In a race to the bottom, Trump always wins.
28
I still want to know. "Who do the Democrats have for 2020?"
13
Trump's immoral and outrageous actions have had no repercussions for him. These women's statements will not either.
7
I wonder what logical gymnastics the religious fundamentalists still supporting Trump go through to overlook these "indiscretions"! Talk about selling your soul to the Devil.
16
It is reported by one of Mr. Trump’s consensual partners that he had unprotected sex. Although adultery is not an impeachable offense,
the chief executive clearly has a responsibility to set an example for the citizens. In the interest of public health, the President should issue an executive order that contraceptives should be used on every conceivable occasion.
12
Honestly? No one cares. I understand these women are using this have their moment of fame but there isn't anything in any of these stories that indicates they were forced or assaulted - and they weren't interns in his company or at the White House.
What a waste of time and energy to keep after all of this. There are more important issues than this, people!
20
"Moral Compass" is nonexistent in Trump's life and there is no regret or remorse on his use of those who come into his life. We have seen the treatment provided to coworkers, so called friends, and business associates, how does one think that he has any respect for the American family when he is deciding their futures!
12
Best line of this article? A.M.I. has previously acknowledged that Mr. Trump had been friends with Mr. Pecker.
I actually snorted out loud.
29
Trump treats women like dogs. He uses them, and then muzzles them. Even more disturbing is that he pays, or has some third party lawyer or tabloid pay these women hush money (which is no different than paying for sex outright, in my opinion). Insecure men all over the world have historically treated women like their personal slaves, whores and possessions. Women need to step up and defend their own dignity, and if that means calling out men who treat women like inanimate sex dolls, then it's time to call them out. Women who are comfortable being paid for sex shouldn't have to keep quiet about it. If using sex workers is humiliating for the Johns involved, too bad and boo hoo. Women are sexual beings too and it's ok to use men for sex, even if It hurts their fragile egos. Pay equity will go a long way in diminishing men's financial and sexual power over women.
16
First off I'm not defending Trump at all but your comment seems a bit off. You seem to have a problem with the way you feel men have treated women for centuries , as if they're being used but then you say "it's ok to use men for sex even if it hurts their fragile egos". That's where you lost me. I personally don't mind being "used" in that way but where you say it's ok if the men get hurt seems a bit contradictory with your concern about women getting hurt. Unless it only troubles you if it's a women being hurt emotionally then I guess you're not better.
9
............The Chickens have come home .....to Roost"!!!!! Yeah!!!!
7
New York Times:
"The other woman...was paid $130,000 by the president's personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen."
Thank you for now establishing, on your front page, Cohen's highly improbable assertion as fact.
Trump team laughs. "It's working. It's working."
5
That was already established.
5
"A.M.I. has previously acknowledged that Mr. Trump had been friends with Mr. Pecker,..."
Kinda says it all, doesn't it?
12
Trump is a cesspool of sex;corruption and greed. VOTE OUT GOP SO WE CAN IMPEACH TRUMP Ray Sipe
16
God Bless President Trump. He doesn't smoke or drink, but he likes the women! Can't blame him. I love women too!
7
Mr Pecker? This is very confusing.
11
Oh it would be sweet karma if he was taken down by a group of women.
21
Way to drain the swamp, Donald!
16
I see it's become necessary to point out to Trumpists that there's a tad bit of difference between going easy for a while on JFK's private sexual life after the man had the top of his head blown off directly in front of his wife, and reporting honestly on an endless string of cheating, lying, payoffs and threats, from a guy who's publicly bragged about his heel spurs, his right to grab any woman he likes, his lying, and his money.
12
Gloria allred is the one person who can invoke sympathy for Trump.
2
He makes O.J. look like a good guy.
8
If only the NYT had been as diligent about publishing stories about Bill Clinton being accused of rape and his obsession with teenaged girls when he was governor, perhaps his impeachment would have never happened--no second term. But Trump is a special case--took the White House away from Hillary and stopped NYT Neo-Marxist parade. So sad.
9
Alice’s restaurant has long being closed, you’re stuck in the last millennium.
7
No - really? Trump was being protected by his friend "Mr. Pecker". That is just a brilliant coincidence of names. God really does have a sense of humor!
10
And let's not forget his attorney, Mr. Harder and his son-in-law's building at 666 Fifth Avenue! This sure does sound like a joke but is so not funny.
7
Donny boy is obsessed with money, sex and entertainment TV. So follow the money, follow the sex and let us see the show on Reality TV A PRESIDENT"S LIFE from Golden nursery blanket to jail!
11
The public interest in knowing whether the president is a rapist certainly outweighs the dubious legality and the ethically empty NDAs insisted on by the traitor Trump.
11
Karen McDougal looks so much like Sara Palin.
2
Yeah right. Sarah on her best day ever.
4
TIME OUT. It is time, regardless of political affiliation, to commence all legal steps to force the current POTUS to resign. Besides the suit by the former "Playmate", there are 2 additional suits pending, the most serious being the suit by the porn woman known as "Stormy Daniel". The US has a right to a president who has some moral values. Anyone who has checked the websites of "Stormy" may conclude that the connection between her and POTUS is a threat to the very existence of the US. (Anyone familiar with the book of Genesis knows that G-d destroyed Sodom twice - refer to the story of Abraham's debate with G-d regarding destruction of Sodom and the reaction of Simon and Levy to the rape of Dina.) "Stormy" may even have a film/video of her and the POTUS performing. The contract of silence that the lawyer for the POTUS made with her should be enforced, if only to save the US from further embarrassment and disgrace. (Perhaps it is no coincidence that the lawyer is a Cohen.) Simultaneously, the POTUS should be forced to resign – his conduct with such a woman is not just an extramarital affair, but evidence of ultimate depravity and debauchery. He is unfit to be POTUS. Even absent legislation specifically prohibiting a POTUS from such conduct, it may be interpreted to be within the "penumbra" of criteria constituting a high crime or misdemeanor justifying impeachment, or evidence of mental unfitness justifying replacing him forthwith under the 25th amendment.
7
God Bless President Trump. He is way morally superior than the corrupt Obama. He doesn't even drink alcohol or smoke... He just likes women.... so what is the big deal?
6
I’d like to remind all Democrats that JFK was a notorious womanizer. He had an ongoing affair with Marilyn Monroe and when it suited him, he broke up with her. He sent Bobbie Kennedy to deliver the bad news to Marilyn. Bobbie then promptly started an affair with her.
Just remember that when you are passing high moral judgement on President Trump.
5
In no way do the actions of JFK exonerate Trump. Trump has spent his whole life evading judgment and it's time for that to end.
6
And Mike Pence refuses to even have dinner with a woman unchaperoned by his wife. I wonder if the Pences ever head to the The Blight House for a BBQ with Don and Melania. That must make for some pretty fun conversation.
5
I've been faithfully married to my wife for almost 34 years, and I have very little tolerance for adulterers. Adultery is a sin. But be honest folks, the voters and the media in this country decided a long time ago that the private lives of presidents didn't matter as long as they were doing the job in office that their voters elected them to do. Democrats still hold JFK in high regard in spite of his affairs, (some of which were when his wife was pregnant or with a young child), they supported Bill Clinton in spite of valid evidence of both affairs and sexual assault and they supported Hillary in spite of her cover up of Bill's actions and her attacks on his accusers. Republicans elected Reagan as the first ever divorced president and they elected Trump. So both sides need to quit feigning shock or outrage at these allegations or making the argument that he should leave office over these revelations. Anyone who has followed the public and private life of Donald J. Trump over the last 40 years should not be the least bit surprised that there are women who will make charges like these women have. The electorate knew who they were electing... he won... now unless you can clearly show that he has committed "high crimes or misdemeanors"... move on and vote your conscience in 2020. These women simply want more money and exposure (pun intended). Personally I don't think these stories deserve either.
8
I can think of at least four reasons to report on these stories.
1. The people who may have heard these sort of stories about Trump before the election and who stuck their head in the sand when they voted may be motivated to vote with their eyes open the next time.
2. The people who heard such stories about Trump and voted for him anyway may be shamed (if they have any shame) and this may motivate them to repent of their previous indiscretions.
