets old.
9
when democrats are taken the hand in the honeypot, they are expelled. On the other hand, roy moore enjoyed the support of your president. Make of that what you will.
I am not a Trump supporter -- in fact, the hate the guy -- but this is non-event, a nothing burger if ever there was one. She has to offer to return the money in order to have a case. She can't both argue that the agreement is null and void and keep the money. Those two are utterly inconsistent. And, all Trump has to do is let the offer expire of its own terms without saying a thing. Big deal. Nothing to see here folks. Move along.
9
I don't know. If trump doesn't take the offer, stormy daniels goes live and trump sues her, that's admitting the affair and the nda agreement took place. If he does take the offer, then he's admitting having the affair. I think he's the one in trouble here
This lady must have some real dirt on El Presidente Trump.
14
Dear Donnie,
Please accept this check for 130k, as I now have the opportunity to make ten times that. Who'd ever guess that the same people who called Paula Jones trailer trash would fall in love with me? Your friend, Stormy.
15
So you'd be cool with impeachment right?
16
Not sure I understand your "argument." It seems as if it might actually be cute.
What a wonderful, feisty, independent businesswoman. That's the spirit that has made America great.
Rage on Stormy!
44
Businesswoman?!? She is a sex worker who figured now that her john is president she did not charge him enough. I wonder how supportive you would be if your daughter or sister decided to go into such a "business".
3
Where's the evidence that she's a prostitute? She's a writer, director, and actor in the porn industry.
Our morally bankrupt POTUS at it again. When will his followers learn? Especially the evangelists.
20
It would be fitting for a porn star to be the one who takes Dangerous Donald down. Go Stormy!
38
Why does this woman deserve an inch of newsprint? She is milking this and the news media is enabling her. Are you the National Inquirer....or the New York Times? Make up your mind!
15
Of course you do realize that Trump trusts his buddies at the National Enquirer but not the NYT...retry the analogy...
14
J.G. Smith: Stormy Daniels is "milking" the sickening reputation and the dishonesty of a "man" who is SUPPOSED TO BE the "president" of the United States. This man has shown himself, time and again, to be a pathological liar, a con artist, and a thief. Why should someone like THAT be enabled, rather than the person he took advantage of????? The lady's story is absolutely newsworthy, and should be right up there in the media spotlight, which it is. NOW: If trump had sex with a Martian lady, or an armadillo, that might be a good story for the National Inquirer. Unfortunately for you, real life stories belong in newspapers like The New York Times.
13
"She is milking this / news media enabling …" Precisely the means DJT used to become POTUS.
1
Gee - I have a lot of contracts I`d like to break now that I see they didn`t work out so well for me.
Tough nuggies, Ms. Daniels.
The real question is why the Times thinks this worthy of front page news
8
Checkmate!
Score 1 for the porn actress, and a goose egg for the so-called leader of the free world!
Couldn’t make this up! Trump being forced to dance to Stormy’s tune. Now if that isn’t a delectable #MeToo moment! (And pictures!)
39
...and possibly info about his face- and eye-lift. Who knows?
It's so fun to hear the righties whining now. Gee, this isn't fair! What's the big deal? They have ignored and denied Trump's true personality and sordid past to get their tax cuts and give a middle finger to the GOP and now that a scandal of epic proportions (breaking the law) is beginning to surface leading to other scandals as well, no doubt, they want to brush this under the rug (again). Well, this one's not going away, and Stormy is going to see to that. She may single handedly take our president down. Good for her. I never thought I'd have respect for a porn star, but this may change my mind. She is clearly a savvy business woman and a smart cookie. She's going to mess with his mind until he trips and falls right into an indictment - and do our nation a huge service in the process. Trump needs to go - it's beyond time!
48
You go Stormy. You may be the only one who has the spine to bring down little hands. I'm behind you!
57
I think I'm in love with Stormy Daniels and Michael Avenatti. It's that same sort of love that evangelicals feel for Donald Trump.
42
And the difference any of this makes will be what?
3
Depends on of campaign finance law was broken to pay her off. But beyond that, not a lick of difference.
Still, something's gotta keep my smiling these days.
13
Let's see how our porn President responds. I look forward to hearing the full story from Stormy's perspective.
13
How bout trying not to be so completely consumed by your hatred of Donald Trump to the point that you spend your time paying attention to such nonsense. Hillary lost, man. Get on with your life already.
6
Eddie, how bout trying to understand that Trump may have broken the law?
9
You already pointed that out, Eddie, and this has nothing to do with anyone getting on with their lives...It has to do with corruption, lying, violation of campaign finance law, and trying to force someone into not telling the truth/hiding the truth. As far as Hillary "losing" (IF she lost, in reality), that has WHAT to do with this mess that trump has gotten himself into????? trump did this to himself. Why are you whining about Hillary?
9
God Bless Stormy Daniels. There is nothing more American than the adult film industry. Pornography is a billion dollar business in the United States; the finest tribute to capitalism and free markets if there ever was one. Stormy is my hero. You go girl!
52
This comment is so sad. The sex workers who are used and abused by the porn industry do not participate in the profits of the "billion dollar" industry. They are desperate, exploited women whose options in life are very limited. Stop celebrating, and "admiring" this sex worker. If anything, this is a very sad story as the 130K she got was not enough to allow her to leave the industry.
2
Your president likes having extramarital affairs with large-breasted women and is willing to pay $130,000 for this one’s silence. The question then becomes how much more is the public willing to pay to hear her version of that affair?
14
Lewis...the public does not have to pay anything. We will hear it all free of charge!
6
I wonder how much a "Free Stormy Daniels" kickstarter campaign could raise?
25
Let's go for a "SENATOR Stormy Daniels" campaign fund.
I am totally touched by her generous offer to return the money. And I am absolutely convinced that it has nothing to do with the likelihood that she can make much more money talking now than by keeping quiet.
Mr. Trump and Ms. Daniels: two paragons of disinterested virtue who thoroughly deserve each other.
11
A president paying off women he's abused to "shut up!" The republican's silence on the matter is deafening.
14
Let's be clear here: She was not "abused."
6
Sorry, HKGuy, but these days if it involves a man and a woman it has to assumed that their must have been. Painting a convincing portrait of victim-hood can leave nothing to the viewers imagination.
1
Trump is just another Republican with those fine Family Values.
7
I like where this is going - popcorn ready
27
What a publicly stunt!
7
Ironically the same thing could have been said about Trump initially running for President.
21
Publicity stunt? Kind of like deciding to punish the Russians? Not so much. Do something about guns? Oh, nevermind. Being for working folk? More trickle down....those kind of stunts. Same kind of "stunts" voters in TN fall for...
6
Stormy seems to be trying desperately to make her fifteen minutes a whole hour. It would be nice if the media (hint hint) didn't play along.
8
Eddie, the media likes her. Millions of us like her. And we'd like to hear what she has to say. I am sick of listening to trump spew out stupidity, lies, con artistry, racism, xenophobia, ignorant commentary, and his love for Neo Nazis and white supremacists. I want to hear what Stormy has to say. And WHY would trump and cohen be holding her back from speaking if they are saying NOTHING HAPPENED????? If nothing happened, what are they worried about? Just like the Mueller investigation, Eddie: If nothing happened, what are they worried about?
17
She probably wants to find a publisher and get a book deal that will net her millions of dollars. Why else would she want to break her silence? She is an opportunist who has no shame. She started out in the gutter and will end up in the gutter.
6
WPLMMT: trump is an opportunist. He may end up in the gutter...and it couldn't happen to a "nicer" person. Why would you surmise that Stormy Daniels started out in the gutter? Do you know of her background? By the way, trump, the opportunist, has had many book deals...books that are all filled with bragging and lies. (As usual.) And also books that were written about him, with people from his past giving interviews on what he was like growing up, and what his behavior is in business...and none of it is pretty or admirable. Why is it not right for Stormy Daniels to have a book deal? Actually, I am not sure that Stormy Daniels has enough material for a book: She had unremarkable sex with trump, he told her he was afraid of sharks, and his lawyer made her sign a NDA.
7
Still, she has more character than that fake populist sitting in the White House.
13
Tongue-in-cheek, introduce her to Putin.
5
I am as happy as the next liberal to see Trump in this mess but please, stop making Ms. Clifford a hero. She is a sex worker with NDA Buyer's Remorse. Now that her john is the president, she knows her story's worth to other people a heck of a lot more than 130K. Had she spoken before the election, then I would have felt some respect for her.
11
She tried to, hence the hush money from Cohen just before the election!! Pay attention now!!
25
Your implication is that being a sex worker makes her tawdry and only worthy of contempt. I don't think that way. There are good reasons why she didn't speak before the election, involving pressure from Trump's minions in the form of payoffs. You need to read up on this complex story before passing judgment on her.
19
Rosie: She was UNABLE to speak before the election due to the NDA...Remember?????
8
She didn't return the $130,000?
Did she really believe that she could keep the money and still claim that the contract was invalid due to a missing signature?
Unbelievable.
4
Apparently, she did. And apparently, she was right. She did keep the money and, yes, here we are discussing it.
7
well, no. The NDA doesn't prevent me or you or any of the commenters here from discussing this. It only prevents Stormy from talking about what happened, and so far she isn't talking.
2
She is out-trumping Trump. Keeping the story alive. Keeping her name on page one. Day before Pennsylvania.
And where is the loquacious Trump? Hiding under a rock. Love it.
51
Shills for the Democrat Party are now suddenly intensely interested in any violation of campaign finance laws. Riight. The partisan politics and transparently phony righteousness is nauseating. You people really ought to put yourselves on trial for hypocrisy and lack of introspection.
8
Are you insisting, then, that this is not a story of concern?
4
We need to hear the details of the "private arbitration process" allegedly undertaken here in Los Angeles. When was the arbitration filed? Forum (AAA, Judicate, or ??) Names of parties? Was a complaint filed? Responses? When and by which parties? Name of all counsel? Initial pre-hearing conference date? Name of arbitrator(s)? Was all-party discovery undertaken? Discovery deadline? Merit hearing date? Location? In-person and/or telephonic? Number of hearing days scheduled/held? Counsel present for which parties/all parties? Assuming a merit hearing has already been held (which Mr. Trump states he "won"), when and where was it held? Name the parties present (via phone and/or in-person) in the arbitration hearing Mr. Trump "won."
If nothing else, arbitration is driven by process. What was the process used, if any? Under what forum and under what rules governing. Or was process improperly bypassed? Was proper, rules driven process even started, let alone utilized?
President Trump stated he "won" the arbitration. Fine. I am not asking what he won. Or what another party may have won, in whole or in part.
One must be curious about the seemingly ex parte injunction against Ms. Daniels. It is important to obtain certification that proper process was used. And if it was used ex parte, how did this happen under arbitration forum rules.
If one uses arbitration and an arbitrator(s), rules and process govern. Tell us.
11
literally none of the issues you list above matter at all
3
It was reported that Ms. Daniels was not even given notice of the arbitration meeting and did not attend. It was further reported that any award granted was essentially an award in default. One gets the feeling that she was probably blindsided, possibly with the connivance of the arbitrator?
7
He’s probably a legal guy. What can you expect? Watch out for those billable hours.
Just another aging, wannabe 'star' trying for her 15 minutes of fame.
Notice how up until recently she was referred to as Stormy Daniels, the porn star, and now, suddenly, she's morphed into Stephanie Clifford, the actress.
Well, that was fast.
I'm not defending Trump's impulsiveness or poor judgement or even stupidity here, but am puzzled why alleged liberal thinkers consider consensual sex between these two while Trump was a private citizen to be some sort of national scandal.
Maybe we should brand a scarlet A on his forehead?
Let's be honest. The left wants Trump removed from office and the end justifies the means. Hypocrites...
8
You are missing the point-
His Lawyer said he paid her off with his money- he used Trumps campaign money which is illegal, and the lawyer lied about it, which is illegal.
And on a personal level,private citizen Trump, running for president, the short fingered Philanderer in Chief cheated on his 3rd wife. Lets be honest, shall we?
29
no, just comeuppance. one lives by the sword, one dies by it
5
Are you sure you didn't mean to write "Just another aging, wannabe 'star' trying for HIS 15 minutes of fame," because that's what I've been thinking about Trump ever since he announced his candidacy.
16
Stormy gets my vote for coolest pornstar in history!
28
Trump's fans either don't care, or don't care that he'll lie when questioned about this.
10
I think it's safe to say both of those things are true.
9
Who would have thought that this 60 something woman would support a porn star but I wholeheartedly commend Ms. Clifford on her hutzpah and say "You go girl".
33
To those who ask if this story is news, the answer is YES it is because it concerns a public figure (Trump) and his alleged extramarital affaires bespeaks of his character and the public has a right to know everything about the character of their president.
15
Woman negotiates for money, signs contract, gets money.
When you signed, you signed away your right to speak about this issue. You were paid. Consideration given for performance or abdication. Done. Dusted.
Wouldn’t someone with her lengthy promo graphic career have seen a contract or two?
4
"When you signed, you signed away your right to speak about this issue."
Potentially there were 3 parties to the contract: 1) Ms. Daniels; 2) Mr. trump; 3) trump's lawyer on behalf of trump or the legal entity which he formed. Note: he could have formed the entity without his fingerprints on it but is too stupid and too much of a hack to have reasoned that out.
Parenthetical note aside, trump did NOT sign, but the lawyer did. One of the things at issue: did the lawyer's signature bind the corporation, trump or both?
Saying she gave up her rights is premature and does not consider all of the "facts" which are not truly facts as they are under dispute.
10
She may have been coerced or threatened. And if she was not represented by counsel when she signed, but trump was represented by counsel, that may be illegal, or viewed as coercion.
3
I applaud Ms. Clifford for not allowing herself to be further intimidated and bullied by Trump and minions. So the ball is in Trump's court. If he has nothing to hide then why would he care what she has to say? The question is rhetorical, of course.