3. We don't know where these stories will lead. They are part of a larger pattern of ignoble, unethical, immoral behavior on the part of the President and we don't yet know what crimes will emerge from that.
4. The women whom Trump paid to hush or allegedly assaulted have a right to pursue legal remedies against him, and that's news. It relates not only to politics but also to the social trends around the #MeToo movement.
If this sort of story doesn't appeal to you then you are free to ignore it. Otherwise, I think Donald Trump is the one you should be complaining to.
8
I hope we can have the chance to learn her side of the sotry
5
I am in a profession where I do not meet redneck Christian fundamentalists at all. Over the past two weeks, with NYT and WaPo coming up with stories like this daily, I have this fundamental question bugging me: do evangelical Christians read the Times, and if they do what do they make of these articles?
I already know what the Breitbart readers think - been there done that - they refer to the NY Times as the ``NY Slimes''. Is this the way also our righteous family values moral majority people feel, or they differ from Breitbart but yet figure out a way to support T?
5
I heard Bart Ehrman being interviewed by Terry Gross yesterday on NPR. Ehrman is a historian and scholar of early Christianity and a former born-again Christian. His observation about the political side of evangelical Christians in the U. S. today is that they have organized around a number of issues (e.g., abortion, gun control) that have nothing to do with what was taught by Jesus or is otherwise represented in the Bible. In other words, they have become a political movement with an emphasis on cultural values and will vote for those candidates who support those cultural values most strongly. Ehrman didn't try to explain why contemporary evangelical Christians would prioritize secular over religious values, but it seems clear that this is what's happened.
7
For insight into that very question, suggest reading a recent article in The Atlantic, title, Last Temptation; "How evangelicals, once culturally confident, became an anxious minority seeking political protection from the least traditionally religious president in living memory" - https://goo.gl/67aAaQ . It's written by Michael Gerson, a prominent evangelical writer who explains with great clarity, imho, how his movement lost its way and fell hard for Donald Trump. Especially given what they used to stand for and where they are today, its a compelling read of how a group of people have lost their way. Part of the issue I see with religion in general when people follow blindly. Sad.
Men have had affairs with women from the beginning of time. No one dies. It is just sex and an emotional attachment that can complicate lives.
But abortion is the legalized killing of a human life. Now tell me, do your think an affair and an abortion are on the same moral grounds Mr. blueneck?
2
Everybody is lying except Donald Trump. Stormy Daniels is lying. Ms McDougal is lying. 12 to 20 women who claim Trump sexually fondled them, they're all liars. Jim Comey is Lying. Trump only believes Vladimir Putin, President Duarte, and everyone at Fox News except Shepard Smith
6
There's so much bad in the best of us;
And so much good in the worst of us;
That it little behooves any of us;
To talk about the rest of us.
Avaunt, NY Times readers and editors, and quit my sight!
You're all a bunch of hypocrites.
Go Trump!
7
Trump does this all the time. And you just did it yourself.
3
Little late here for a comment, still it is worth noting -- as others may have -- that it is really unique to find a news organization, even one as tawdry, salacious despicable and allied with that most conspicuous of liars, Trump, as is A.M.I, fighting in court to suppress speech and news.
The inverse of the Pentagon Papers, the abnegation of the First Amendment by people who have used it to justify 75 years of filth, gossip and lies we confront every time we go through a supermarket checkout line.
Phew!!!!
3
The Evangelicals gave Trump a "mulligan" for the whole porn star hush money thing. What will this be? Par?
4
I get it now...
When Trump mentioned during his campaign that he had donated his own money to Veterans, he meant -veteran playmates, veteran porn stars.....
10
If we know anything about Trump’s proclivities, and we do, he undoubtedly had affairs with these women. He is stupid to think they wouldn’t come forth. He is reaping what he sowed. Will his followers acknowledge his philandering? The conscientious ones will consider it and the blockhead concrete thinkers will disavow Trump’s accusers. However, everyone else will note again his lack of self control and question his denials sincerely. Trump is amoral and we know it.
6
Denote Mordant in California, we have Trump for President because, politically speaking, we deserve him. The democratic system is not free, and "blockhead concrete thinkers" were too smart for Hillary's brand of political baloney.
4
Breaking news:
Donald Trump had affairs and sexual trysts outside of his marriage.
Just stop it. This is pathetic and the media has lost all credibility. That includes you, New York Times.
I'm SICK of hearing about this. I care about too many guns, crime, rampant illegal immigration, lack of civil liberties, the corruption at the head of the FBI, the lame politicians...get your heads out of the tabloid gutter and focus on real news, please.
13
Hush payments and intimidation and taking stories out of circulation for your friends are part of this story.
Sorry, but the stories are down in the gutter because that is where Mr. Trump is operating this administration from. The fleas came in on him.
4
Is it okay by you if the Times notices that the President of the United States of America has quite the tidy little record of compulsively chasing after porn stars, paying people off, likely breaking the law, lying about it, and threatening women when they won't do what he wants?
5
Right on, Melinda Just Off Main Street. Sex sells.
1
My heart goes to Melania and American citizens--------you are short changed.
3
My first reaction was pity for Melania. But she had to know what kind of bottom feeder she was getting when she married Trump. His two previous marriages and the affairs that accompanied each were hiding in plain sight on Page 6 of the NY Post, among others.
Probably, Melania will end up costing a bit more than Stormy and Karen.
8
Yes, Melania will cost more than Marla, but less then Ivana. He will probably work on a sliding scale system after that.
3
No pity for Melania. She’s been supportive of him the entire time.
5
Thank God it's not a democrat, he'd be impeached by now.
14
It sounds like Karen McDougal has a good case against Trump and his National Enquirer friend.
5
So he had sex with porn stars and playboy models. This would be scandalous beyond belief... in the 1950s. His wife may or may not care. Why would anyone else?
8
He may be a fool but he's our fool. I think he had more fun before he won his record breaking, landslide victory over Clinton. I wish he would go back to it.
How can his wife stand all this nonsense? When is she going to head out the door and let the door slam shut?
4
Hillary stood by her MAN (Slick Willy)
4
I have a sneaking suspicion that she might have signed the prenup of all prenups.
3
I just wonder how the Republican Party and its leaders, who purportedly endorse "family values" so strongly—as Senator Rubio keeps telling me in his emails, continue to support the philandering of Donald Trump. It's not as if he simply fell in love with somebody other than his wife; he's an outright lech. And yet to the far right, gay marriage is a threat to the American family? Give me a break, you hypocrites.
12
Every single day there is some news that would be lethal to any other president, but is only "potentially" harmful to forty-five. He congratulates Putin (!) on his "election" victory, threatens the FBI, appears to have had affairs with models, porn stars and beauty contestants. Plus, who knows about his finances? Nothing happens. He skates out of trouble and is on to the next "potential" disaster. I can't stand him, but would love to know how he does it and still has forty percent of the populations solidly behind him.
7
Where is Mr. Kenneth Starr now ? Bill Clinton looks like a choir boy in relation to DT and his behavior, lying, legal actions against women he has harassed or had affairs...how can the Trumpers and the so called evangelicals be so blind or hypocrites
7
Is everyone going to pile on Melania now, and blame her for her husband's affairs, blame her for staying with him, blame her for ignoring his infidelities? Because that's exactly what Republicans did to Hillary Clinton.
Come on, Republicans, are you going to get on Melania's case -- or are you merely going to show us some more of your hypocritical double standards?
After all, your entire party is demonstrating that bad behavior is fine and dandy with you when the culprit and his wife are Republicans, while only Democrats deserve to be dragged through the mud.
10
As most people on Capitol Hill say, jez, they are only women, what's the problem!
5
We are beyond shutting the barn door after the cows have gone.
It's as if we no longer have a door.
6
How is it that Spitzer goes down from one meeting with one prostitute, but Trump can bribe two (at least!) and get away with it?
12
Is this really news? Do these stories really expose anything new about Trump? Is this what the NYT and the medial would have covered endlessly during the Kennedy administration especially regarding his affair with Marilyn Monroe? Did the Democrats try to humiliate Jacqueline Kennedy instead of holding her up as an example of grace and dignity?
Sounds like the liberals bending over backwards to pursue a worn out and boring narrative.
2
Aren't the constant denials and stream of pay outs enough to hear the word GUILTY! roaring over and above whatever else Trump and Sanders are saying? Even Trump's Mother would smell a rat.