25
Especially considering that Bill Clinton long ago passed the sexual deviance Rubicon as a sitting president, I really could care less about these stories. The integrity of the office was stained in this manner long before Trump. That the NY Times is pushing this story really goes to show how far they and other news media have sunk in their desperate effort to remove Trump from office. The hypocrisy alone is enough to convince me not to take this nonsense seriously. Had every previous president been given the same media scrutiny, but lived up to these self-righteous standards being applied to Trump, then I'd think differently. I'd consider Trump as someone significantly lowering the bar of presidential ethics - for past and present behavior - and thus worthy of puritanical scorn. But that ship has long since sailed. Say hi to Monica.
7
Joe Schmoe, it is not about sexual deviance. It is about WHERE THE MOENY CAME FROM TO PAY MS. CLIFFORD. You see, that may have violated campaign finance rules. No one really cares who trump goes tp bed with, except maybe Melania. It has nothing to do with sex, but everything to do with money...LIES...AND COVER-UPS.
6
Refresh your memory. Clinton was impeached. Trump should have been a long time ago.
1
My takeaway:
Non disclosure agreements need special treatment by the courts. They are being abused to control free speech and to give cover to illegal or unethical shenanigans.
Courts should begin voiding the worst of them and the legislatures should pass new law to limit them.
19
Why? Nobody forced her to sign it. She wanted the money.
6
Because it empowers the already powerful to take what they want and let their money be their defense.
8
so don't sign, and don't take the money
5
There is literally nothing Stormy could say that will change the minds of Trump supporters, including evangelicals. Go for it Stormy, but Trumpsters will simply double-down. They have already threatened her life, and now she needs a bodyguard 24/7.
The wisest thing I've read in the NYT is that in the world of evangelicals, their religion follows their politics - not the other way around. This is why they were so loudly critical of Clinton for the same behavior, but it's OK if it's Trump (or Moore, or whoever has an (R) and loves the NRA).
Trump was correct when he said he could shoot someone of 5th Avenue, and his supporters would forgive him. Mere sexual escapades? Sheesh, a no-brainer.
16
Stormy could have Trump served with the $130,000 -- in cash -- they way other people get served with a subpoena.
And once you slap the money in his hand, he will not be able to resist taking it.
Then, Stormy, by all means, tell all, tell all! You'll make a lot more than $130,000 after that talkfest.
Heh heh heh...
9
Stormy is either very smart or very stupid. I hear that she has plans for a career in politics and wants to run for some office. If this is true and she is trying to get some publicity, then she is very smart. If she thinks that she can get out from this agreement, then she should understand that it is not only up to her but also up to the other side that may not be willing to release her from her obligation. If she breaks it unilaterally, she may be liable under the law. I am not sure why your newspaper is devoting time and energy to this nonsense. Perhaps you simply want to keep attention of your readers and entertain them instead of educating them.
5
Stormy was savvy enough to hire a "scorched earth" attorney that has no fear of either Trump or Cohen, and when you have someone who has your back like that, you have less fear. She doesn't have a lot to lose in this. Either way, she will get fame and fortune Stormy-style. You go girl!
4
"Lordy, I hope there are tapes!"
27
Trump has used ridicule throughout his campaign and presidency. No one has quite known how to deal with it. Until now. Stormy Daniels is laughing at Trump. She seems to be having fun and have no fear of him.
It is one thing to have people make fun of you on Saturday Night Live. It is quite another to be ridiculed by someone who has seen you without your clothes at your most vulnerable. After you have paid them money.
21
I was trying to work out the maths behind the 130k. Maybe $10000 X 13 separate dalliances. I did read somewhere that for him the going rate is 10000 per night in the bungalow. But more seriously. It does surprise me that Stormy Daniels considered 130000 was sufficient hush money regarding the nefarious activities of POTUS.
6
well, remember: she made that deal before the election,when nobody thought he would win. Knowing what we all know now, surely the price would be much higher
3
People say she is looking to break a legal contract,Trump did that all the time in business.
23
Dear NYT,
Well, well, well. I am not surprised, just disappointed, to see The Times follow Trump into the gutter. Those giant breasts, platinum blond hair and opportunity to further slime Trump are as iirresistable to The Times editors as they were to Trump.
The Stormy Daniels saga does not belong on the front page of the newspaper of record, though I am certain that the usual media experts can rationalize almost any sleaazy story, so long as Trump is the subject.
The Times still uses the fuddy duddy "Mr." honorific, but its tabloid subject matter and Trump animus are indistinguishable from MSNBC or CNN.
Welcome to the monkey house.
Sad.
5
"The Stormy Daniels saga does not belong on the front page of the newspaper of record, though I am certain that the usual media experts can rationalize almost any sleaazy story, so long as Trump is the subject."
This comes out of the whitehouse. Are you OK with that? The NYT et.al., would not report this were it not for the fact that a corrupted person in the office is a person susceptible to being blackmailed/leveraged. That is the key point. Trump brought this on himself, so don't try to make the media the villain in this sordid little drama. trump is a man of low character so the coverage should not be a surprise to you.
2
This is crazy ... you all muse on the "what if's" but the real question is "Why is he still there".
Surely there sufficient evidence in the public domain, including his intellectual dysfunction", that should convince the citizens of the US that he should be removed.
Get off your backsides and return the respect and integrity the US deserves.
17
Another day,another breaking headline.
The Trump Team are in a murk like the swamp rats they are.
As much as I've hung on to hope with Mueller, Stormy Daniels just made things worse for Trump and this Admin and I am alright with that.
Mr President, now you have TWO headaches that won't go away...but will likely (finger crossed) make YOU go away..sooner rather than later!
14
The return of the $130,00 is a transparent way to make Ms. Clifford seem to be driven by principle rather than money. However, once she pays back the $130,000 and starts talking, she'll start making a fortune. Obviously, she is driven by money and if she thinks her suggestion otherwise is credible, she thinks that we are very stupid.
4
michjas, the only one who thinks people are stupid is Trump who lies incessantly to his supporters
8
Her legal maneuvering suggests this is about much more than money, and anyone who thinks so is the fool.
6
Considering who we chose for our President, I can't say she's completely wrong.
5
Shouldn’t it be an account of Cohen’s choosing, since the money forked over in the (unsigned) agreement came from this cretinous “lawyer”?
3
Clearly Mr. Avenatti has a great sense of humor. He knows that Cohen and Trump won't accept this "offer", especially by noon tomorrow, and he also knows that they will look guilty however they respond.
16
I doubt that it is about the money or about his sense of humor: it is an entirely strategic move that makes it clear that should trump refuse the money to reset the state of play that it is about more than the money to him as well.
3
Stanley Brown: Yup. I love Mr. Avenatti.
3
This story is a total distraction, yet I find it wildly entertaining. I hope she doesn’t let up, and keeps fanning the flames of this story so it continues to grow.
15
Ms Clifford got herself a clever lawyer. His moves so far seem to be going in the right direction. However, IMO the issue is even simpler than that. Why would anyone (Cohen or Trump) get into a Non-Disclosure Agreement and pay $130,000 to stop someone from talking about something that never took place? If nothing affecting the president ever happened, and she claims it did, wouldn't be simpler and more transparent to just sue Stormy Daniels for defamation and put her in jail for bad-mouthing a clean, faithful, and honest man? Thus, if Cohen paid the hush money to keep her quiet, there is little doubt that something really juicy cannot be made public. Now, it seems that Mr Cohen needs to prove that he paid that money for no reason and that the payment doesn't represent an illegal political contribution.
14
Sounds like someone wants to turn in $130K for a $1M signing bonus for a book. The woman has been around for sure. Probably there are some who would take their beliefs to the grave feeling Trump never was involved. Sad. Actually, since Trump's morals can't fall any lower than were he presently is, his line will always be it never happened and he told his lawyer to take care of it, just another nuisance suit.
3
we live with a "free enterprise" system and if it means selling a story or writing a book, what's not to approve? some people sell sex toys, some people sell machine guns. Take you pick.
3
Is Stormy Daniels the real author of the "Art of the Deal" not the fake one?
11
she's not allowed to say...
3
It's amazing how cavalier the so-called party of "family values" can be about plural extra-marital affairs when it's their guy in question. If we've all learned one thing from the past year's news stories, it's that these deeply held standards for ethical behavior are actually pretty fungible if there's a big enough tax cut for the wealthy in the offing.
24
MSM news:
Porn star alleges she slept with Trump once, then had platonic relationship with him for a few months.
I will laugh my you know what off when Stormy takes the breathless open wallet Democrats/MSM for millions, then turns around and says Trump is actually a really nice guy in the highly compensated interviews that surely will follow and keep the MSM cheerfully distracted from anything of substance happening in our world.
5
Her and her lawyer's adroit out-maneuvering of Trump and his team has gone way over your head. Bet Trump under-estimated her as well.
16
In your dreams...
3
Yes. And if you laugh loud enough, you won't have to hear the wails if political disgrace as he goes down in ignominy.
1
I wonder if Trump has consulted his friends Duterte and Putin.
12
So many great (& amusing) comments.
Yes, a wily attorney....refunding $130,000 is a lot cheaper than legal fees would be to litigate the NDA, not to mention a speedier path to Stormy's generating revenue.
5
This is all so embarrassing. Can't we have an Armageddon kind of event instead? Hollywood tells us that the U.S. excels at these...
Alternatively: could you guys please elect a president who has full control over his zipper? Bill Clinton was bad enough, but now you did it again!
I understand that there is a certain nexus between virility and drive to power, but please, give me a break! It can't be that only sex-maniacs can become president. Look at GWB. Look at Carter. Look at Reagan. All normal men in this respect.
Can we have some more of these, please? Except, like, better?
5
We did elect a President like that, but the Republicans hated that he wore a tan suit and once put his feet on the desk in the oval office. Oh plus, he wasn't white.
7
She agreed accept money from Trump's associate to remain silent. She now sees an opportunity to make even more money to spread gossip. No deal. In order to break the agreement, she needs to offer Trump's associate a number closer to the implicit extortion she extracted earlier.
There is no evidence that Trump is involved in the deal at all.
1
Too funny. No evidence that Trump is involved? If that's the case why is he trying to hush it up?
21
Really? No evidence? She has it, bet on it. Your president, not mine.
26
The legal ramifications of what she's doing have completely eluded you. Guess Trump isn't the only one who underestimated her!
9
Someone else offered Stormy a whole lot more money.
7
We all knew Trump would eventually trip and fall, but who knew it would begin with a well-placed shove from a savvy porn star and her accomplished attorney? It's so satisfying to see Trump's unbridled libido coupled with counsel as incompetent as himself coalescing into such wonderful "losing." Where's all that winning?
28
"winning" is soon turning to "WHINING"
1
"But last week, Mr. Avenatti filed a lawsuit claiming that the initial agreement — and thus the arbitration requirement — was invalid because Mr. Trump did not personally sign the contract." NYT
It seems to me that there is was kind of a gentleman's agreement at work in this deal so that the person who was trying to hide the relationship with Ms Clifford, namely Mr. Trump, did not have to place his name on any incriminating documents which could come back to haunt him. If that's so them Mr. Avenatti is taking a huge risk to his professional reputation. Who would ever trust him in any future gentleman's agreement he may need to make on behalf his clients?
1
It was not his agreement. She had another attorney and trump had a signature line on agreement, but did not sign.
4
He is representing a sex worker with "NDA buyer's remorse". Do not think he is worried about his "reputation" as the more sordid the tale, the bigger the offers the sex worker will get, and his cut, to "tell her story" .
sorry, I stopped reading after "gentleman's agreement"
1
Now let's see the master deal maker in action, either fully or partially dressed.
11
Does it occur to anyone writing comments that its Trump's sex life (however troubled) an no one else's business?
3
Totally missing the issue. The issue is breach of campaign finance laws. Can you think and read, even just a little?
7
His sex life isn't the point. What matters here are: 1) he may have broken campaign finance laws, 2) we have no idea if he's paid hush money to others (and who they are may be of concern), and 3) he may be subject to blackmail.
12
It’s our business when the funds were hidden and not accounted for properly for either campaign or tax purposes. True to form this pres thinks he is above the law.
13
Note how Ms. Daniels is such a super person she is returning 100% of the $130,000, even though President Trump got tremendous value from it. Ms. Daniels kept quiet for almost two years, and will have gotten no money for her silence during that period. And, more importantly, she shut up at that critical point, late in the 2016 campaign, where this disclosure certainly would have cost President Trump the election. So he gets to dodge this issue when it mattered most and gets to be President of the United States! Then, he gets all his money back--what a deal! (I'm being facetious, of course.)
6
why are we so concerned about Trump having an affair?
if you would have told me Obama had an affair, I would have be surprised. Obama spoke of his wife with affection and admiration. Trump only speaks about dictators with affection and admiration. Trump would hit in Mother Theresa, and probably is hitting on his daughter daily. that's just the creep he is. but we always knew this, and he was still elected.
9
I am concerned that Trump, and his personal attorney Cohen, illegally used campaign funds to cover up and pay off this woman. I am concerned that Cohen breached major ethical standards that are literally taught in law school, and part of maintaining an active bar license.
I am concerned because the president of the United States seems to have a lot of skeletons in his closet, and a lot of incentives to hide them. What else is he hiding? Who else could potentially be blackmailing him?
I am concerned.
3
Why is it legal to pay to have someone stay silent?
8
This 10 yr old affair is nothing compared to what the Clintons and JFK did in the white house.
3
It’s not about the affair per se, it’s about not documenting the fund payment...read the campaign and tax rules... you have got it all wrong...not about affair.
10
Nice whataboutism. Try to stay focused on the person who is currently president.
10
Yeah, but I’ll bet the treason is.
So why is this anyone's business other than Trump, his wife and the Daniels? If it was Kennedy, nothing would have been said.
1
Re the laws, and you can learn how it is illegal and why you should care.
5
Let's not lose sight of the fact that Trump did this as a way to manipulate the public so that he could be elected.
20
You go girl!
23
Stormy Daniels has more integrity than Donald Trump, and more business acumen to boot.
31
Let’s see how the corrupt so called president and his sleazy lawyer handle this....you got played, again, Trump. Deal maker indeed....
19
I can't wait to hear Stormy's interview. I hope she gives details of what Trump wanted from her.
12
I hereby offer to write the screenplay, novel or musical based upon this
marvelous prurient tale involving the 45th president of the United States
as a young man cheating on his wife. Oh well, I guess 60 isn't that young.
Cheating on his young and beautiful third wife nursing her infant son, while also having cheated upon the previous two.
It is a tale of romance and debauchery that I think would probably, if I have my way, match the extravagance of Cecil B. DeMille's Ten Commandments with Charleston Heston. Of course, both DeMille and Heston are long gone. I will have Oliver Stone and Alec Baldwin instead. If we can get this done before Trump leaves office I will greatly appreciate it.
8
Why doesn’t Stormy set up a Go Fund Me page to raise the $1 million contract penalty? Better yet, why don’t some Hollywood types - Alec Baldwin, are you listening? - raise it?
11
Attorney Cohen allowed a client to control his practice. Probably just like that "Doctor" who signed off on #45's health before the election.
Attorney Client Ethics rules exist to protect you from your client....which any attorney in NYC learns very quickly at many levels.
NY isn't Trump territory, and I'm sure the attorneys on the ethics committee will be quite interested to look into this transaction.
10
I wonder, will Trump receive interest for the amount of time Stormy had the $130,000 in her possession and returned it.
1
Stormy Daniels is a star-spangled American patriot...way to go Stormy!
24
So, let me get this clear. She received the $130K back in October 2016 and now, almost 18 months later she offers to give it back? Where can I find someone to loan me, interest free that kind of money for that period of time? At the very least she should offer to pay a reasonable interest on the loan, say one point above prime. The prime rate is 4.5% so a quick calculation shows that she should be giving back nearly $141K. After all, what's fair is fair.
1
Remember his boast during one of the early debates? We are soon to find out if his hands are indeed so small and he lacks much of the prowess he inferred.
The rise and fall of Donald Trump... and, in so many ways.
8
Michael Avenatti for Attorney General!
15
Why did she take the money in the first place? She had a chance to save us from this nightmare but she took the payoff. Now she is acting like some sort of herr.
1
She probably didn't think there were enough idiots in this country to get him elected.
11
Yeah - that's what Obama thought too.
2
Because for a sex workers, that is a heck of a lot of money. Being a sex worker in the porn industry is not really a "career choice" but a last resort way of making a living.
1
In normal circumstance, I would agree let bygone be bygone or certain behaviors belonging to private arena even for a public figure.
But, in order to---for the common good---get rid of the vilest villain in American politics now, I would not mind Goliath being slain by stormy Daniels.
10
Stormy is as, or more, audacious than Trump! And she appears to have a smarter lawyer than Trump does.
15
Today's press briefing was delayed by 45 minutes. Reason: Trump was filling out his NCAA brackets. His Final Four Picks: Sasha Grey, Jenna Jameson, Traci Lords, and Stormy.
4
She deserves a Go-Fund-Me account if one has not already been started.
18
Since Republicans are so morally opposed to such shenanigans from a sitting potus I'm sure that Lyin' Ryan et al will soon be hiring Ken Starr to get to the bottom of all of this.
But I'm not holding my breath.
15
The entire Stormy Daniels situation is absurd, but then so is this president. It is ironic that he and Cohen find themselves in legal jeopardy due to the hush money payments just before the election. The hypocrisy of most of the GOP and evangelicals is striking. When Jeffress can defend Trump with a straight face, ending with the commandment, "Thou shalt not have sex with a porn star," you have to question not just the morality but the rationality of these people.
Three marriages, and according to Bannon, 100 women paid off make for complexities. Mark Twain once said, "There are three things which I consider excellent advice. First, don’t smoke to excess. Second, don’t drink to excess. Third, don’t marry to excess." Trump's marriages, affairs, insults, and lies are all in excess.
12
It appears that the subject matter of the contract is illegal under campaign finance laws.
Yet another unforced error by the gang that couldn't shoot straight.
6
All Legal Minds Agree
Trump Needs New FIXER
2
I have a question: If Trump DID NOT sign the agreement, how can Stormy Daniels be bound to abide by it?
14
Stormy does not think Cohen should pay for Trump's sexual escapades .
Stormy should return the $130k to Cohen because Stormy does not want Cohen to foreclose on his home . Donald needs to be held responsible for his adulterous affairs not Cohen.
6
Go lil' Stormy!!
This the real "Art of the Deal"
Thanks for giving us a master lesson on how it's done.
10
Stormy's our national treasure--the straw that might break the Trumpel's back.
http://www.thecriticalmom.blogspot.com
8
This is wonderful yes a "Go fund me" for Stormy, thanks for the article.
1
postively dantesque indeed
1
even better have a go fund me for paying the penalty ( iI hear it is like a million dollar) of speaking up AND THEN SPEAK UP FOR THE PEOPLE!
4
This is so much fun.
14
Given Trump's relentless fetish for belittling and besmirching his foes via twitter or the stump, it's notable that he's yet to insult Stormy.
She appears to have him over a barrel.
23
I'm surprised at this turn in negotiations. Avenatti is reputed to be a respected attorney and he has the credentials to back that up. He probably could run, or drive, rings around Michael Cohen but trying to invalidate a contract by returning the consideration doesn't seem like a strong move -- unless Avenatti has other tricks up his sleeve. I hope he does.
5
I'd like to know what Reverend Pence has to say about all this.
NYT: please ask him!
25
Monica offered to return the dress...
4
Hopefully someone (NYT's megan twohey & jodi kantor?) will start to look into the legal tools at the hand of the wealthy to silence their female accusers form months and years. NDAs, restraining orders and sealing of court files are common practices by wealthy individuals and their powerful lawyers. Just read the Gibbins v Massel case files at NY Supreme Court. Same practice. Wealthy man sleeps with other woman after his wife just gave birth to his child. Woman gets pregnant, hush money offered, refused, then coerced into abortion and sued afterwards to keep silent. Fortunately women now feel empowered enough to sue back. I think the media and the press deserves much credit for this movement and change in society. Keep the reporting up!
12
Stormy is a great name for a home wrecker!
Don't understand why Americans okay with the fact that this was a planned attack designed to fill her pocketbook but would be in a rage if she used a gun instead.
1
Because she turned the tables on a serial misogynist whose M.O. has always been to stick it to the little people, and now a truly representative American has neatly turned the tables on the monied, powerful abuser. She's Horatio Alger, Davy Crockett and Rosie the Riveter all in one. As far as I'm concerned she princess Leia to trump's Jabba the Hutt. Every breath Trump takes is an attack on all of us to fill his pockets, I don;t see begrudging someone else getting the better of him at his own game. You go girl!
25
It is a peculiar state of affairs when an adult movie actress prosecutes a case for exposing the truth while ‘lawmakers’ of the Republican party seek to shut down an investigation into foreign interference in the 2016 US election, stand mute and allow the uninformed willfulness, the deceptions and social injustices of the Trump presidency to go unchallenged.
34
I thought we had already seen "Dumb and Dumber." I realize Hollywood likes to recycle the old favorites but this is getting ridiculous.
2
The two of them deserve one another.
3
This is a great example of Trump's Art of the Deal! David Dennison and Peggy Peterson, fake names and fake shell company to pay off frolicking with a porn star and his attorney uses the Trump Organization email to seal the deal. Trump's attorney pays Stormy in October $130,000.00. Also in October the Trump campaign reimburses the Trump Organization for $129.999.72. Really!
28
Should have given her more money. What looked like a good deal has now turned into a bad deal. It's always about the money.
4
He's very conservative. Nothing he gave her was exactly huge.
1
That was a brilliant maneuver by Ms. Clifford and Mr. Avenatti, again exposing Trump's stumbling incompetence when it comes to legal matters.
Pretty disturbing when you consider the wily negotiators from North Korea that Trump has agreed to meet.
22
Why is it that trump has been shielded from the MeToo/NeverAgain/TimesUp crowd? I don't see any of these groups standing up for all the other women who have accused trump of assault and harassment? In other words, why is that monstrosity still sitting in the WH?
Why haven't women lobbied every female congresswoman or chained themselves to the WH gate until his gone?
Enough with the matching ball gowns, red carpet sashaying, pink ribbons and the lot.
Is everyone really waiting for Stormy Daniels to fix this? She's having way too much fun to really care about women who continue to be violated by assaulters and abusers like trump.
6
Next, will a video emerge of our lusting Prez appear in his tidy whities with his gut hanging over them, chasing Stormy???
Remember, this man has his coteries will waive their morals and ethics for anything this man does. Like Trump said, even if he shot someone in Times Square.
The only saving grace that he and they can't handle, is that he lost the election by 3MILLION popular votes!
12
He won the election, 30 states to 20. Apparently, it's people who don't understand the electoral system who can't handle the outcome.
1
Electoral system is a too ostensibly rigged system to remain in place much longer. Enjoying this last gasp of the White Man, and who better to bring about its demise than whatever you call whatever it is that's been put in power by Putin and non-readers. Ugly American is insulting...it's much worse. How about "It"? Let's call him it.
4
He lost the popular vote and had a very sparse crowd for his inauguration, those are facts.
4
This NDA has been described as "boiler plate" which suggest there are many more of them. I suspect the flood gates are opening and we will be awash in nasty trump sex photos and Insipid love lorn texts written by this man child.
5
I guess if she " spills all" Trump's team can take their time deflating it as " fake news" and doctored photos.
Sleazy business.
All because our president thinks he's James Bond Secret Agent Extraordinaire.
3
Where are those Mulligan Christian white men pastors this morning? Come on, boys. Get out there on Fox News and do your thing! Your wives will be proud.
22
Using a bit of pseudo "market speak": Ms. Daniels is trying to cover her "short" position by returning the premium. By virtue of her proffer, trump has a interesting choice set: 1) he can admit that her silence has a previously mispriced value and pay a larger premium, or; 2) he can state that her silence has no value, in which case she may get to keep the money and abrogate the contract and it will be tough for trump to argue for punitive damages; 3) he can state that the original deal was fairly priced.
States #1 and #3 would be tacit or explicit agreement that there was something of value to be silent about. Door #2 is simplified but his recourse would probably entail a series of depositions. While trump is a prolific liar, he is a very stupid liar in that his lies are obvious to anybody with a room temperature IQ. Being deposed in this matter is likely to prove very expensive for him. Therefore, can we look forward to a free set of presidential steak knives with every purchased trump cloak of invisibility (free while the emoluments clause is in tatters, therefore subject to congressional abrogation)?
9
Please stop referring to Stormy Daniels as "a porn star" at every opportunity. I would expect the Times to have better judgment than to continue to label her as such when it has no relevance to the story. If Trump had appeared with her in a movie - then fine - but the alleged relationship has nothing to do with her occupation. This is just a salacious headline that has no place in what is supposed to be a legitimate news outlet. Leave that to TMZ.
8
Her profession most certainly has relevance. Yes, it's tawdry.... but it just goes to show how tawdry trump is.
10
Go, Stormy! Rooting for you!
16
Chess match between a porn star and a self-confessed serial molesting president. Happens all the time!
21
If she wins this challenge Ms. Clifford could then sell her story to some filmmakers and make a fortune.
8
Why give the money back?
Trump didn't sign anything, did he?
He denies everything, so she should speak out.
More power to her!
16
In spite of all of Trump's practice with lying, unless he is stupid enough to lie under oath or the 130 K is deemed to be against campaign finance laws, this is really just another soap opera with little political ramifications. His detractors already know that he has the morals of a male rabbit on the prowl under a full moon, and his fans (including evangelical hypocrites) could care less.
What he does or did with another consenting adult is his and his wife's business,... as well as the other consenting adult (s). But Trump's adamant denials for an affair with "Stormy", if proven (yet again) to be lies are further corroboration of his dishonesty with his incredible conspiracy claims that at least 19 UNCONSENTING women to his sexual abuse are all lying.
4
Trump is my employee and I want transparency. How can I assess his job performance unless I hate access to all the data?
11
No. Body. Cares. Watch this girls films, check her skills. Nuff.
2
There are 741 comments on this thread... evidently there are people who do care.
17
Well, let's see.
There was a payment, after all.
Evidently "somebody" cared .
Very shrewd move. Clifford probably has a book deal and other media payments lined up that will more than cover the $130,000 refund.
While the evidence of Trump's infidelity will not shake the support of his cult-like base, it will once again confirm Trump's duplicity. This will not bode well for Trump and the GOP in November -- especially if it's also proven campaign finance laws have been broken.
17
It´s pocket change for CBS news. They´ve already paid their lawyers more than that for vetting the interview.
2
A bit of a sticky wicket.
11
Let's face it folks. For all the sanctimonious talk on here about the sanctity of NDA's versus the sanctity of marriage, the real McGuffin here is that there may be pictures.
15
Some things can't be un-seen.
8
I think we all misheard Trump when he said he’d “win so much” that we’d get tired of “winning.”
What he actually said was that he’d “sin so much” that we’d get tired of his “sinning.” - except for the evangelicals of course.
25
I wonder if this will give Katie Johnson courage to come out of hiding. There is probably another fake company that Cohen used to pay for her silence.
5
Many have suggested that Ms. Clifford "ignore" the NDA and make back in fees for speaking what she would forgo the money she received from the contract. This ignores the real peril she faces if the contract is found to be valid and enforceable. The contract specifies a million dollars in damages for each occurance of a breach. Meaning she could face having to pay $1.0 million for each detail she utters. So, quite rightly, her attorney is taking the approach that the contract is null and void. He has several grounds: it was not signed by Trump being her strongest argument, but there are others, including that she was induced to sign it believing it would bind Trump, and if it doesn't, then her agreement may have been induced through fraud. So those who argue that even if the contract is "only" binding on Ms. Clifford and the shell company that DID sign it, it is still a valid contract are not necessarily right. The point is that she will not speak about the details until and unless she is confident that the contract is a nullity; the financial risk is too great. The action in court to have the contract tossed, and keep her out of the arbitration the contract requires, is the real battle and the one to watch.