3
The Democrats think this will be the downfall of Trump. But let's look back at history:
Clinton's affairs: Democrats did not think this rose to the level of impeachment. Republicans did. Personally, Democrats were right.
Trump's affairs: Republicans do not think this rises to a level to bring down the Presidency. Democrats disagree. How is this different than Clinton?
If the Democrats think this will be Trump's downfall and are pinning their election strategy on marital affairs they are horribly mistaken. What is the Democrat platform other than Trump's a pig? That couldn't prevent the election of an unqualified candidate (as Hillary tried by pounding on the electorate every chance she got) and will not stop his reelection.
Democrats need a clear, strategic platform and this is not it. There is so much out there, most recently Trump's Opioid two-step in New Hampshire. Give the voters outside the east/west coast reason to switch. Show the promises vs the speeches vs the actual results with a fully Republican government.
1
More accurate headline:
"DNC,Inc pays Playboy Model to Sue Trump over vague incident that may have occured many years ago."
2
It amazing how many women want to make sure the world knows that they had sex with Donald Trump, as if it makes them member of a prestigious club. Hester Prynne would be baffled.
2
More amazing is the Baptist Mulligans raining down from Pastors Jeffress and Huckabee.
Kind of a special dispensation I guess, or "in kind" trade for legislation they hope for. Trading your last shred of dignity or believability seems to be the attitude du jour with the fundamentalist set.
5
I hardly think these extramarital affairs are anywhere NEAR as bad as Trump's sexually assaulting about two dozen women.
The latter is a crime and he should rot in jail.
6
Where are all the bible thumpers and their ilk now to not condemn Trump's near-constant behavior? They all live in glass houses.
5
American politics is now the ultimate reality TV trash spectacle. I’m thankful daily for moving to Canada decades ago ... an auspicious decision! So I no longer have a horse in the race, but do love following the high-camp drama unfolding in US politics. Very entertaining ... couldn’t make this stuff up, but science fiction master Robert Heinlein came close. His 1940 novella “If This Goes On ...” predicated the US ruled by a Christian fundamentalist dictator who used mass media and crowd psychology to whip up his supporters, while meanwhile keeping a secret harem to indulge his sexual appetites. Well worth re-reading!
5
All of this tabloid nonsense pushed by the NY Times is why Europeans correctly, in matters of politics like this, view Americans as pathetically puritanical and hypocritical. This is about as unimportant as it gets, right at the level of the National Enquirer. I don't look favorably on Trump for his affairs, but I could care less.
2
Go get him, girls. That’s all I have to say.
9
it is totally incorrect to state that Ms. McDougal was paid by the NI to 'remain-silent' about her activities with DJT ...
she was paid by NI to "secure" her story - -
so that the NI would have the sole initial opportunity to "publish" her tale ...
since the NI have chosen not to publish,
and to thereby, theoretically, not-to-enhance her career,
she now wishes to freely 'tell' the story.
2
Sadly Trump's libido is infinitely larger than his brain. The result is that this is not so much an administration, but a protracted saga documenting one man's emotional frailty and his quest to overcome insecurities by resorting to sexual assault, bribery, threats of physical harm and public humiliation. When these women have their day in court justice will prevail, and Trump will limp back to Manhattan — a vanquished, wretched shell of a man who brought profound ignominy upon himself.
3
Would everyone who is NOT interested in this story please stop paying attention to it? Folks who want to have a serious discussion about it are having a hard time getting a word in edgewise.
Let the 2020 election campaign begin!
4
I guess all these women will be making an appearance at the 2020 debates?
9
They should all march in that military parade Trump wants on the streets of DC. They could be a battalion.
6
So ... are we Great Again yet? Or what?
11
asking what kind values these women has is funny, they are in sex business and that is how they are making money, and calling Trump a married man means nothing, because he has nothing but money, l do not want him even lives next to my house, but he was elected and he is the president for those people but our country does not have a leader, even after all these thinks those people still with him, this makes me very sad and question where are we going,
1
What we need ruled invalid are all NDAs that do not solely pertain to national security and narrowly construed business trade secrets. They have become simply a means for rich and powerful corporations and individuals to cover up their misdeeds. We claim to be a nation of free speech yet tolerate this explosion of oligarchic censorship, which is as pernicious in its effects as government censorship. The distinction is reduced to a distinction without a difference when the president, himself, is an oligarch, protecting both his office and his brand by silencing those who would hold him to account.
8
Nothing but a shakedown by a insecure person whose career is closer to sunset than sunrise.
1
Are you talking about DT??
6
Serious question: If the Trumps liked to dress as cowboys and have sex would that be newsworthy?
Because to me, unless Melania says this was an affair, I will assume it’s either something they’re mutually okay with or an arrangement they’ve come to.
Either which way it’s nobody business but theirs and is, sorry to burst your bubble, in no way, shape, or form an impeachable offense.
2
Well, if Trump has to give a deposition then we surely go into that "perjury" trap that got Clinton impeached, so your argument may not hold up.
3
this information would have been very relevant during the campaign when trump was going on and on about Bill Clinton's affairs and wanted to seat all of these women at the debate. He blamed Hillary her enabling for her husband's conduct and accused her of intimidating the women to keep silent. Would it have made a difference in the outcome of the election? I guess we will never know.
3
Where's Larry Flynt when you need him? He should step up and offer to pay for these women to break their non-disclosure agreements!
2
i guess i'm no totally surprised that there are articles about "the president and the adult entertainment personality" but i never thought i would have to ask, "which one?" we all know that the president is a slimeball so let's stick to the news about what he's done and what he's doing that will hopefully get him removed from an office he is completely unqualified to fill. thank you.
6
After all the investigations of Clinton, I'm waiting for all those who screamed for his hide on moral grounds to demand the same for Trump.
11
I would like to hear whether evangelical voters, especially women, are affected by these new entanglements of the president's. The Access Hollywood tapes didn't seem to influence their support in any negative way. But for young voters who are looking for their political "home," it would be helpful to hear publicly how all this jibes with evangelical values. People will make all sorts of assumptions about "values voters" who remain silent about sexual improprieties. It is a little past time for the Christian bloc to speak up.
5
The White Evangelicals just want Trump to destroy the liberals. He is their King David (warts and all) slaying the Philistines on their behalf.
1
It is becoming obvious that Trump fears upsetting Putin to the point where it only makes sense if there is something of his own personal interests involved. Trump’s personal life and businesses are likely the reason Trump has been compromised. It needs to come out so that we can evaluate whether he must allow Putin to do his worse or to resign. All of the non-disclosure agreements must become null and void now that Trump is President.
1
Republicans are always blaming Dems about low family values, particularly after Clinton affairs.
But now they have one and As clear as daylight, they are not different in terms of morality and family values wise from the Dems. only they may be much lower bar set for their moral values.
I can't tell you how much I miss President Obama, who is a decent, honorable man, compassionate, committed to his healthy and loving family, erudite, articulate, thoughtful, visionary, and highly competent.
Living in this nation since January 20, 2017 has been a waking nightmare on every measurable level. It's primarily due to Trump, and his cesspool of an administration, but it's also Congressional Republicans who became apoplectic if Obama tied his shoes the wrong way, but who are now blissfully content and silent as a lunatic tears our nation apart from within while flaunting every moral standard and sullying everything he touches.
11
You are not alone in missing Obama. Boy, oh boy, oh boy do I miss him.
3
Except for the harassment cases. These two women are really capitalizing their affair while Trump presidency is hot.
That is clear and it is a paparazzi media culture. No way these two women are going to sell their stories to a higher bidder.
So do not blame anybody, Democrats shouldn't be gleeful any of this shameful stuff.
But In USA gossip world this issues cannot be kept secret. just no way .
So, Donald Trump, self advertised business genius, has paid $$280,00 in hush money to silence two women for discussing extramarital affairs that he claims never occurred.
Mr. Trump, always alert to good investments, is surely a winner with this strategy, one that also tellingly represents how he managed his business affairs. His bankruptcies are not limited to business failures, they are on full display in his personal life.
Do we feel grateful that that his judgement, intellectual prowess, moral intelligence and overall personal acumen are now charged with leading our country? Every moment he and his GOP enabelers are in positions of authority, with the power to make decisions that will effect the security and well being of our citizens, is a moment of dire peril for the United States.