12
impeachment, divorce, bankruptcy, jail...........i think i have the sequence correct but not sure.
22
You left out one step... Impeachment, conviction, divorce, bankruptcy, jail.
5
"Nobody has more respect for women than me."
- Donald J. Trump
Sad.
17
Trump should bring Tormy Daniels with him to the North Korea bomb talks.
Secret weapon .
3
We need to hear from Stormy, the unblemished defenders of morality, the Evangelicals, and of course, Melania...
8
Trump's lawyer should insist on all the interest accrued on that home equity loan be returned too. At least he'll get his money back from Ms. Clifford because he'll never get paid by the president!
1
Go, Stormy, go! Count me in for some of your legal fees if necessary, girl.
12
Avenatti's letter is typical lawyer ploy. Michael Cohen and his attorney will not respond to it. Another typical lawyer play.
The NDA (non disclosure agreement) is posted online. It clearly read (page 13) that it will be binding when ALL parties sign it. David Dennison (Trump's alias) did not sign it. To be totally free to speak about the affair with Trump, Stormy needs a ruling from the California court to declare the NDA null and void. No doubt she also must return the $130K. But to whom? Trump's lawyer claimed he made the payment.
8
Yes, he can repay his home equity loan. Bravo!
3
It's well established that Trump has no shame so don't be surprised if they take the cash and let her spill. Probably the quickest way to make the story go away.
1
Stormy Daniels is milking it for all it's worth. In this case the cow is Donald Trump.
6
'The affair' is beside the point; and at this point, nobody really needs to hear about it.
The point is the sleazy, behind the scenes, six figure hush money payment, funneled through a bogus LLC, backed by a 'nondisclosure agreement' that ought to be invalidated on public policy grounds; along with similar strong-arm tactics used by Trump's 'fixers' and henchmen to silence numerous other women - shortly before Americans went to the polls and voted for the Sleazeball-in-Chief who now occupies the Oval Office.
And lest we forget, while Captain Sleaze received about 60 million votes, Clinton and third party candidates together received 11 million more votes than he did. There was no 'historic victory.' There was no legitimate victory at all.
This vulgar, loudmouthed, mendacious thug never received a mandate to govern from the American people - even with Putin's thumb on the scale and gold plated gags shoved in the mouths of those with stories to tell. He isn't my president, not by a long shot.
31
So where, exactly, is the "art" in this deal?
With the President having been outwitted and backed into a corner by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, I doubt if all the King's horses and all the King's men will be able to put Trumpty-Dumpty back together again.
As Kim Jung-Un awaits ...
14
Would it be too much to ask for to have respect and dignity returned to the White House?
23
Not too much to ask. But impossible to expect given the current occupants.
8
Go, Hurricane Stormy. Only you can topple that big, beautiful Wall of
" Christian " Trump Fans. You are a true patriot, girl. Seriously.
34
Ms. Clifford would be allowed to "publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession."
A move straight from Mr. Trump's playbook with Mr. Comey.
Our president should be flattered if he weren't so flustered.
19
There is obviously something more than a multiple-months-long dalliance here.
Especially with the Steele Dossier also getting attention in October 2016.
10
Why is this preposterous offer a news story? This is like a convenience story kindly offering to repurchase the winning lotto ticket for its face value. Stormy sold out fast and cheap, stupidly failing to realize that the mainstream media and other forces would pay or do anything to bring down Trump. Sorry Stormy!
1
It's a shrewd move. She's not expecting him to take her up on the offer.
8
You know, she was the first to admit that she made a mistake. She has said, in print, that she took the easiest option, and that it was flawed. Who, in this current administration, has admitted to ever making a mistake? And yet the torrent of mistake and errors keeps flowing. Kudos to Stormy. Remember: Bill Clinton was impeached in the House for lying about his affair with Monica. So if fair laws apply, President Trump has to be judged through the same lens. He claims he didn't sleep with Stormy? Fine. So why the agreement. Equal standards must apply.
8
What’s amazing here is that Trump can’t win this one by attacking the accuser. What nickname would he come up with? What chant would he lead at a rally? What dirt from her past would he threaten to dig up? Here he’s running into someone who truly has nothing to hide, won’t be bullied, and has no apparent reason to just go away.
With all due respect to Ms Clifford, our president is being outsmarted, outmaneuvered and flat out embarrassed by a porn star. Let that one sink in for a minute.
65
Hallelujah!
7
I hope she nails him, and I’ll gladly contribute to her attorney’s fees or any NDA penalties she might incur. But regardless of how her efforts end, the fact remains that Trump doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him. He believes in himself, and only himself. And there are millions of people who will never be put off by the sleazy things he does or says. They admire him, they envy him, and they think he will give them access to something (power, money, a peek into a glitzy lifestyle) or he is taking their side against those they hate (Muslims, Mexicans, feminists, Democrats, atheists, Jews, liberals, college graduates, etc.) He will not give up who he is, and they will never stop supporting him.
The rest of us must proceed accordingly, recognizing the above, and recognizing that the Republicans will continue to support him. Get out the vote!
15
Dear media please stop talking as if Melania Trump is some loving wife and mother paradigm of virtue. Melania does not care about Stormy or all the others and don't tell me she didn't know that DT was doing these things on the side. She knew the deal. The whole sleazy deal. and she sold her soul for money.
27
I believe that is called victim shaming. That Melania made a marriage of convenience is certainly credible. It doesn't make her responsible for the egregious
actions of her husband.
6
Interesting but pointless comment.
I didn't see Melania mentioned anywhere in the story.
Lets be fair and balanced while we're at it, and release all of the files of JFK and LBJ's peccadillos. Oh and FDR while we're at iy.
4
I heard rumors that Thomas Jefferson may have had dalliances with those out of his marriage.
2
Eh, okay. Do you also want to disinter the dead and put them on trial?
4
Times have changed. What JFK and FDR—not to mention Eleanor—got away with would never work today. But that’s OK, this just means modern presidents must—or should—have some basic decency. Note how this wasn’t a problem for presidents like George W. Bush or Barack Obama.
3
Stormy figured out lying about the affair could get her more than $130K
And, here we are with the mainstream media obsessing over largely irrelevant stories and tabloid controversies. Yeah, fake news ain't real ;-)
1
Do you seriously think Stormy would be doing all this if she didn't have proof?
6
Looking to the past for solutions to the present is like an ostrich putting its head in the sand. The reason that Stormy Daniels' story is relevant is that for one, it proves that our leader is a liar, but more than that by a lot, is that that was used to impeach President Clinton in the house. So let's stick to the last 50 or so years when looking to precedent.
2
Misusing campaign funds is a felony. Ask Nixon about it. He’ll tell you about fake news- oh, and I think he mentioned something about not being a crook as well..
Well Trump did say he makes the best deals. Time to prove that.
10
Slim and none are her chances--another media maneuver that will not work for her. She signed the agreement--so live with it--I know not the liberal way but that is the way it works.
2
California Court is ultimate Decision maker/ Then onto an Appeal, later, no matter who wins or loses. It will drag on for months and years.
Nice try. A nullified agreement has no validity.
Now, that's putting your money where your mouth is! Too bad she didn't think of that in the first place. But I guess she didn't expect Trump to win either, and thought " why not cash in a bit." Now it would appear the cash is in the spilling of the beans
3
Trump, the self-proclaimed negotiation guru, is getting outmaneuvered by his former girlfriend and her lawyer. I don't like his chances against Kim and the World's most volatile nuclear power.
18
She can raise funds to pay 1 millions dollars to Trump and break silence. I am sure, there are many who would support her.
15
oh, this is really good.
In this proposal, Daniels is to be allowed to "use and publish any text messages, photos and/or videos" that she has in her possession.
BUT, a precondition of having the original $130k released to Daniels was that she turn over all physical copies of such things, and destroy any electronic copies.
So now, Trump/Cohen pretty much HAVE to respond to this provocation, because the very idea that she still has evidence of the relationship in her possession is a violation of the original "Hush Agreement"
9
Stormy and her lawyer are playing ping pong with Trump and his campaign e-mail account.
5
The whole point of proffering the cancelation of the whole deal (and the $130k would be well worth the advertising Avenatti is getting) is to require Cohen to present the settlement offer to Trump.
6
ummm, no, it isn't. Don't you think that even if Cohen never spoke to Trump again, Trump would hear about the offer from, say, watching TV 5 hours a day? The whole point of offering to return the $ is that he had to do that it he is taking the position that the contract was never valid. They can't keep the money and simultaneously take the position that the contract is not valid
Donald Trump had an affair with a porn star.
Snore...
This is the least interesting news since Don Lemon came out.
2
Hint: the affair is not the important part of the story.
15
Yes, the fact that Trump cheated on his 3rd wife not long after she gave birth is not that "interesting" to some – although it certainly speaks to Trump's low character.
What is certainly interesting are the campaign finance laws which may have been broken, and the likely ethics violations that Trump's lawyer Cohn committed. the "hard core" Trump supporters may not care but the rest of America does.
21
To paraphrase a line from the movie "My Cousin Vinny".
"I WANT HER LAWYER!!"
9
Let me give this money back because I have the opportunity to make a lot more money by selling my story to an eager public. Sorry you took the money when you did, that was your own fault.
3
The worst case is she has to pay a million dollar fine. I think there are publishing houses that would happily give her a big enough advance to cover that.
Plus if Trump didn't sign it, it is null and void.
7
Pls do!! Expose this liar in chief now.
9
I hope she doesn't end up accidentally falling out a window.
5
We should all be grateful to Cohen for buying this information. Who knows what this Chinese would have done if they had gotten a hold of it?
I sure hope there's no one else out there with compromising information about the president. Oh, wait...
11
This is not about men or women - this is about money and those who have it and want to buy and those who do not have it and want to sell - regardless of whether this is power, presidencies, properties or people and sex is simply one of the 'commodities' in demand and therefore on offer. It there is a buyer and a voluntary seller - it is a business deal like any other.
And as in most business deals the clauses of the contracts do not include human integrity or conventional morals.
Money and power have always been able to buy 'justice' and Trump has both.
2
Makes me wonder if Trump ever made Cohen whole. If he didn't Cohen may start squealing and want the money exposing the liar in chief.
10
Cohen will need that money back to pay his own forthcoming legal bills
4
We need a T-shirt with Stormy on the front and Mueller on the back to wear to a Trump rallies.
31
During the Bill Clinton affair the right wing echo chamber taught us new words like "subornation" as in "subornation of perjury". Be it on talk radio, C-SPAN, tv panel discussions, the phrase was inescapable. Rather than highfalutin legal terms, in the spirit of the echo chamber, I'd like to school the public with two words "Stormy Daniels". I encourage everyone to use them regularly. In fact, this morning I ordered a coffee regular, cream cheese bagel and a Stormy Daniels.
10
Stormy could end up being Trump's version of a category 5 hurricane that would blow him right out of the white house and possibly albeit unlikely, into the big house.
15
I value Stormy's silence beyond measure. I lack any influence on her, yet I recommend declining her offer to return Trump's hush money. Whatever works to keep Stromy's exposure (I'm talking sound and air time) to a minimum -- I'm for that. A ludicrous character in this Trump mis-administration's large caste of ludicrous characters.
2
The North Koreans must be laughing at this thinking if Trump can't out think a porn star what hope does he have with us.
26
Pretty incredible place we find ourselves in when the word of a porn star is more believable than the President.
49
This is a puzzle. If trump didn't sign the agreement, didn't pay any money, and denies reaching a "meeting of the minds" with Ms. Clifford, it's hard to see how he has an enforceable contract with her.
37
A man got involved with a porn star
Who threatened to write in her memoir
That he wasn’t first-rate
Leaving the man irate
And telling a story quite bizarre
6
Stormy Daniels is a lot tougher, smarter and wiser than the type of women Donald Trump mates and marries with or fathers.
Trump must being have nightmarish visions of Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Megyn Kelly, Oprah Winfrey, Maxine Waters, Theresa May, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O' Donnell.
Michael Cohen is in the running for being the most ignorant, immature, incompetent and unethical Trump lawyer so far.
27
Cohen should win a major award of some kind and then be disbarred.
8
To the list of foreign rulers seeking to outmaneuver the Great Dealmaker - in Russia, Isreal, Saudi Arabia, North Koreal - add the name of Stormy Daniels.
10
I am as confused as reader Julie Perkins. Why was she paid to be quiet about something that supposedly didn't happen in the first place? Franz Kafka would have a ball with all this.
10
While Rome burns...
We are captivated by this and the rest of his fiddling...
6
Notice the Clinton's have been in hiding lately.
I wonder why??
1
hiding? only on FOX
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/12/hillary-cli...
9
I'd really like to know how exactly Ivanka feels about her father, asking Stormy Daniels to hit him on his rump with the Forbes magazine with him on the cover, and Don telling Stormy how much she reminded him of Ivanka as he was bout to do the dirty deed.
I find it really creepy, especially considering how Donald Trump was heard on the Howard Stern show, saying he's be after Ivanka, if she wasn't his daughter.....something really creepy going through that predators mind.
7
Thor Stormy Daniels affair proves by concert example that Trump is in actual fact vulnerable to extortion because of his past sexual indiscretions. This supports one of the main conclusions of the Steele Dossier, which Republicans have decried as beimg meritless and politically motivated. I don't know about the politically motivated part, but the meritless part is seeming less and less plausible.
30
Who would have thought, in the height of the #MeToo movement, that the heroine mantel might go to a sex worker in the porn industry. But here we are, and if the #MeToo movement holds any salt it will rise up and celebrate her. Because the value of a woman's voice should not depend on her profession, be it sex worker or business executive or housewife or factory worker. Women's voices matter, period.
32
Great comment Jessica!
1
Kim Jong-un must be quaking in his boots at the prospect of meeting this great deal-maker we are sending him
24
Kim is licking his chops. I hope Mattis and Tillerson are giving him the best advice.
3
If I were Trump I would offer her Secretary of State or Treasury. She can't do any worse than what we have had for the last 20 years. Drop the interview and just take a job in Washington like everyone else. If she does Treasury she can easily rotate to one of the major investment banks through the revolving door. If she does State she will appeal to many of the leaders she will have to deal with a lot more than our current and prior secretaries. I would love to be a fly on the wall when Trump watches 60 minutes with his wife.
9
She is a smart cookie! Robert
Mueller should be hiring her. Then we'll get to the bottom of it.
6
I don't know about you, but doesn't this whole thing reek of "obstruction of justice" right before the election?
6
Howso? What justice was obstructed? She alleges a consensual affair, which she was paid $130k to keep quiet.
You need to look up 'obstruction of justice.'
He was trying to cover up evidence of a personal infidelity, not a crime.
1
Nothing matters anymore. Our POTUSA is tarnished, but this doesn't matter to his "trumpsters". He walks on water and that is the way it is.
Best way to go is VOTE 2018 and 2020 and clear the swamp of elephants.
13
Will the money be returned in Clinton's cigar box ?
3
So a pornographic "actress" is now the nation's hero? Our president is clearly beneath her in morality. My head is spinning.
20
Whst is big tough guy donald so afaid of anyway?
10
Being a porn star doesn't exactly make you a paragon of virtue. A 130,000 payment is like excepting a blackmail payment. Why isn't this considered blackmail? Now she wants to give back her blackmail payment so she can make more money to ruin the man she is alledged to have had an affair with.
3
Tell me who is a paragon of virtue. Just because she makes porn movies doesn't automatically make her a terrible person.
15
Would you like your daughter to grow up and do porn?
4
Not “blackmail” — BRIBE. As in hush money.
This is complete garbage. with her dalliance with Trump now out in the open, she sees greener pastures: $$$$$.
7
Good for her, anon. Isn’t this the American way?
14
Yes. And so...?
2
This person has zero credibility.
The only reason why the porn actress would offer to return money that may have been paid to her is because someone else if making her an offer that is sweeter than the first offer to tell a story.
Shame on Trump for hanging with people like this!
5
Mike, do you mean shame on Trump for paying off a hooker or for having sex with a hooker who won't keep silent about ti?
4
The president is the one with zero credibility.
3
Imagine the place in history that this sex worker will have if she succeeds in bringing the parasite some elected as president to his knees and accomplishes what no other legislative/judicial body can. Her bravado speaking on behalf of all exploited women may save our Nation from catastrophe. I and many loyal and patriotic Americans will stand to salute her if he is impeached. Go for it Stormy! Do not let up or back down!!!
20
Her story is not worth much as far as it goes. We were never in doubt about Trump’s habits. He should just let the story out and move on. It only works if he is embarrassed by it.
All the Trump squirming just feeds the story, which is an entirely consensual affair. It may embarrass Melania, but that’s Trump’s fault.
The “porn star” label is just a tease. She’s a performer who uses sex and sexuality in her act. No different than Arnold using his pecs in his acting. It ‘s kind of sexist to restrict her use of her body in her performances.
3
Trumps billionaire buddies will get together and make Stormy an offer she can’t refuse.
2
I will happy to kick in a few bucks to hear all Stormy has to say.
10
Count me in as well. Can someone start a kickstarter campaign? This project fits perfects under kickstarter as a creative way to bring out the truth and serve the public interest.
6
It's just a lot of grunts and moans, I've seen her on the internet.
1
I think Stormy ought to start a Go Fund Me page.
She'll probably amass the $130K in about a half hour.
NOT my president
15
So the Stormy Story is just another log on the bonfire being built under this President and yet nothing seems enough to bring this president to answer for his abhorrent behavior. Perhaps this story will be the basis of a tipping point that finally forces the remnants of his base to wake up and realize that they have been backing a pretty sleazy man.
I wish they cared more about his shady financial dealings; his constant lying about everything both important and trivial; his corrosive attacks on the every institution and person both in and out of government, his failure to defend America against attack from foreign governments and oligarchs. But, if this is what it takes for his base to realize he shouldn't be our president.... I'll take it.
10
Please, everyone stand back and let her and her lawyer do their work. This could take down the worst thing that has ever happened to this country. Whatever her motives, in my book Daniels, or whatever her name is, is a heroine, a goddess even. Don't stop her.
26
We knew trump was arrogant, corrupt and dumb, but now we may see the full stature of the limp noodle.
Hope Stormy can tell her story and bring the fraud down. Can't happen soon enough.
11
Stormy is producing climate change in the Oval Office.Trump is starting to feel the heat.
20
No doubt Ms. Daniels' star has risen as a performer. I bet she is performing for sold out shows these days. She could probably fill Madison Square Garden given her new found celebrity. Wouldn't a show there be a fun way to raise the $1 million penalty for violating the NDA?
7
It's interesting to see Trump treated this way.
She's essentially using the costs (in this case, the political cost) from these court actions in order to extract what she wants from the President, right?
Hmmm... who do you think she got that idea from?
I can already see the documentary:"When Porn Stars Are Smarter Than Presidents"
14
The comic relief is most welcome in these frightening times. There has been so much coverage about Stormy trying to get permission to tell her story that the story is told. Lord knows what else can come out but some sordid details. I hope she wins her case and makes a movie with Alec Baldwin. Stormy can play herself. Netflix, are you ready?
I wonder who else has blackmail material on our playboy wheeler-dealer Chief? "Lordy!"
5
I think Stormy is exerting "undue leverage" over the President. She probably knows better than the rest of us that "he needs the money."
6
"What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." The thrice-married serial adulterer is weaving himself quite a cocoon.
7
I have no trouble believing that Ms. Clifford is a better strategist than Mr. Trump.
11
To add insult to Trump's injury, this is by far the best communications team he has encountered since his dumpster fire of an administration began. If only he would've propositioned Stormy 'with' a job instead 'for' one
3
Stephanie Clifford accepted the $130,000 when Hillary Clinton was favored to win the election. Now that Trump is president, she realizes that she struck a bargain. President Bill Clinton paid Paula Jones $850,000 to drop her sexual assault lawsuit,
4
What distinguishes this from every other (at least recent) presidential sexual indiscretion is the substantial money that changed hands in the midst of the presidential campaign. That alone is newsworthy .
That any of this seems to elicit no more than a shrug from the Presidents base (and not forgetting his evangelical cheering section) only underlines their craven hypocrisy.
7
Sadly Stormy Daniels realized she can make more money selling this sordid tale than staying quiet.
3
She ran against David vitter and her campaign managers car was blown up???Can we look into that??
Looked up her Wikipedia, and I have to retract - she had risen to the top of the heap, for exposing herself in public and simulating sex in different kinds of films.
But her onnection to David (underpants, and caused the death by suicide of his madam, a really tragic fall of a d.c. madam who was only caught because of vitter and wrote her last note to HER MOM saying she could not bear to get out of jail at age 70 ith nothing, and so killed hersself) and this 'porn star', in running against D tighty whities vitter, had her campaign managers CAR BLOWN UP????
2
A distracting difficult situation easily resolved. Trump can stop playing games and take responsibility. If he was to simply admit to it, it would all come to an end.
3
"New York State’s professional standards for lawyers require that they take settlement offers directly to their clients. That means Mr. Cohen is under a legal obligation to share the proposed deal with Mr. Trump, who has kept his distance from the matter since news of the contract broke in January.
If they reject the offer, they could be seen as effectively acknowledging the existence of a continuing effort to keep Ms. Clifford silent about an affair that Mr. Cohen and the president say did not happen."
I believe that these 2 paragraphs say most of what is pertinent to this issue.
If Ms Clifford is allowed to speak, and if she is not allowed to speak this would be admission of guilt on the part of Mr Trump, she will testify to what most of us believe to be true, that this monster is guilty of adultery. And why doesn't he release his tax returns in addition to this. No doubt because he is in debt to Russians for millions of dollars.
16
Trump having an affair with a flat-chested schoolmarm I could have tolerated and forgiven, but with a busty, lusty temptress I cannot. Doing so just shows how crazy the man is.
3
Maybe she was paid off to avoid the appearance of impropriety during an election season. Trump probably has met her but whether there was an affair is he said, she said. If she actually had the affair she might have asked for a lot more. I think Trump will fight her in court.
2
"Trump probably has met her but whether there was an affair is he said, she said. If she actually had the affair she might have asked for a lot more. I think Trump will fight her in court."
Now she's realized she should have asked for more and she has much better legal representation. Trump won't fight her because even more of his dirty laundry will be exposed. We're past the he said, she said phase.
He could, we'd all enjoy it, and he'd lose.
2
Trump being out Foxed by a porn star - this ought to be breaking news.
He is so desperate to distance himself from it that he's willing to go to North Korea to meet with Little Rocket Man.
Clinton, when getting cornered with the Monika Lewinsky affair, decided to enter the Balkan Wars and I see a very dangerous parallel here.
As for the 130K $ I'm sure it is pocket change for Daniels should a book deal be forthcoming.
7
Cohen may also ignore the letter, which leaves Clifford and Avenatti in limbo.
Perhaps she can pull a Trump by stating, "I've been paid to keep silent about Donald Trump adulterous relationship with me, so I can't talk about it." That's what he would do, but only her attorney can guide in on that one. Or he could state it as a third party. "My client was paid etc."
4
She could also sign a multi-million-dollar book deal and pay the fine.
3
The Art of the Deal!
7
It will not make any difference.
2
Because she thinks she can make even more money- not claim moral ground or strike a blow against chauvinism. She is even striking a blow to the other participants' reputations in her "profession" which are dubious at the best of times......maybe she thinks this will bring her her"big shot"....she is already yesterday's news.
2
I hear Michael Avenatti just got a call from Robert Mueller offering to join the Russia investigation.
3
The porn star is playing chess and the president can barely set up his checkers.
26
The self proclaimed greatest deal maker on the planet being out-foxed by a porn star. This, my friends, is RICH! Pass the popcorn.
28
This is too fantastic! A lose-lose for the Idiot-In-Chief and his "law yer". A win-win for La Storm, who stands to make a whole lot more than $130K. That's chicken scratch and as some witty commenter said below: "more popcorn, please"
14
Who cares? What a total waste of print and time.
5
Everyone but the Deplorables cares.
1
None of this matters to his Christian supporters.
"I have great relationship with god."
"We're going to protect Christianity. I don't have to be politically correct."
--Donald J. Trump
Those are the magic get-out-of-hell-free words.
9
130k for her to talk about it? Didn't the story say that a 60 minute episode is going to air? "would move to block the broadcast of an interview that Ms. Clifford taped with “60 Minutes” last week". Wouldn't that indicate she already "talked about" something she is supposed to keep quiet about? Take back the money, so what. I don't give a rooty toot what he did before he was our president. If he was doing this while in office, yeah. She is washed up terrible looking whatever she is, who now knows that her 30 something age is working itself out of her nasty industry of hooking and stripping, she looks 50. Were his morals bad if he did this, yup. But we forgive and move on, that is what we do. Don't have to like the behavior.
2
@Amber, Gee what pictures of Stormy have you
been looking at? I think she looks great.
and she seems pretty smart too.
Unlike some one we both know. I wish her the best.
Nice that you forgive Trump, but not
Stormy. Did not know she was a hooker,
thanks for the insight. If true, she
deserves your forgiveness even more.
Perhaps you might contact her and help
her straiten herself out, As for stripping,
Gypsy Rose Lee was a stripper and did
very well by it. She was smart too.
This bodes well for a musical one day
about Stormy, Trump and Cohen.
4
And that will happen when Hell freezes over!
1
I like this guy Avenatti! "Dear Mr. President: Option A - 'You're busted!' Option B - 'Uh...you're still busted!!'"
8
One of the things I hear is that the Stormy Daniels affair will not have an impact on the President. Their view is that Trump has been able to get over a whole bunch of scandals and this is just one more . But keep in mind that Americans crave salacious gossip , just check out valorous TV shows who market gossip.
Low information voters could care less about scandals regarding Trump and Russia. This goes over their head as do many of the other Trump misdeeds and scandals but the President and a porn star is golden gossip that people get. You can bet your mortgage that Stormy (great name for a scandal) has photos and videos and has tons of materials for a tell all book and movie and she will hit every talk show in America and beyond. She may be a porn star but she is a smart cookie who sees millions of dollars and has a very smart lawyer. Also Michael Cohen is a loser and an idiot who has to dig into his home account to find the 140 K.
6
'Low IQ' Maxine Waters said - If Mueller doesn't take Trump down, Stormy will!!!!!
12
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"
5
This smart lady has one helluva smart attorney.
13
Go Stormy! Get yours. It's the Porn Star who lets it all hangout for a living, versus the Cowardly Pathological Liar, Con Artist: Donald Trump. Stormy hands down. I'm sure there are quite a few more Stormies waiting to come out. These things have a tendency to proliferate. Ask Bill Cosby.
7
I think Trump should get what he paid for, sex with a porn star, and privacy. That is why he paid 130,000. That is not the going rate for sex. Not even for rich guys. He paid for privacy and he should get it. I think that Melania knew what she was getting just like Trump did. She is not angry. For all we know the marriage is one of convenience, not true love, I mean come on. Look at her, then look at him. Money can buy a lot, but not love, and apparently not privacy.
4
This is news how? Possibly the best free PR machine for an ancient porn actress.
2
Videos?! Stormy, if you have videos please provide an exclusive preview on your pornhub.com profile first. Will definitely increase the value of what you have to offer to news media.
3
A porn start takes down a highly paid set of lawyers and a president ... when this is all over Cohen should be disbarred and Trump should be impeached.
13
I'm so tired of hearing about this gold digger. This is nothing more than a money grab, she knew who he was and what he was doing so she's just as slimy as he is if not more. The longer people keep giving her attention the more advertisements and more money she makes on royalties from her porn movies.
Does she consider herself part of the #metoomoneygrab?
4
It's called free-market capitalism, conservatives' favorite thing!
1
Who is paying for Stormy's legal process?
With the credibility of a carrier in porn who is going to be paying her off for her "story"?
2
Am I reading the National Inquirer? Where are the "Abducted by Aliens" stories? If I am going to read a tabloid, I expect tabloid news, damn it!