To protect ourselves and our country from their further depredations we must vote against every Republican politician this November. Vote as if the future of our country depends upon removing the existential threat to our democracy posed by President Trump and his nihilistic Republican cohort, because that threat is real.
5
I feel like I need a shower to get the "icky" off every time I read these stories. But we're under voluntary water reductions here in SoCal due to the global warming Trump denies so I can't. Never has a president literally made my skin crawl like this one.
5
What's the point of all of this? When all of Trump's concubines decide to volunteer their trysts AFTER the election, what's to do? I mean, really, it's too late. Let it go.
11
The issue is not that he had the affairs (although his wife may disagree). The issue is that Trump lies in the face of overwhelming evidence. You might say that lying about a few affairs is bad, but it's not going to alter the future of US citizens and there are more important things to focus on. I agree. The problem is that Trump lies flagrantly whenever his view of reality is challenged and this is very damaging to the standing of the US in the world. How can anyone believe what comes out of his mouth?
47
I'm willing to let it go as long as Trump did not break the law doing things that broke the law. It's not illegal to have an affair. It is illegal to physically threaten women, blackmail them, and other crimes.
As with Bill Clinton, let the truth come out. If their NDAs are invalid, let's hear about what Trump was doing.
It's not the tryst, it's the coverup. Isn't that always the way? And Ms. Daniels did tell her story in 2016. Nobody listened.
4
Trump's lack of common decency is disgusting. I want him out of the White House. But having said that, I question the values of so many who cheerfully have sex with a married man like Trump.
Did even one of the countless women who engaged in sexual relations with Trump fail to consider if he was a married man? And the prospect of destroying another woman's marriage does not bother them?
Yes, Trump must go, but these women are not noble.
21
That's it. It's the women's fault.
2
You're right, there's nothing noble about having sex with a married man but let's face it the Trump marriage is just another business deal. The only difference between Melania and Stormy is that Melania got a contract and more money.
2
Charlotte: improve your reading skills. I criticized Trump's behavior, and I also criticized the fact that these particular women gave themselves a free pass to destroy another woman's marriage. I notice you cannot address that proved fact.
1
For a loutish guy with a bad haircut and packing too much extra weight...tRump does have a way with the ladies. I'm beyond politics now and purely into all of this for the ribald entertainment value. Nicely played, America! As one wag has said, "there's no accounting for taste".
12
"A mutual friend connected her to Mr. Davidson, who, she said, told her the story could be worth millions. He arranged an interview with Dylan Howard, A.M.I.’s chief content officer, in Los Angeles. Mr. Davidson told her before the interview that A.M.I. would put $500,000 in an escrow account for her, and that “a seven-figure publishing contract awaited her,” the complaint reads."
It's all about money and fame! She had a consensuel affair, got what she got, but that is not enough! Now she is trying to parley the affair - with the help of a female judge, to a stash of millions? Women are their worst enemies. Their narcissim - for some pathological!, is causing them to re-enact the biblical Maria Magdalena tale - from prostitute to saint! From the physical to the metaphysical. Some men will find her attractive and no doubt, Trump, had the same feeling. However, what I am seeing is blown-up tabloid scab beyond believe. Sorry, #metoo, but you had it coming.
3
I can't even diagram your sentences, much less figure out what you're talking about.
2
I couldn't tell either, Kim. Something about how a Playboy bunny and a woman judge are both the same thing, but are also pathological narcissists but are also somehow Mary Magdalene, that his divorce somehow came as a surprise to him, and that he doesn't find the Playboy bunny attractive and would reject her desperate advances....
1
Really with the exception of the media who really cares? Women voted for Roy Moore knowing he was a leech. Trump has pulled the covers off the hypocrisy of The Right. The God Fearing Law and Order Right is now the anything goes if its Trump, Right. Trump has made it easier for anyone coming after him to get a pass on Lewd , Salacious or Deviant behavior.
13
You know the photograph I mean -- the one wherein Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does his down-frown at the microphone podium in the Capitol, flanked by several of his stern-looking, upper-Republican-tier minions in solidarity with Truth, Justice, and the American Way as delivered by that Righteous Man From Kentucky, that Proudest-Moment-Ever Stacker of the Supreme Court, that very same Mitch McConnell who fire-breathed podium-moment-exagerration into virtually every day of President Obama's tenure.
That picture. Where's that self-righteous picture now?
29
All the rambling excuses about Roe v. Wade do not diminish the glaring truth: Christian fundamentalists played a major role in electing Trump despite his known extensive history of defrauding students and workers, his racism, and his vulgar confessions of sexual misconduct. Many were told by their prelates that it would be a sin not to vote for Trump/Pence. Yet they are now still willing to stand idly by as more and more proof of Trump's immorality comes to light. Have these people no shame?
45
Here's another problem with this picture: Karen and Stormy are not the soccer mom and the nun that got molested. Someone else got those first punches in... on multiple occasions. There are widely circulated photos and videos to back that perspective. Plus now this willingness on their part to renege on deals and weave elaborate tales as to why. Stormy will always have a pole to swing from for the next fifteen years or so.. but Karen may have to rely on an Anna Nicole Smith type scenario; the rich senior imagining a few great last gasps in the hay.
4
Appalling comment. Their prior sexual life is irrelevant. You don't mention Trump's much wider and extensive escapades. Neither of those two ladies sexually assaulted anybody and then bragged about it. The male centric attitude behind your comment constitutes a major part of the problem. Do you think any woman with a sexual history like Trump's could ever be elected at all.
4
Well unfortunately the First Lady falls in your category too: "there are widely circulated photos and videos to back that perspective". She doesnt look like a nun or soccer mom in those either and might not want the attention.
They didnt "reneg"- Daniels was paid hush $$$ and sounds like McDougal had the story derailed by Trump's Enquirer buddy by being paid and then he ditched the story.
Don't worry there is some other gal from the Apprentice who might have a fresh perspective to enlighten all of America.
2
A most noteworthy aspect of the two gal's prior sexual life is the aspect of them getting paid for some of it. Trump's "wider and extensive escapades" are still only alleged. His bragging about it is something us fellas in the USA do with each other to keep us from punching each other in the face. In some of the Latin countries it's called "machismo", here it's called.. well any number if things. "Locker room", for one. Here I am like the ACLU defending someone to whom I am indifferent about whether he comes or goes. So to speak. But down under I guess there are difficulties with distinctions considering the gender and punctual disassociations in your last sentence?
Are bribes to one's mistresses tax deductable? Yet another reason to see his tax returns.
24
Evangelicals will be holding a mulligan drive this Sunday.
18
Considering the precipitous fall of Harvey Weinstein over sexual allegations, I was searching for some connection to make to Trump until I read that the sex he had with them was described by the women involved as consensual. Too bad.
2
I love the symmetry of it: Trump calls Ms. Zervos and over a dozen other women "liars". Everyone knows he is a liar when he says that.
16
The Evangelical community won't condemn Trump. This stuff makes their hearts race. Whether it is condemning President Clinton or tsking Trump this is the way they get their jollies. Sad.
15
Many of the same GOP bright-lights who attacked Bill Clinton relentlessly will now sit on their hands.
24
Why would anyone want to admit that they slept with this pig? The cash register must already be ringing. Sad. Believe me.
13
Once they saw the size of his......wallet, they were suitably impressed.
1
Where are those proponents of self-righteousness: the Evangelicals? What about the Value voters? The hypocrisy of the Right is there for all to see. The the cowardly Republicans in the House and Senate and other Trumpites have done much to diminish this great country in the eyes of our friends and enemies abroad. They laugh at us. The leader in the Senate is tongue-tied. Easy to understand: his wife is in the Cabinet. Sad that Senator McCain is battling illness and can only speak from a distance.
18
Who would have dreamed making America great again would look like this?
22
By suing she is already breaching the contract and breaking the silence,
I am a woman but I hate women who do this.
After a consensual affair, it is elegant to keep your mouth shut without even a confidentiality agreement.
She is doing it for publicity and because some groups asked her to and promised to pay her bills in order to embarrass Donald Trump, who by the way, unembarrassable Teflon Don.