4
Trump poisons everything. Anything above tabloid level would be beyond evangelical comprehension.
1
Take the money Donald.
3
This is starting to look like a redux of Sinclair Lewis's "Elmer Gantry." Rather than "drain the swamp" all Trump has done is muddy the waters, and raise a slew of Lazaruses.
8
A malevolent Music Man? Give me a bouncy C!
Whatever one thinks of what Stormy Daniels does for a living, you gotta love the fact that up until now she appears to be beating Trump at his own game.
For decades Trump used the New York media to fill his endless need for attention and to smear and bully people. Ms. Daniels so far seems to be outmaneuvering Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen -- who also appears to be in big trouble himself -- at every step.
You go Stormy.
38
If Trump has nothing to hide, he should take her up on the offer. Problem is he does have something to hide. You do not pay people to keep quiet if you didn't do something. What he just gave her the money out of the kindness of his heart. Please. The man doesn't have a heart and he's only here to build his brand. Can't wait to America collectively says, "You're fired!"
10
If she started a go-fund-me or kickstarter campaign to make up for the loss of the $130K she would be fabulously wealthy.
5
Batten down the hatches, stormy times ahead! Stormy for President!
7
I'm glad Ms. Clifford has seen the light and will make gobs more money by talking. That First Amendment is a money-maker, for sure!
4
Is the NDA even binding? There's only one signature on the agreement.
4
What a great taunt by Avenatti! Like, sure, he thought Trump might actually sign it. Meanwhile, Trump has to decide what to do about the lawsuit, when everything he possibly could do, would just be to shoot himself in the foot; and Cohen can't even handle it, because he has made himself a witness. I'm just surprised Avenatti did not also demand Trump write a $130,000 personal check to Stormy, for her trouble.
4
The Republican double standard on sexual peccadilloes in high office is unbelievable. Clinton was impeached for far less than is now on record about the current President. What does Congressional tolerance of Trump's moral turpitude say to our children? Our allies? Our future? Could it be about money, the love of which is the root of all evil? Heaven knows that the rich are getting paid big-time these days.
8
One day, hopefully not too long from now, the decent American people in this country, are going to say to Donald Trump: "Your Fired!" It's way overdue.
7
Question; exactly how many 'mulligans' make a spiritually acceptable president? Answer; it is an unknown quantity, having never been tested at this level and stress point.
Conclusion; Those that refuse to see are more blind than the person with no eyes.
3
I don’t care who Trump slept with before he was in office, as long as it was a consenting adult human. What is important — and newsworthy — is the duplicitous shenanigans behind buying this woman’s silence. Most of that is already out and (mostly) confirmed. So who will it benefit if Stormy can nullify the agreement and do the talk show circuit? It will benefit Stormy Daniels. I doubt that she knew the actual source of the money she took to zip her lips.
And by the way, shouldn’t that money be paid back to the (apparently gullible) lawyer, rather than Trump?
Okay, so there are a few facts I am itching to know, but I doubt Stormy can answer them. Did lawyer Cohen have a spouse when he (according to him) tapped into his home equity line of credit to pay off a porn star for Trump? If so, I would love to have been a fly on the wall in that household, when this came up. And how did Cohen and Trumpmarrive at the sum of $130k? Was that negotiated on an hourly wage basis?
I look forward to reading about (I wouldn’t waste my time actually reading it) the book Melania’s ghost writer produces when the Lying Lump’s term is over (one-term President Cheeto!) and she divorces his flabby self. Melania knows things.
3
There he is, the 'negotiator in chief', who is ramming through tariffs on steel and aluminium, "re-setting" NAFTA, and most frighteningly of all, heading to North Korea to settle the region. "Only I can do it!", says Trump.
And yet he cannot even negotiate a binding non-disclosure agreement with a porn actor.
Good luck, USA!
24
I know this is a bit down the road, but an all-but-certain future chapter will be the Hollywood movie version. But it will need a good title. “All the President’s Lawyers?” No, have to get “porn queen” in there somehow. Speaking of that, isn’t it a bit sad that we have to tell our kids that the person getting the most press for fighting the evil in the White House is a porn queen in her day job?
6
She's got a fabulous attorney, and she has a natural gift for public relations. Good lord, she may be the hero we've been waiting for.
42
like he would accept that payment. left holding on to anything they can. meanwhile, median income up, unemployment down, black unemployment at lowest since 70's, isis almost completely gone, north korea willing to talk, consumer confidence up, stock market up... yes trump is a buffoon, but policies that are working are never reported because of garbage like this.
trump inherited one of the longest run bull markets in history -- roughly 105 months in duration -- from Obama. trump is surfing the Obama economic wave. In fact, the tax cut -- his single contribution -- results in more debt and less equity. More debt and less equity means that equity will be more volatile. More volatility means the possibility (not necessarily probability) of larger draw downs when markets get fragile and also increases the risk of inflation. It should also be noted that unemployment among blacks is a function of a rising tides lifting all boats: trump has done NOTHING to specifically target a reduction in black unemployment so he gets ZERO credit for being a bystander to an event which he was not the causation of. Trump has moved us closer to nuclear war with his saber rattling, so it remains to be seen if he accomplishes anything in that domain. Don't kid yourself: ISIS is merely regrouping. Consumer confidence is not correlated in any measurable fashion with trump and his tweets.
Other than the above, great post on on your part.
3
Thanks, Obama.
7
It's not teflon Don's policies at work in regard to the economy. You can thank President Obama for that. The black employment thing is a sick, racist joke. Isis is not almost gone, just in hiding, and it's largely due to Russia.
3
I don't believe this stripper has got that kind of money laying around. So who is going to give it to her, so she can pay it back?
That too is a campaign expense, if it comes from NeverTrump politics, which seems very likely. So they'll do what they condemn, just to spread around sex tales about their opponent, and accuse him of doing before what they do now in paying off Stormy to shape the political story.
2
Cohen is ethically bound to report this settlement offer to his client. Probably the most dreaded call of his career.
8
umm, yeah, because how else would Trump hear about the offer?
A working girl is never supposed to talk. Disgraceful!!!
She wasn't paid for sex. She was paid for keeping quiet about sex. Working girl? Nah.
1
I doubt very much this girl does the deed with out getting paid, it's kind of her job. she's just re-negotiating for a higher wage.
Well at least then Michael Cohen will be able to keep his house...
I can't believe anyone really cares about this. So what???
1
The dumb president being outplayed by a porn actress is hugely entertaining. trump is the BEST negotiator! Except for prostitutes.
3
My guess is that Trump will refuse the offer and say that he's rejecting it because Daniels is a liar trying to ruin his reputation.
You only have to think on that nonsequiter for a couple second to understand its contradiction; however, most of Trump's supporters won't give it that much thought.
5
Seems to me the Republicans were SCREAMING when Clinton had an affair. So..........why are the Republicans not screaming now...when one of their own is facing the same state? (Hmmm?) To go beyond hypocrisy.... this is hush-money. It is at least unethical.... if not illegal.
3
Oh boy! Now it hits the fan. Checkmate!!!!!!!
2
Please start a Go Fund Me page for Stormy!!! Goal = $130000 plus whatever it costs to send a hand delivered Cash plus "Resign or Go To Jail" message to Donald Trump . The delivery man (preferable Comey) needs to make sure to get a receipt.
1
She can return it because the book deal came through and her stripper gigs are paying four to ten times better now. Shucks, she can probably make four to five grand easy a night, plus now clubs will offer her premiums.
3
I love it! Ms. Clifford is out conning the con; out manipulating the master manipulator.
8
Stormy weather ahead for Trump.
7
"DD" may not agree to take back his lawyer's hush money. He lost his original birth certificate, so how could he sign the new agreement? He may even "don't recall" the "hoax" money or his relationships with the porn star. Right now he only wants to be the greatest president in history. He shall enter into history via the historic summit meeting with Quixotic Kim Jong-un.
1
I can't believe that there isn't a millionaire out there that wouldn't gladly pay the million dollar fine if Stormy talks. TV, cable, Tom Steyer...someone willing to fork over the money. Heck, we could start a go-fund-me account and raise the money in one day. There have to be a million people that would pay one dollar each to find out what she has to say. I'll start the pot with a whopping $100. This story must be worth a million, at least.
44
Stormy is a national hero.
11
Hey we can crowd-source funds for the penalty written into the 'agreement.'
4
Bill Clinton has already set the model for the countries leadership regarding affairs with Jenifer Flowers, assaulting women like Paul Jones, and taking advantage of interns. He has single-handedly ruined the moral fabric of this country. Bill also showed us that you can stare into the camera and lie directly to the American people "I did not have an affair with that woman, Monica Lewinsky" and his wife has shown us all that even she can look the other way as long as political ambitions are on the table.
NONE of you spoke up then to defend the women, and in fact just the opposite. You defended Bill and trashed the women.
So, now that we have Bill Clinton's stellar example, everyone be quiet on affairs for any future or sitting president.
5
and that's your defense for Trump?
4
Hogwash, plenty of Democrats were disgusted with Clinton and if you knew anything at all about history you would know that Clinton wasn't the first President to have extramarital affairs.
I'll bet money that you weren't the least bit concerned about Gingrich, Moore etc.
2
Right, the Republican party hasn't produced a whiff of sexual scandal in,, er, how long?
2
Looks like some stormy clouds in Donnie's future! Will the mystery of his alleged, little-hands be finally resolved? Will a direct Donnie/Stormry pay-off inkage be established? Will revealed pillow-talk go beyond his self-aggrandizing romantic prowess to tales of his illegal corporate dealings? Tune in for even more "fantastic" episodes of: "This Is Your New/Improved POTUS"! Reality TV at its BEST!! :-) :-)
4
In the end, unless there's some horrific penalty above and beyond repaying the $130,000, why doesn't Ms Daniels simply release the information and evidence? After all, what is Trump going to do? If he sues her, he has to admit he was lying.
14
The penalty is $1mm for every violation of the agreement
Glad to see progress on unmasking the truth.
Now, what about the woman whose silence was bought by the National Enquirer?
16
Very smart move by Clifford's lawyer; rescission of a contract requires the consent of all parties. Cohen will never agree, because Daniels will talk and is believable. If he doesn't agree, Trump looks guilty (as he certainly is) and afraid of what Daniels may say (ditto).
Clifford filed a the law suit challenging the validity of the agreement; Cohen invoked the arbitration clause to obtain a TRO. Are there also provisions in the contract requiring that all disputes be resolved by arbitration? If so, Daniels case will not be heard publicly, nor will any testimony by either Trump or Cohen be made public. The arbitrator will decide. I expect that Cohen will try to get the court case dismissed, based on a contractual arbitration clause.
Cohen faces an ethics violation. Trump is looking at (another) sex scandal, this one with photos. His core supporters won't care, but the outcome of the November elections does not rest on Trump acolytes. There are many other voters, including Republicans, who may say, "Enough!"
All that Clifford risks in a $1M fine. She'll earn that much in a book deal, let alone the TV appearances, film rights, etc., etc. So unless the contract provides that Clifford must give all profits resulting from a breach to Cohen a/k/a Trump -- which I'll bet it doesn't, because Cohen & Trump aren't that smart -- Clifford has the advantage.
Methinks our deal-making President and his "bulldog" attorney have been outplayed.
38
"Cohen will never agree, because Daniels will talk and is believable."
It is rather fascinating that between the porn star and the president, the porn star is inherently more believable (based on the latter's track record for telling lies) and has, inherently, the moral high ground.
6
A note to Democrats ; First imagine that Bill Clinton were in Trump's place. Next, Imagine what the Republicans would do. Now do it.
If you need help, hire some Republicans to do it for you, as they love making money any way they can, and their instincts for destruction are so natural.
29
Dems don't control congress....crickets...
1
"We'll see where this goes," as Trump often states. Indeed we will. If her offer is accepted, she either tells all on 60 Minutes or in a future book. If her offer is rejected, all is revealed through the discovery process of a lawsuit and the money will be followed and revealed. A win-win for Stormy. A lose-lose for Donald Trump/David Dennison.
5
She can talk all she wants and nothing will happen to Teflon Don as long as the immoral GOP is in charge.
2
Paul Ryan will have to explain to his wife why he is sitting on his hands...
2
Meh. Chances are she's as horrid as he is.
Stormy, You are my new shero! Thank you for getting me to rethink what a patriot is. You have challenged me to open my mind about stereotypes regarding a woman's, intelligence, strength and sexuality.
" Well behaved women seldom make history."
Go get'em! You are going to teach this whole country a thing or two before this is over. Yaaay Stormy!!!!
10
She's teaching this country a thing or two all right.
Why are you ok with her seducing a married man?
Yaaay go Stormy, hope your next fish is even bigger.
1
Trump pursued her. And her friend. Repeatedly called them and asked them to come to his suite. He's hardly the victim here.
2
There were two people involved. The Jerk in Chief was the one with a new baby at home at the time. He chased her. Trump offered to get her on The Apprentice. She did not force him to have sex with her. Whatever adult people agree to do together is just fine.
Thank you Stormy!!!
2
This isn’t a freedom of speech issue. This is a payday plain and simple. Most of us hate Trump. But let’s call this what it is, a shakedown.
2
So now that her story is worth more than her silence she wants to talk. This is how she earns a living - selling out to the highest bidder.
5
Uh, yeah. She's a porn star, not the President.
2
Where can I contribute to the Stormy Daniels defense fund?
23
Ms. Clifford clearly has the superior legal representation here, and they seem to be throwing Trump and his team a new curveball every day. I'm all for it.
14
In other words, the agreement is valid. We all know Trump slept with Stormy Daniels. She took money to stay quiet about it. She should have refused the payout. She would have made a lot more from a book and TV interviews.
I guess the argument to care about this in the first place is, "Oh! Now Trump is susceptible to blackmail!" But we all know about the affair already.
I didn't care with Monica and Bill Clinton, and I don't care now. The chance to make big money if she can tell her story is driving Stormy Daniels and her lawyers, not a high-minded campaign to save our democracy.