I don't like to read about stuff like this in the NYT.
5
So don't.
1
Let's find someone with the bucks to support the other 19 women to bring suit.
11
So Trump pays for it, then pays again to keep it quiet? SAD! Wait, are we talking about sex, or Russian help with the election? This is getting so confusing.
13
What kind of legal system would allow the "purchase of silence"?! That these women were bought off sounds like opt-in blackmail.
14
The easiest way to get Trump to admit to these affairs is for one of the women to claim David Dennison was the best lover they ever had.
22
$280,000.00 and counting. Why so much money paid for affairs POTUS claims never happened?
19
Why do these woman want their story out except for the money? They took the 100k for their silence, and now that he’s president they want to be paid more for interviews and a book deal.
Trump is an idiot for getting involved with them, but it’s a stretch to argue that paying for their silence was an illegal campaign contribution.
The interesting question is whether confidentiality agreements to protect infidelity should be enforceable. Courts won’t enforce illegal contracts (hence the illegal campaign contribution argument) but infidelity is not illegal in this country - and shouldn’t be.
5
Well didnt his lawyer pay Daniels during the campaign with a letter on Trump org. letterhead? Trump keeps saying he didnt even have these affairs but his lawyer forks over nearly 300K for nothing? And his friend over at National Inquirer ditches the story for his buddy? I guess the Baptist preachers will tell us what's going on- they seem to be good with all of it- for themselves and Donald anyway.
3
"Why do these woman want their story out except for the money? They took the 100k for their silence, and now that he’s president they want to be paid more for interviews and a book deal."
So? It doesn't change the fact that DJT repeatedly cheated on his wife and paid women for their silence (weeks before the election) ... and it is not a stretch to argue that the payments made by others could be an illegal campaign contribution.
2
If dt (or alias dd) did not sign the NDA how is it valid?
Don't both parties and witness(es) have to sign an agreement to substantiate it and finalize the contract?
1
"What have you got to lose?" In his reputation as a human being, there's not much lower for him to go...until we find out whether he's a traitor.
2
We know he's a traitor. It's as clear as day. Congratulating Putin for his electoral victory is just the icing on the traitor layer cake.
3
She's a beautiful woman.. how can we not believe her?
What's that line about in the eye of the beholder?
3
It doesn’t matter to Trump how bad it gets as long as it’s ok with McConnell and Ryan and all indications are it is ok with them.
At this point he could have an orgy in the White House in Lincoln Bed Room because it’s fine with his base and evengalist.
1
OMG! That's why he would not show us his tax return. He deducted these payoffs as business expenses!
3
Wait, wait, wait...wasn’t it Trump who said we shouldn’t elect Hillary because she’d be constantly mired in FBI investigations and Bill would be hit with sex scandal after sex scandal?
7
'The women even shared the same Los Angeles lawyer, Keith Davidson, who has long worked for clients who sell their stories to the tabloids.'
Therein lies the problem. He may be OK at getting payments from tabloids for his client's stories, but Davidson has a spotty record when it comes to high quality advocacy against powerful adversaries. Useless? Perhaps not quite, but not far off.
Keith M Davidson has been struck off twice by the California Bar Association. One time it was for non payment of his membership dues. The other time it was much more serious:
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/courtDocs/07-O-12913-4.pdf
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/212216
1
Ms McDougal, paying half her fee to the attorney foisted on her by Nat Enquirer, got a much worse deal than Stormy Daniels did!
2
What i don’t get is why consensual sexual behavior is now the serious topic of the week. Except for the money laundered to pay for silence (not new to the tactics of 45), we forgot the serious issue of predator in chief. There are over 15 women accusing the president of sexual predator behavior and we can’t seem to remember them because they are no porn stars. These women don’t have NDAs. So give the microphone back to the victims of actual crimes.
2
Hearing what she has to say is important in order to get more dirt on Trump, however hearing what Melania has to say is even more important, that is if she doesn't have a gag order on her.
1
Everyone that has an interest in politics knows about Trump's moral failings and they don't care.
It has been given too much time in the press. We have too many real problems to deal with in his administration.
29
Re: "Everyone that has an interest in politics knows about Trump's moral failings and they don't care."
Not true. Plenty of people care; some of them care A LOT; some of them vote; and 2018 is an election year.
I do agree that "[w]e have too many real problems to deal with in his administration." What to do when you have "too many real problems"? Look for any opportunity to take care of all of them in one swell foop. And pursue it, full-on.
2
Everyone that has an interest in politics also knows about Trump's ethical (and possibly also criminal) failings -- which is important, because it's getting very close to the day that this Rogue will be removed from the White House.
2
So all these women are liars? History is replete with the downfall of powerful men who surrounded themselves with pretty women. The prettier the women the higher some sort of price will be paid. In this case there are so many pretty women that the price Trump will pay is astronomical.
19
I frankly do not care how many porn stars or playmates he slept with consensually. That is his private business after all, and it does not directly affect his public life (except for, perhaps, the issue of public trust, but he has done plenty of damage on that front already). What I am hoping is that the women who accused Trump of sexual harassment will bring a successful lawsuit against him. It is simply appalling that, at a time every male celebrity is afraid for how he may have abused his power in the past, one of the worst serial & habitual harassers is still occupying the most illustrious position in the country with apparent immunity.
13
So far, nothing has been revealed about Trump that is contrary to his public persona. He never ran as a moral figure. His brand is that of a real estate wheeler-dealer; hardly a paragon of virtue. He openly describes himself as a ladies’ man. So his supporters will shrug it off, and some, perhaps more than a few, will admire his sexual prowess. Yes, things have gotten that bad. And if the Democrats can’t find a candidate to beat that, then the party is truly lost.
9
It won't matter. Trump is held to different standards. Nobody thinks of Trump as a decent man, about to be convinced otherwise. He reflects a 15-year-old boy's idea of being rich: no class but lots of gold and bling, barbie women for lust and trophies, buildings with name on it etc.
Only solid proof of active collusion with Russia might change the minds of just enough rare conservatives with a small bit of decency left.
12
Messiers Davidson and Howard pressured her into signing the contract saying the contract would jump start a new career for her that would otherwise fail because she was "45 AND TOO OLD".
That does it for me right there!
6
As a woman, I never had an affair with a married man and I had offers three times in my life from EXTREMELY rich men when I was broke and they would have "saved" me. Many people do have affairs.
This woman is equally to blame, so she should stop playing the victim and stop being treated by the media as such. Already, she broke her lady's word, not to mention the legal agreement.
5
According to the emerging stories of these ladies, Trump has been dipping his quill in a lot of ink, I do not understand why his wife is not suing for divorce by now.
9
Keep coming ladies...and help those who for one reason or another have stayed in the shadows. We are coming into an era where the degradations toward women are coming to light. While there is the question of why anyone would have wanted to participate in hanky panky with Donald, I understand the subtle pressure of society to judge a woman by the man whom she rests her arm upon. And money talks. Let's hope that these women coming out of the shadows can put an end both to other women becoming entangled in relationships that have to be hushed up and to ridiculous throne of the imposter president.
1
Did you read the word "consensual" in the article?
Ken, there is consensual and then there is informed consensual. We have had a society (I am 70) where a woman's identity and worth was based on whose arm she was on. That is changing, and the women who are "coming out" now are the transition collateral damage. The Millennia Generation will benefit from the equality that is being slowly fabricated by our current events. Look at the big picture, instead of nitpicking one word.
1
So she can speak? That in itself is news worthy. She slept with Donald, what does that say about her character. Not much.
FDR, Kenneby, and Cilnton all were unfaithful while in office.
I guess republican's are either more faithful or under achievers.
2
but to my knowledge they never had to impose gag orders on their woman and may have used election funds to do so. Perhaps they never felt the need, though I have to agree that Clinton was as classless as the present clown.
One advantage of getting elected to high office is the plethora of claimants who claim to know the elected.
Deeply personal relationships are bandied around as a sort of proxy partnership.
It helps to be in Adult industry where amnesia gets jolted into sharp rememberance after Candidate Clients gets elected.
Keeping tab on the whereabouts of all clients & their future potentials in high office seems to be a lucrative business in future black mailing.
She is into some work,millions of people are into some work,existence demands some sort of activity & frankly no one’s interested.
For her work,which we now understand is into Adult Entertainment,a spectrum of activity that is very wide & deep in range & speciality,she agrees was paid for her work.
He sought her services,consensual & mutually beneficial,she received her wages & now it seems she wants to TALK,SCREAM,SUE...& tell her story.What’s the story..
Did she not get her wages for her “Work” was the job stressful...
Why the inordinate delay in venting her problems,if any.
Does she always remember after a few years,her problems,remarkable.
The issue is riveting an entire nation.
On the sidelines, the Legal fraternity is salivating at the potential fees over the bogus non issue.
The press has a front page of non issues becoming the major issue.
When was the last time the US Constitution had an preamble that the President should be devoid of passion.
You have elected a President & not a Saint.
nobody really cares about the sex and the cheating. It is the coverup and gag orders. If he had passion he should allow his objects of passion to speak their minds.
1
I think we can all get past being scandalized by this man's extramarital romps. Anyone who lived in New York always knew what a low life he really is.
All the morality aside what is important is the methodology to cover up the escapades, particularly the amount of deviousness Michael Cohen used to "hide" the payment to ms. Daniels. A home equity loan , a shell company in Delaware....come on!
This is just another facet to the corruption of trump and his syndicate.
As far as the women go, I only hope this opens the floodgates for those women who were NOT consensual in their encounters.
4
I enjoy seeing Trump humiliated just as much as the next person. However, people are acting like this is an NDA for sexual harassment or sexual assault. Those types of NDAs are particularly dangerous because they hide stories of legal wrongdoing and abuse. I'm not convinced that any additonal justice is owed to Ms. McDougal. She willingly entered into an affair with Tump. Also, it is not clear to me what additional justice would be given to Ms. McDougal by having her tell the world about her affair with Trump? Just seems like juicy gossip when we should be focused on the true victims. The over a dozen women who have come out as having been sexually harassed and assaulted by Trump.
2
Can you imagine the reaction if Hillary Clinton were President and she had done any one of the atrocious things that Trump has done? It would have been an immediate impeachment. Where is the justice in this country??
11
President Trump won in 2016 without the support of hysterical Democrats. He will prevail in 2020. His supporters will come out in droves. By the way, who do the Democrats have for 2020?
2
Well the evangelicals are helping him lie to his own family, and are passing out "mulligans" for cheating on your spouse with porn stars and bunnies, so he probably has the Lie & Cheat votes for sure.
2
In reply to Kay Johnson Colorado
Your comment makes as much sense to me as the Lord's Prayer said in Latin.
I'd like to know how people feel who have not been paid for their work because of bankruptcies . Do they get to question how much of their money was spent on affairs?
It would also be interesting to get a look at Melania's prenuptial.
4
USA, wake up!
Yes it is not acceptable , from moraly point of view, the Trump's sex stories.
But! The Ex presidents Bush and Obama too and Mrs Clinton are the People who are responsible for many hundred thousand deaths in their wars in the world.
It seems when I read the USA's newspapers is Trump's sex behavior more important, than the wars USA are doing in the world.
3
I frankly do not see why Trump's sexual life and affairs should be of any interest to me or the public. That should be a concern of Melania. Why are we being dragged into all this scandal and dirt? Have these women been assaulted or raped? Same with Clinton. Why should his affair with his girlfriends or his one night stands be of public concern (except to Hillary)? Why all this hypocritical public surveillance of people's private lives and sex lives? It must be about Puritan America avid for sexual titillation from the royal/White House "court". Could we focus on more significant issues? On policies that affect me and American citizens?
3
Oh its WAY too late for that.
If you will recall the Committee that was busy impeaching Bill Clinton included the hidden stories of Inquisitor Newt Gingrich's affair with wife #3 or Dennis Hastert's hidden past molesting high school boys, then Trump's cheating on pregnant wife #3 with a porn star and apparently a raft of other people while sanctimoniously working the evangelicals out of their credibility- is going to be considered "news".
2
Take a step back and think about how most voters (not NYT readers) will react to these stories. I suspect the following reactions will all be common.
1. These are clear, legal agreements. The women received substantial sums for their silence. Now they are backtracking, probably because someone is offering them more money for their stories - possibly Democrats, possibly other magazines. Why should they be allowed out of these agreements? Why should we trust them?
2. These are very attractive ladies who quite freely claim to have had consensual relationships with a much older man. It just helps build up the image that Mr. Trump is trying to create for himself. Political correctness has changed a lot since JFK slept with Marilyn Monroe, but the opinions of many people (and I'd suspect, especially among the Trump base) will still respect a man for his ability to attract beautiful young women.
3. Mr. Trump is destroying the country with his stealthy moves to disempower the EPA, with his tax-cuts for the rich, with his roll-back of financial regulations, etc. etc. etc., and he's keeping the press distracted with claims that he had a series of consensual affairs with beautiful young women - claims that, even if they are true, will not substantially harm his image and may even enhance it.
2
Given that these women chose to be in the profession of adult entertainment it’s difficult for me to take their claims of inappropriate behavior by their clients to have merit.
2
The important part of these sleazy stories is the implied illegal campaign contributions. Cohen's assertion that he paid Stormy out of his own pocket, using a home equity loan, is questionable. And if Pecker's (!) payment was coordinated with Cohen that is also suspect.
We need to separate things the Trump administration is doing that are merely offensive to democrats from the things that are illegal and un-American.
2
Non disclosure agreements are a bad enough assault on freedom of speech.
Secret arbitration of them is even worse and needs to be made illegal.
When you agree to limit your speech you should not be allowed to agree to arbitration of that agreement at the same time.
A kind of double jeopardy perhaps?
1
freedom of speech has no part in this as these were private citizens
1
130K? $150K? It is incredible the low regard Trump had for these women. For women in general.
Hypothetical affair no. 3 (emerging from the wings) and examining similar agreement incredulously. To Trump attorney: $120,000? I'll accept nothing less than $1 million.
Trump attorney: We'll see what we can do.
Trump attorney: We can do $125,000.
Awful!!
1
Republicans, evangelicals, women, union members, and conservatives have a lot to be proud of electing an individual with the character of this miscreant. He'll be a good role model for your children and grandchildren.
5
No wonder Trump is so desperate to cash in on his position as President. Lord only knows how much of his supposed billions he's spent for hush money. Not to mention, of course, settling lawsuits with contractors, people he's cheated at his so-called university, and what he owes Deutsche Bank and the Russians...
4
Compare the arbitration clauses of Karen and Stormy! Hmmm
Trump never claimed to be a Saint ... but for some quirky reason, the Evangelicals give him a wide berth to park his infidelities and financial improprieties.. Whatever happened to, "Beware of false prophets" ?????
5
Would anyone like to take a wild guess as to how many other women there are who are in the same situation?
6
I have just one question, how do Christians continue to endorse this?
8
Donald Trump: As U.S. President, a chief voice in economic policymaking. Yeah, the same guy who pays 6-figure hush monies to big-time lovers.
4
Wasn't Bill Clinton accused of consensual extramarital affairs before the 1992 election with at least Jennifer Flowers? And he was elected anyway.
The American voters gave Bill Clinton a pass in 1992 and again in 1996 and the American voters (via the electoral college) gave Trump a pass in 2016.
Those who are screaming hypocrisy should note that it is equal opportunity, practiced by supporters on both sides of the aisle. Democratic and GOP voters alike obviously choose the candidate that aligns better with their interests and otherwise ignore the baggage.
What is fair for the Democratic goose is fair for the GOP goose.
31
yes, and it led directly to his impeachment.
1
Nobody gave Bill Clinton a pass. He was impeached. Your comparison of Clinton with Trump makes no sense.
4
How much did Clinton pay for silence re his affairs? I feel $280,000 is a big difference.
If the people who sue Trump is any indication of his character, the Evangelicals sure have a lot to be proud of.
57
The Evangelicals are like the father in the story of the Prodigal Son. After spending his inheritance on women and having a great time his father was happy to forgive him and take him back by throwing a big party with music for him. The only angry person was his brother who was loyal to the father and acted like an adult.
2
I think I would pay a years wages to see Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels end up in front of Judge Judy.
Eyes right here, Mr. President, eyes right here.
46
Thanks, Karen, Stormy and Summer! Keep up the good work. Our nation turns its weary eyes to you.