3
Cohen/Trump will not accept the return of the $130K. They will say something along the lines of: This issue is distracting the President and the American public from really important issues we face today. By not accepting the return of this money from a well meaning but misguided Cohen, we can go back to work and not have Ms Daniels continue to disparage the President and let him do the work the American public voted for him to do. No admission of guilt, rather, sacrificing $130K for the better good. The Trump camp is so adept at spinning in a way that appeases his core followers that even this won't matter. Everyone is already outraged by his actions except the people we are trying to convince to come to the side of light. Even if he grew horns, turned red, and developed a forked tongue while delivering a speech in church, his people would blame the democrats and say they possessed him.
What are they telling Barron? How does he feel about all of it? The privacy of "first children" has been traditionally sacrosanct, but there is absolutely nothing traditional (or sacrosanct) about the Trump Administration.
3
Well, set up the crowdsourcing site, stat, so that she doesn't lose anything at the end of the day, and let's get on with this.
3
This is a clever move by the Daniel's camp: by eliminating the money part of the equation, Ms. Daniels and her attorney put trump in the position, if he refuses the offer, to admit that there are other factors at play. If Mr. trump turn the offer down he is a good as admitting that he might suffer reputational impairment, based on real underlying facts. Trump has threatened to sue all of the women who have accused him of his various indecencies, but has not done so. Doing so would cause him to be deposed under oath. He was shown to have lied over 30 times in one of his divorce proceedings so the open question is, despite his bravado, has he smartened up enough to know that he doesn't stand a chance of coming out without financial and reputational impairment from the numerous depositions which he would have to undergo?
This logic would apply with even more force under depositions in a criminal matter. Trump lies the way other people breath, but I doubt that whatever facility he has attained won't stand up to a cross examination by Mueller.
2
Perhaps we should send Ms Clifford and her lawyer to negotiate with Kim Jong-il. They are clearly much more capable at negotiating deals and might be able to offer some useful services to Kim.
4
I am no Trump supporter but in this case Trump's lawyer is right. Ms. Daniels had every right to turn the $130,000 down but she didn't. Her silence was bought and she is obligated to keep her mouth shut. It is obvious she sees now that she can make more money. This whole sordid thing makes the US look bad.
4
Not if Trump didn't sign.
If David Dennison is smart, he signs the settlement and moves on. There'll be a week of embarrassing publicity, then the news cycle will go elsewhere. The county knew he was a liar and serial philanderer when he was elected, and his base won't care just like they didn't care after the Access Hollywood tape became public.
No settlement will stop an investigation into violating federal election laws...
1
Very smooth move. Praying nothing will derail the truth from coming out.
Unimpeachable (!) proof of how noxious and morally corrupt DJT and those around him are would be a beautiful thing.
I'm rooting for you, Ms. Daniels. Bet you'd make a lot with a "Go Fund Me" account. Good luck!
2
Hey libs... Trump supporters didn't elect him to be their religious leader. Like the Kennedy and Clinton supporters - they just don't care. Trump supporters / conservatives are concerned with policies that affect the country. Like the Russia collusion thing, this isn't going anywhere.
2
Yeah...multiple indictments and guilty pleas...going nowhere.
Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night.
Trump supporters elected an idiot. So what does that make them?
2
It's fun to watch Team Trump try its hardest to suppress an affair that they insist never happened in the first place! LOL.
And Pence and Ryan and McConell and Franklin Graham and all the other hypocrites who stand for "family values" are silent as the grave.
Trump has pornogrified the presidency in every way imaginable.
10
There are many women who have alleged relations with Trump. But he has denied them and none have reported being paid. Why did Stormy get a payment? They say behind every great man there is a woman. Ive always said that behind the fall of every great man there is a woman....
1
Let's hope this is the final nail in Trump's coffin. I cannot believe some readers are defending him, someone who is a cross between Al Capone and Harvey Weinstein.
Where are the so called morals of those prudish Evangelists who excoriate polygamy and sex out of wedlock? Did Trump suddenly become their image of Jesus?
4
For a long time, I puzzled over why Trump’s lawyers themselves needed to hire lawyers. I’m beginning to see it now.
3
Presidents having affairs while in office isn't unusual unless we're talking about Nixon or Carter. What's different about Trump? The payments to silence them.
2
Trump was given a financial benefit by his attorney. Did his attorney send him a 1099 and then deduct the money as a reasonable, ordinary, necessary expense? As trump's attorney, one could well understand that paying off porn stars would be both ordinary and necessary, but would the "reasonable" hurdle be met? Given the benefit to trump, did he declare the reduction of a debt obligation on his return? It was said by trump and his spokespeople that this financial matter did not pass through trump or the trump organization...their construction was very narrow, but now know that a special LLC was formed to make the payment. Can they now say, with a straight face, that no payoff was tendered through "any legal modality/corporation or other organizational construct" to Ms. Daniels? So far their denials have been very narrow, but I'd love to get them in a deposition. Even as a non-attorney I believe their story to be very fragile; it would crumble under questioning by a guy like Robert Mueller.
6
Two constant refrains we hear from Trump when something rubs him the wrong way is 'it is a disgrace!' and 'you should be ashamed!'
I am reminded of this verse from the Christian Bible ...
'Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote (a tiny piece of a substance) out of thy brother's eye.' Matthew 7:5
14
The story is not about "the affair". The story is about a potentially criminal scheme created to conceal the affair.
Aside from any potential violations of campaign contribution limits and/or campaign expenditure disclosure laws, the structure of the agreement could be a conspiracy to defraud the federal government. That is as serious a felony as any of the charges so far brought by the Special Prosecutor. And if that conspiracy includes the President it is as serious as it gets.
43
Mark - as with virtually every previous scandal, it is not the actual event but the coverup that flags investigations and convictions. Trump, being who he is and has been for entire life, with practices and lack of morals learned at his father's feet, has little ability to either understand the enormity of this issue nor the gravity of threat to both himself and his presidency. I cannot think of a more deserving student for the coming rude awakening.
1
Go, Stormy Daniels!
99
She's disgusting. And I'm completely unclear why Trump's sex life, especially prior to being a politician, is not his own business. In a more forward thinking country you could never stir up interest in who had sex with someone prior to their holding public office . . .
I think it says more about who WE are that a politician feels he needs to buy the silence of someone he's sleeping with than it does about Trump. Ms. Thing here is obviously a desperate mess so I'll just give her a pass.
Sorry, Barron. No, the world is not a better place than this, sadly.
4
That he had an affair is between Mr. Dennison, er, I mean Trump, and his wife. What is a matter of public concern is that what may well amount to an illegal campaign expenditure was made by or on behalf of Mr. Trump so as to prevent the disclosure of the affair prior to the election. In the same way, it was not that Mr. Clinton had an affair that was a matter of public concern. Rather, it was that he lied about it under oath.
As for being disgusting, why do you not think Mr. Trump is as well? After all, if there had been no affair, no texts, no pictures, etc., why would Mr. Trump's attorney, acting through the Trump Organization (see his e-mails) have paid someone who did not have an affair with Mr. Trump $130,000? Don't you find that just a little odd?
2
What's of interest is the payoff as it pertains to the law, and how Trump, our current president, may or may not have broken it.
1
"And I'm completely unclear why Trump's sex life, especially prior to being a politician, is not his own business." It is germane because his behavior exposes trump to blackmail. Having a president who can be blackmailed by a foreign power is bad...ask your mom. It would be interesting if Ms. Daniels corroborated trump's interest in activities similar to those alleged to have happened in his interaction with the Russian "actresses".
3
How about at the next presidential debate the Democratic candidate put Stormy and all of the other porn stars affiliated with this story and the Playboy models linked to Trump in the first row? Must watch tv!
44
For sure. Just like they did w/ Bill Clinton's accusers.
if there's any real decency left in this country, the Republicans should do it during primary season
2
Yes, for a million dollar book deal she will return the money. She can write well, she is already the author of Take Her To The Dark Side, The Things A Woman's Body Was Made For. written anonymously about her days in porn, a well known secret she penned it.
6
If this was Slick Willie or JFK it would be "Wink,wink,nod,nod, what a guy!" Admit it. You do know I'm right. You know it.
I doubt it. There was no wink wink, nod, nod when it came to Monica Lewinsky. You may not be aware of this but Slick Willie was impeached but don't bother to let facts interfere with what you believe.
5
Christian Right: "We're gonna need a bigger mulligan!"
53
Can we just divide the country into two countries? Red America and Blue America? Blue America can get its sanity and peace back with President Hillary and Red America can live with their blackmailed prez.
41
Two of the darkest clouds that have hung over Trump’s presidency since he was named the winner of the 2016 election are whether he would use the office to enrich himself through his maze of secret financial deals and whether he was subject to influence from people and countries that knew some of his secrets. As the details of the once secret affair with Ms. Clifford and the use of an attorney and shell company to buy her silence become clearer, we learning not only that Trump is vulnerable to being influenced, but his modus operandi for maintaining secrets that worry him enough to pay to keep them secret. That is why it is so important to expose the whole truth of this affair and cover up.
It is rumored that Trump has (indirectly) paid to keep secret his sexual relations with dozens of women and, perhaps, some paid-for bed wetting by Russian prostitutes. We know that anonymous shell companies hide the details of many Trump real estate deals which, on their face, reflect patterns common to money laundering schemes. Seeing how Trump and his legal representatives go about buying the silence of those who share his secrets while trying to hide Trump’s connections to the hush money could help us to identify what to look for in other deeds would like to deny and keep out of the public eye.
67
Good, I will chip in to make up the difference. Anything to keep this horrid President in the faces of the hypocritical evangelists and to drive him to his knees. Why not have another rally. Dirt was never so dirty.
24
Yes it is news. A woman is pushing back and may well hamstring Trump. He is all about technique: deny, intimidate, gag and distance among others.
Whether it be Ms. Clifford or her attorney or some combination of both, they are putting Trump on the ropes. Its not about eroding his base. The news is that there is a road map for making Trump's approach to malign and destroy ineffectual from a legal and factual perspective. Sometimes no shame is a good thing and one benefit to being a porn star AND a savvy person is that Trump cannot scare her or harm her reputation. What is Trump going to do? Call her a "hooker"? So he admits while married he engages with hookers? While holding the highest office in the land, he makes or authorizes payments to hookers.
There are stories about Kennedy and there are facts about Clinton, but $130k for one night of sex is just indicative of how bad a businessman he is.
Unlike the statements made by women Trump assaulted, this is news, and how it is unfolding is very much news. Trump cannot simple declare himself morally bankrupt to make it all disappear.
This is better than a dress and will follow Trump into the history books. Lots of Stormy jokes at Trump's expense to come.
23
Stormy, now that you’ve got him by the short ones, don’t let go. Want to see piggy squeal!
69
Smart business - I’m sure there would be a very strong ROI for Stormy.
I may not approve of her line of work, but I surely respect and trust her far more than I respect or trust Trump.
38
Trump looks so happy with her and so miserable with Melania. Maybe he should divorce Melania and stay with Daniels?! I think it will be better for America.
5
Another daily dose of dreck from the hero of the Christian right. Sarah Sanders has not only lied for Trump but she is enabling and supporting an adulterer, as is any other self-professed "Christian" who still champions this moral void of a person.
51
For all his boasting about his wealth, Tump's a cheap guy who is always scrounging around for money (Trump U, Trump knives, Trump steak, etc.) Some part of him will want to take the 130 grand (even though it was Cohen's money).
15
F R E E .... S T O R M Y
31
tRump- he's a cheap date and he has cheap taste.
2
I like this. What, after all, is the worst case situation for Ms. Clifford? Confidentiality agreements exist to assure proprietary information or trade secrets are not disclosed. What is there about a sexual relationship that is proprietary or a trade secret? Someone tell us please?
Confidentiality agreements can't be used to silence anything illegal, a contract to do something illegal isn't a contract. If Ms. Clifford knows and is keeping secret anything illegal at all.... and I think it's genius to offer a return of the money. I like this. Great reporting. I'm looking forward to both st. Patricks' day and 60 minutes this weekend. It'll be grand.
19
To have a porn star named "stormy," lording it over a character like trump, just goes to show that the Almighty has a wicked sense of humor.
50
Hahaha, oh what a wicked web we weave...
16
Finding this hilarious as Dems support Stormy and her desire to rise from porn star to reality star. She is trying to return the cash, because she is "bound" by the contract. Dems need to set up a GoFundMe account like I keep hearing so they can throw away their money along with their morals as they support porn stars and illegals. Can't wait for 2020
3
Nice try but it's the Christian right who suddenly seems OK with any type of sexual deviance or misbehavior.
6
The story is not about "the affair". The story is about a potentially criminal scheme created to conceal the affair.
5
Trump was supporting the porn star.
And I can't wait for 2020 either!
2
Stormy Daniels is slender, sexy, and uninhabited - a physically very attractive woman. Add to that the white color of her skin and her limited education, and you are left with the ultimate to-die-for fantasy of the typical male deplorable and the secret longing of the average heartland male Christian Evangelical. To those people, the fact that Trump - a heavy, ugly old man - could have her, whispers in their souls ``yes, we can.`` Like an Olympic athlete makes every American proud as if they themselves stood on the podium as the National Anthem brings tears to the athlete`s eyes, so Trump`s deplorables swoon with desire as they imagine their Orange Prophet - fat, old, and ugly - with this deplorably beautiful woman.
18
'uninhabited'? - You men, like - there's no one inside her?
1
I don't think it really matters, in the grand scope of things. Trump supporters will forgive him or put it down to "fake news". Trump opponents will chalk it up as another mark against a man of incredibly dubious character.
The only way this becomes a game changer, is if you can get the President to testify that the affair did not happen, (ala Monica Lewinsky).
112
Anyone trying to change the minds of those poor people who have chosen to believe the Cheeto-In-Chief, is on a Fool's Errand. They can stay with iltrumpo until we see him flying off on Marine One back to that swamp he came from.
They are not the solution. They were not the problem. It really doesn't matter if they continue to support him or not.