63
It will be interesting to see if they can break the binding arbitration agreement. I once signed one of those regarding a business partnership and I had an attorney tell me we could have it set aside in federal court. On the day we went before the judge to hear our motion, the judge proceeded to hand my attorney his own head. I lost badly and learned that the court is very unyielding regarding arbitration.
16
I will do everything in my power to teach my daughter she does not need relationships of this sort to get ahead.
45
If you've ever wondered why Trump thinks women are objects, being a billionaire with a lot of power seems to help. Look at the caliber of women stepping forth. They're all beautiful.
15
Stormy is looking pretty smart and tenacious to me. That's a caliber I can count on.
3
I certainly am not in the business of determining the caliber of a woman by her appearance, but in my opinion, when a man is paying off people who are employed in various parts of the sex industry to keep quiet about their relationship, he has a very lonely and sad life. I am not impressed by that caliber of man. As Stormy Daniels said, “Ugh, here we go.” That is hardly a ringing endorsement.
4
What does that mean? All the women he worked with in television were extremely attractive. He surrounded himself with beauty and sought it out and he is very convincing from the sounds of it. In regards to his relationship with women, remember when he was faced with Angela Merkel? He would not even shake her hand. He seems unable to handle age, power and intellect with women and wants nothing to do with it. He's a sad human.
1
OPINION: the law takes a dim view of buying silence, especially where there are public policy implications. for example, in general at least, one cannot buy one's way out of testimony by an adverse material witness and such agreements IMO will not be upheld by the courts -- anywhere. especially in California where, for instance, the SD agreement was negotiated and where the declaratory relief lawsuit to invalidate the SD agreement is venued. the choice of law clause is also interesting to say the least - never seen one like it -- the court's (my guess) won't leave it to the real party in interest to decide whether it is california, or nevada, or arizona law, especially when the agreement includes a claims waiver under the california civil code. my bet is that it will be California law which again in general takes narrow view of the enforceability/validity of such elements -- including the vaunted $1M per violation (threatened $20M) in "liquidated damages." my speculation is that there won't be much in the way of actual damages if more than one alleged victim comes forward and is believed, though i would not bank on the agreement being upheld in these particulars, at least, which may be prerequisite to any consideration of "damages" whether liquidated or general.
my two cents, strictly as opinion, considering some of the tripe being peddled on the airwaves.
14
So glad to hear you say the law takes a dim view on buying silence! I think it should be simply illegal on the basis that it equates with selling one's first amendment right to freedom of speech.
2
Our president. What a class act.
61
The morality of Ex-playboy Model and the porn actress is higher then the president of US.
These women are more trustworthy then President Trump.
Republicans took an oath to safeguard the interests of this country. They lack the courage and moral fortitude that these women have.
Mr Trump, Mr Pence and the Republicans who support them should not talk about god or use gods name in vain. God would not approve of their morality and behaviors.
Americans have lost their moral compass. One does not need Mueller to set it right.
54
Why, if he's paid women to be silent, can he still claim these affairs never happened? Who pays when there's no story?
85
No one. Trump lies as if it were his job description.
3
Stoped reading after "the second woman this month to challenge Trump allies’ efforts during the presidential campaign to bury stories about extramarital relationships." Just about sums it up.
12
I see that famed GOP lawyer Ted Olson today declined to join Trump's legal team. Because, apparently, he has self respect. And he's not insane.
86
Somehow, this reminds me of that joke about sharks not eating lawyers due to “ professional courtesy” some comedian needs to work the angles here, lol
1
Did anyone not know that Trump over his entire adult life consorted with "models" and prostitutes, gangsters and felons, money launderers, frauds and cheats, and bottom feeders struggling to make celebrity lists? He was nominated and elected despite his infamy, actually because of it, which is precisely why he isn't perturbed by all these disclosures. They've never damaged his brand which always was, always will be, greed and sleaze. The question isn't what will happen now this is coming to light, but "How and why did Americans in general and the putatively religious in particular choose him, given what he plainly is and always was?". I have never seen a serious attempt at answering that very troubling question.
81
But he IS perturbed. That’s why he’s fighting so hard to silence these women. (Even though he has nothing to hide. Ahem.)
1
The most serious attempt to answer that very troubling question is the 2006 dystopian film "Idiocracy". Nails the problem on the head and predicted everything that has come to pass with the 2016 election.
2
I'm fascinated by this questioned chalk it up to what I'm calling the "PT Barnum" complex. American character is naive and trusting. Trump plays on that with his arrogance (which he would call confidence) and braggadocio ( which he might call promotion). Barnum, in his museum offered the "wonders" of the world and then called attention to a spectacular display called the egress. The public would go through the door to the egress only to find out that it meant exit. Instead being annoyed at the man, they'd laugh at themselves and respect him for pulling one over on them.
1
O.k. now, righteous Republican Bill Clinton impeachers! Time to shine! Time to show that you're not a pack of hypocrites, at least on this front.
Anyway, we're waiting to hear from y'all, especially those who support Trump from church.
99
wonder how many righteous Democratic impeachers there will be? Hypocrisy goes both ways.
They didn't print Dougal's story because they couldn't fact-check it? That's rich.
Because election week 2016 they sure weren't fact-checking anything on their cover stories - which (who'd guess) were wild conspiracy theories about Hillary.
https://www.nationalenquirer.com/photos/hillary-clinton-racist-criminal-...
https://www.nationalenquirer.com/photos/hillary-clinton-scandals-blackma...
36
Fun fact: The lawyer who successfully argued that a sitting president can be sued (in the Paula Jones matter) is Mr. Kellyanne Conway! I bet those plus-one cocktail parties at the WH are AWK-WARD.
100
Incorrect. The lawyer who wrote the brief was her now husband, several years before they were married. She was not the lawyer who argued it.
This is the man that 8O% of judgmental, family values, White Evangelicals voted for. What hypocrisy.
107
Donald Trump sued Bill Maher for $5,000,000 because Maher made a joke about Trump's father being an orange orangutan. Since Trump likes to be litigious these new lawsuits should be right up his alley. The upside is he may be bogged down in these lawsuits and go bankrupt paying off lawyers.
39
No, silly! The Child-in-Chief will use "Foundation" funds to pay his legal fees. And, wait - didn't evangelicals vote for him because they believed he is against abortion? But how many abortions could he actually have been responsible for?
1
Looks like Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein may have to share the same room—-
Birds of a feather…
29
It must pain decent Americans to have to watch the X-Rated collapse of their country they thought they knew. FOX News, WWF, National Inquirer, GOP, Rupert Murdoch they could all teach Putin a thing or two about kompromat.
31
It's a dodgy move, as is Stormy's. Establishing that the intent of "catch and kill" is for anything other than obtaining exclusive rights to the story... that's gonna get tricky. Especially since AMI kept up part of their end of the bargain with the fitness stories featuring her. And the thing is, Trump now has basis to sue the gals, which I think he's already started to do with Stormy.
4
Who cares? I am enjoying the show from the ringside, firmly convinced that I know the end: the pretend-president will be impeached. And even if that does not happen the R's will disappear from the national scene, for a very very long time.
22
Trump is full of bluster. That’s cheap.
1
Wishful thinking ... didn’t you feel the same way after the Iraq war ?
Bill Cosby redux. Woman after woman comes forward. They are all called "liars" by the predator they accuse. More than a jury's worth. All liars. Not possible he is lying instead. Not possible his pants are on fire. Predators pretending to be victims.
Low crimes and misdemeanors.
47
Americans seem to have felt the need for an amoral, vulgar, & tasteless President. In Trump they got their $280,000’s worth. The question is why they felt such a need?
57
Very good question. There is something sadly amiss in the American psyche.
36
Because at some level they know that they do not deserve to get their job back from machines. They have not worked hard at self-education and are not willing to move to where there are more jobs.
21
We did that so we wouldn't have to hear from the other (and even more) "amoral, vulgar, & tasteless" candidate - Madame Clinton. Please remember it was a choice and no matter how you look at it, the more intelligent, honorable and courageous candidate won.
1
I am not a bit worried about the payoff to the porn star and the playboy bunny. I am worried about the payoff to the Russians.