What does matter is to mobilize all those who stayed home in Nov of 2016 to get out and vote out the congress that continues to look the other way as our republic, our democratic values, all the progress we have made since the Great Depression is undone - in order to feed the insatiable appetite$ of their craven masters.
Those who didn't vote for whatever reason (I'm sure it seemed like a good idea to them at the time, the fools) could have saved us from this hell we're in. Not the Trump voters, they did their jobs.
4
Wrong because in all things Trump follow the money, the man is so cheap he used charitable foundation money to buy a painting of himself. I got a 100 bucks that says this money came out of campaign money, and not his lawyers personal funds. That was just an attempt to hide where it was coming from.
5
But are there (will there be) the same number of "Trump supporters" willing to make themselves heard?
The only way this becomes a game changer is if people read the story before going to church this week.
2
Unless her lawyer got a consent from her, he is in serious trouble.
His advice to violate the NDA is malpractice a rookie lawyer can win.
She is subject to millions in damages which he will have to reimburse.
29
Thank you Donald
3
Yeah, but who will receive this damage award? The president of the United States of America? You think he’s that venal?
Nothing suggests that Mr Avenatti acted without his client's knowledge and consent.
With respect to liquidated damages such as those provided for in the agreement, a court is likely to find the provision unenforceable unless the figure agreed upon is a reasonable estimate of the actual damages. While it is arguable whether Donald Trump would suffer such financial damages, to demonstrate the reasonability of the amount he would have to admit that he is David Dennison. If he is not David Dennison, then who is this mysterious man whose reputation would suffer such damage by revelation of an affair with Ms Daniels?
2
Genius. Thank you Stormy.
16
Please don't forget "stable genius".
2
Of course, it did not happen. That's why they paid her $130,000 to be quiet just before the election, and then in the past two weeks invoked the "arbitration" clause in the now disclosed non-disclosure agreement (NDA) resulting in "a temporary restraining order"! All that implies that Ms. Clifford may have serious "kompromat" (aka "dirt") even though she's yet to be called a Russian agent. So, the money is still on D. D. (aka David Dennison or perhaps Dirty Donald) to enforce the NDA on P. P. (aka Peggy Peterson of the Porn Princess) and hope his "mulligan" from the evangelicals Christians gets him through this latest Stormy weather.
12
If I ever need legal representation, I want someone like Avenatti. Very impressive strategist - if this was a chess game, I'd say this move is a Check!
16
Go Stormy, Go Stormy, Go Stormy
8
And that's check...mate! Stormy crushes dim Don and his inept legal team. And if you think that's something, Mueller and his team are going to eviserate Trump, plain and simple.
22
Stormy and her lawyer are playing Trump and Cohen for the chumps they are! Good for her!
18
Breaking News CNN agreed to Pay Stormy 200K if she can reture the 120K to Trump..LOL
4
This doesn't look to me like outmaneuvering at all. Looks like flailing. It's a ludicrous suggestion, so Trump/Cohen won't agree to the terms. And the notion that not agreeing means "they could be seen as effectively acknowledging the existence of a continuing effort to keep Ms. Clifford silent about an affair that Mr. Cohen and the president say did not happen" is not meaningful to Trump or his followers. The norms of embarrassment, presidential behavior and expectations do not apply. I'm betting that the restraining order will be found enforceable, Ms. Daniels will make a lot of money in porn as a result of her noteriety, her lawyer will look like the hack he is by not prevailing in any way, and Trump will be unaffected. That's what it's come to. Expectations of normal behavior: zero. I would love to be proved wrong.
It's sad to see the liberal glee at one after another egregious Trump misstep. They mean nothing. His reversals mean nothing. His policy tweets mean nothing. His nastiness means nothing. His lousy treatment of women means nothing.
The left needs to stop focusing on getting rid of Trump on "technicalities," he is immune. Here's an idea: Offer a coherent, popular alternative and run candidates that can win elections.
10
To Messrs. Cohen and Trump:
You are now living the true meaning of "being hoisted by your own petard."
Or, as it will be known by now, especially for Mr. Cohen, "hoisted by your own dotard."
58
Go Stormy! If Congress cannot impeach the President, maybe you can take him down and drive him out the White House!
11
Sounds like she now realizes her story is worth a lot more than the 130k she got.
Most kindergarteners know what no backsies means. Maybe Stormy missed class that day.
7
I listened to Stephanie Clifford being interviewed this week -- she was competent and surprisingly smart - she is not a bimbo or airhead despite the views people might have because of her occupation. I watched her attorney, Michael Avenatti, being interviewed as well, and I have to say he is one heavy-hitter. Went to an Ivy League undergraduate college, has a JD from George Washington University where he graduated first in his class. He has won some very significant lawsuits -- including a $454M verdict against Kimberly-Clark and a high-profile case against the NFL. He drives race cars and I believe he is the kind of guy that knows what he is dealing with as far as Trump and Cohen are concerned.
If you asked me right now to make a bet on who is going to bring Trump to justice -- I would bet on Avenatti...
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If you're in the mood for some amusement, google the law school Cohen attended. I can't stop laughing.
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Sadly, I don't think very many people will come away from this with a more positive view of sex workers' intelligence. Not because Stormy Daniels is not intelligent (and unlike Trump her business is self made) but because it will be easier not to change their opinion based on evidence. How typical of politics right now.
@Robbie: Trump can't get competent lawyers to represent him. A number of prominent, respected law firms have turned the White House down. Why? Because Trump has a long history of not paying his legal bills.
Just as the nation staggers from one crisis to another, a heroine arises from the great state of Louisiana.
Robert Mueller should take note – or, at least a deposition.
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Please, oh please Donnie, "go on, take the money and run" (as Steve Miller said).
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But not Steven Miller.
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When a story about the President of the United States and his affair, while married, with a porn star lands in the middle of the top stories, it shows just how low this country has fallen and what we’ve come to accept as the norm from the vulgar and misogynistic Donald Trump.
Wouldn’t it be poetic justice if whoever runs against him in 2020 (if he’s still in office) rounds up all of the women he’s had affairs with or assaulted and puts them in the audience during a debate, like he did to Hillary?
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Doesn't this all show how vulnerable POTUS is to blackmail? He is, indeed, the weakest link!
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Anyone who is working hard to declare that a deal is a deal had better go back to all the subcontractors who Trump cheated. Trump never respected the terms of a contract when he could grift a small business by refusing to pay and threatening to tie up the matter in court. But that's a Trump fan's morality for you; they make the porn actress live up to a standard that they won't apply to the President.
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Stormy Daniels offering to return the 130k she got to not have sex with Donald Trump, no doubt because she has some more lucrative offers in the pipeline to tell her story about not having sex wit Donald Trump. When I read these stories I think I made a wrong turn in life somewhere. No one's ever offered me 130k to not have sex with them.
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Maybe you just need more publicity!
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@Ivy: She had sex with Donald Trump. The got the money not to talk about it.
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Al Capone was taken down by tax evasion not murder or racketeering. Trump could be taken down by infidelity and hush money. I will take what I can get to remove the trump crime family from Office.
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This is a smart move of part of Staphanie Clifford.
There must not be shortage of people wanting to finance the repayment. DNC, Media, even lot of republican players who are fed up of Trump ,,, or may be even Melania!
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Sure she wants to cancel the hush agreement, give back the money, speak her mind or "up the ante to five million" like the others who have milked their immoral behavior with others. By the way, WHO IS PAYING HER LEGAL FEES? Would be very interesting to see since I read that "stormey" is low are funds; her career is no longer so HOW IS SHE PAYING THESE TOP LAW FIRMS? Could it be the Democratic liberals who would sell their souls to get at the President.
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Her lawyer may be working on a contingency agreement.
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I wonder what Trump is so scared of. So he had sex with her? OK, lots of people have affairs. Were there any weird, sexual acts going on? OK, shocking at first but honestly in the age of hardcore pornography nothing is shocking anymore to anyone over the age of 18. If it weren't for his base of Evangelicals and old people, I doubt this would be a story at all. On a side note, in a couple of years I'm sure we'll have the pornographic browsing histories of all candidates being leaked regularly.
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Miz Stormy can write about the whole affair without any agreements, etc etc:
Roman à clef, comin' at ya on a dirt road.
And, after that, the movie rights.
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Stormy is the first person to stand up to DT. He's in deep trouble. Everyone else is scared. She should get the Nobel Peace Prize...
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Devin Nunes is carefully reviewing all of Stormy's films for national security.
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For national security ya for his own pockets & election security curry favoring the president and his supporters in his constituency!
@BKNY: Clarence Thomas is hoping the legal case makes it all the way to the Supreme Court.
ah oh..
is it time to open up that bottle of coduron wine
click on that lamp shade by the fireplace and start
reading a stormy steamy daniels 2 million dollar confession?
:O
SENATOR Stormy Daniels - a certain ring to it, eh?
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She's already far more honest about what she does for her clients than anyone in the GOP
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Enough salacious nonsense. This president appears to be guilty of serious crimes. This story helps Trump.
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"Enough salacious nonsense. This president appears to be guilty of serious crimes. This story helps Trump." 1) it is always amusing when someone tries to declare an internet discussion to be done/over...only the NYT has that power; 2) yes, trump appears to be guilty of serious crimes, but also of less serious crimes, but crimes which degrade the office and distract him from serving the people of the US (if that is possible, given his inherent solipsism...he is always all about trump); 3) given your acknowledge of his crimes, your final sentence wins the non sequitur of the year award.
Good luck trying to use your imaginary power to close debates in order to support your non sequitur.
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Be patient, Patrick. This salacious nonsense is part of the serious crimes –– the serious crime of actively conspiring to make an illegal in-kind campaign donation to silence a person whose story could change the course of an election. That's serious.
What's more, if Stormy Daniels succeeds in exposing that crime there is a very good chance that other women have been dealt with similarly and their stories may be even more consequential for Trump.
The other very important revelation coming to light now is how very susceptible to blackmail Donald Trump is. That is disqualifying for a president. The nation should not be made to pay for a lifetime of Trump's salacious and possibly criminal behavior.
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@Patrick G: Most Americans are capable of thinking about serious crimes and salacious nonsense at the same time. We don't have to close off our minds to one to contemplate the other.
It's all part of the big, ugly picture showing exactly who Donald Trump is.
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Well played by Ms. Daniels and her legal counsel.
If Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, he will accept her offer.
Somehow, I doubt that Ms. Daniels’ proposal will be accepted.
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I think Trump is too busy disarming NK to worry about a porn star has-been. Stop trying to make this the next Monica Lewinsky scandal...it's just sad at this point what the hypocritical left will do for attention.
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I think I read that Trump is asking for advice to a lawyer who represented Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal... so much from being different to other presidents and calling Hillary "crooked"! Oh well, nothing surprises me anymore about this President.
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The Clinton lawyer Trump is considering hiring is an expert on impeachment. Hmm.
I remember when I was a kid and the outrage of the day was Bill Clinton's libedo. Now I am an old man. An entire generation has grown up in the post-Clinton era of Presidents, while flawed in many ways, were both upstanding family men.
Now philandering Presidents with marriages that seem to be more based on convenience than genuine mutual affection are back in vogue. The only real difference is that the religious right, which skewered President Clinton for his multiple alleged extramarital affairs, is almost entirely silent on Trump's infidelity.
The left (which defended Clinton's affairs as a personal matter) has been pretty silent too, but I wonder if it is not more because of a plethora of more noteworthy scandals coming out of the Trump administration than a genuine lack of hypocrisy.
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As a liberal, young adult during the Clinton years, I didn't care much about the Lewinsky affair. It seemed like the cherry on top of a constant 8 year witch hunt to remove Bill from office. As a middle aged, liberal adult now, I could care less about Trump's infidelity and more about his potential violations of campaign finance law and personally profiting from his position while in office. The hypocrisy of the Christian right is definitely on full display though. The majority of liberals in my circle find the Stormy affair itself more ironic (per Clinton's treatment) than substantially relevant. This being a video-driven 21st century society, it will require the releasing of a salacious video to make an impact here much like the Ray Rice abuse. People in America no longer care until they see something with their own eyes.
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It took Monica Lewinsky to bring down Bill Clinton’s presidency during Kenneth Starr’s fishing expedition. It may be Stormy Daniels who brings Donald down, collapsing the house of cards of his presidency. (Hopefully not the White House.). That man must have a flak jacket of Karma that he has been so successful at deflecting the “unfake news” of his scandalous behavior; he must have some temporary cosmic protection. I’m waiting for the fall, albeit impatiently.
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It's not the same thing Carla. Donald wasnt the president when said actions took place. Not approving just saying. ...
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Why is the offer to wire money into an account of Trump's choosing? I though Cohen (and not Trump) paid the money.
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Trump's lawyer said he paid her out of his home equity loan; then the interest deduction should be on his tax return????????
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Oh trump will fall sooner than later and Ms. Stormy Daniels will be the one for his downfall.
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I don't know who is representing her, but Daniels should have tendered the monies immediately when she decided that the contract was invalid because the other principal had not executed it. As any first year contract law student knows, rescission requires restoration of the parties to their prebargaining position, meaning that all funds exchanged between the parties must be refunded. Perhaps Daniels thought that she could hang onto the original $130k, and make even more money selling her salacious story. Although it is hard to believe, maybe the only reason why this whole tawdry affair is being exposed is because of money.
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When it comes to paramours Trump has much better taste than Bill Clinton. Stormy Daniels. vs. Paula Jones? No contest. And Trump has better taste in spouses, too. All of Trump's wives are aware that husband is a verb as well as noun. Don't think Hillary realizes that.
So the magnitude of the indiscretion/crime if proportional to the attractiveness of the parties who were transgressed against? Interesting approach to social equity/justice. You must be an evangelical who lives under the dictates of the "prosperity gospel".
1
Thanks for taking a break from your "executive time,'' Donnie
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To Reader in Wash DC - you have a mighty peculiar definition of taste.
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@Soxared
The 2020 slogan is "Keep America Great!" (Maybe 2 exclamation points if you watch his hands closely...announced in Pennsylvania this weekend).
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Call it Stormy Monday, (and Tuesday may be just as bad).
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