75
Paying someone money to keep a secret would be grounds for denying anyone a security clearance...unless they somehow got elected President.
59
To me, it’s all the same illegal habit. Trump may have used campaign funds, either from Putin or the Mercer’s money. I hope he didn’t use money from some unemployed worker in Wes Virginia.
14
He just used the money that would have paid their Medicaid.
9
While I would, bowing to good decorum, want to admonish the NYTimes a bit for the amount and placement of the sordid details of the tawdry lifestyle of Mr. Trump, given the gravity of the affect on all of America, I find it is a reasonable step for the Times.
With Mr. Trump still having some credibility with a sector of voters, especially those claiming such high Christian evangelical status, it is much needed that the depth of Mr. Trump's life be fully exposed. We have to make it safe for America to expose Mr Trump to minimize the potential damage left that he can do.
37
WorldPeace: It would be impossible to report on Trump if you omitted the tawdry details. I agree, report the news where the news lies. With Trump in office, I guess a lot of children are going to have to grow up quick.
I hear many conservatives going on and on lamenting that religion and patriotism needs to be brought back to classrooms, yet it is they who have put this despicable, immoral man in the White House, a man who refuses to live and act in a manner most Americans consider moral and decent. As long as conservatives continue to abide this Trumpian behavior, don’t talk to me about making things better withthat old-time religion being re-introduced in the classrooms; kids wouldn’t buy into it anyway, what with the President of the United States having a long, immoral personal history and refusing to own up to any of it.
10
"A.M.I. told The Times last month that it decided not to print Ms. McDougal’s story because it could not verify important details,"
How laughable is this?
American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer is concerned with verifying important details of a story before printing it?!?! All one has to do to realize what a farce this statement is, would be to do an internet search for "National Enquirer covers", then read the headlines on the cover.
I wonder how many of those headline "details" were "verified" before they were published? I'd be willing to bet...not many, if any!
What a joke!
60
What will be interesting would be to find a single woman who was not paid to get laid by Trump...
64
So Melania
It’s time to stop play acting that you like Donald. (Holding hands and kissing shouldn’t even be on the agenda.)
36
kissing? their lips never touch... watch all those videos!
6
I would laugh myself into a stupor at the irony if such a vile, crude, bullying misogynist as Trump is in the end scuppered by a endless parade of lawsuits from women. Sweet, sweet karma.
65
Hahhhhhhhh, we have a “stud” at the White House. Well, a person paying for sex, would not be necessarily considered stud... possibly a desperate needy insecure individual?
37
RBR: I don't think trump preys upon these women for the sex...I think it is a POWER thing with him. He can control them. The sex is fun, because he can use them, and he loves to use people, and throw them away. (What a charming example he sets for all his children! Good grief!) And he knows that they are gold diggers after his money, or whatever other prestige he can provide them...and he leads them on, like lambs to the slaughter. He is not paying for the sex...He is paying them to not talk about what happened.
2
Sleezy and trashy. This is what our tabloid president truly is and this is how out-of-control this country is. Have we hit bottom yet?
52
No. Stand by.
1
Couldn't care less about consensual sex EXCEPT if our low life president made any of these women get an abortion.Trump's currying the favor of evangelists has really galled me[as he has no concept of right and wrong]and would love to see their reaction to trump's relaxing his stand on abortion when it suits HIM.
24
Or misused campaign funds.
1
I think you meant to say ‘Except when certain parties get paid off to stay silent via shell companies using campaign funds.’
1
These women don't even know the meaning of the word shame.
10
And that goes double for anyone who would find it necessary to pay to shut them up.
47
As opposed to Donal Trump?
32
True, but ol’ Donnie doesn’t know the word shame either. These ladies are sort of the anti-Trump’s; they’re not worried about reputations or politics; they do have something on the Donald in the most sexual of ways and can ruin his brand, which Trump cares more about than the Presidency or his marriage.
I rarely make predictions but this I will predict: if Trump does leave the Presidency early, his downfall will be not from Russia but what these ladies know about him, both his sexual practices and probably a considerable amount about his habit of paying people off.
14
Trump is looking like quite the stallion. Incredible life.
8
LOL....stallions don't have to pay for sex Mark. Incredible low life.
36
Mark: All those cheeseburgers, filet 'o' fish sandwiches, and chocolate shakes make a guy hungry for something else...Yeah, he is quite the stallion. (NOT.) That is not the animal that I have in mind when I think of trump.
2
and the case against universal suffrage grows stronger...
Truly, we live in a most interesting timeline.
2
As an attorney, it’s great fun to watch an attorney be outraged ! - outraged I say ! - that a party who accepted payment to stay silent - is expected to stay silent.
Other outrages we hope the attorney never encounters:
- builders paid to build - that are expected to build;
- barbers paid to cut hair - that are expected to cut hair;
- teachers paid to teach - that are expected to teach.
And attorneys wonder why people hate attorneys.
13
OK, esquire, but I go back to what I was taught on the first day of law school:
1. Deep pockets. 2. It's not about what's right, it's about what's legal.
4
Stevenz: it is NOT about what is legal. It is about who can pay off the judge.
4
Trump never paid the builders who built. Oh the beautiful irony.
1
Please remind me why was Hillary going to be such a bad President.
122
Something to do with the Foundation and emails .... don’t remember exactly what it was.
1
It was her domestic experience as Senator from New York and her international experience as Secretary of State.. Oh...that and the FBI finding that she did not withhold emails nor have more than an accidental few classified ones. Even when they found unselected emails on her staff member's computer, they found no bad emails. So...clearly Hillary is too experienced and too honest to make a good President. But that wasn't it....they just did not like the fact that she was uppity.
2
Because I am tired of hearing about Monica Lewsinski and wish Bill and Hillary would just go paint pictures with Bush.
So we go from Collusion to Cleavage.
Any port in a storm, I guess.
21
How any woman could have voted for trump is a mystery.
Every woman who voted for him must live with the shame and filth of what they have done.
73
How any *human* (whatever their gender) could have voted for him....
3
Can it get any more humiliating for Melania Trump? The only good reason for her to stay with this scoundrel is if he threatened to kill her if she leaves, but even if that's the case there are ways she could escape safely.
18
She made a business decision to stay with Trump. She probably signed a prenup and a nda as well.
29
This sort of thing would have been right up Ken Starr's alley, if we had a democrat in the WH.
21
Instead, Starr was protecting athletes at Baylor.
8
Can NYT do more reporting on what the Republicans are doing to dismantle our democracy versus tabloid stories about pin-ups, porn queens and Russian dictators who "win" fixed elections?
You can always stick a box for those who are interested labeled "Trump's Salacious Doings."
9
I'll bet "Bourbon Mitch" McConnell, slimey Ryan, and the rest of the Republican traitors will deny x-rated videos exist after they've viewed them.
21
Some folks are just meant to be together.
10
This says more about Evangelicals who support Trump than it does about Trump himself. They deride America's 'moral decay' while enthusiastically supporting the poster child...
71
Amen, brother.
23
And do not forget that God is punishing America, even though Donald has made it great again, because I am gay.
1
The evangelicals who continue to back him are more disgusting than he is. God is watching lol
2
Donald Trump is more worried about disclosure of his financial relationship with Putin and the Russians. News of his tawdry relationships, while troubling, are a distraction.
14
This sounds like an old WC Fields' comedy routine combined with maybe Abbot and Costello's "Who's on first" routine.
Here's the deal..., I'll pay you not to talk about something that DIDN'T happen, But if you talk about something that DID happen, you owe me money. Got it?
31
In the Daniels case, an overlooked issue even by her lawyer is that adultery is still a crime in New York State (Penal Code 255.17) a Class B Misdemeanor. Of course, this never gets prosecuted, although according to a NYT article men always demand that their wives be held to account apparently. Nonetheless, it is well known, Law School 101, that any contract that attaches to the commission of a crime, or the concealment of a crime, is not enforceable. Null and Void! The NDA on that basis alone should be repurposed for a more productive use in a rest room stall.
https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/is-adultery-a-crime-in-new...
53
why do you think NY law applies?
One interesting thing folks -- the FOX News web-site has a small article on Stormy, Karen, and Summer Zervos today.
I've no idea if anything made broadcast.
But it's the first acknowledgement Fox has made of it.
12
This is about more than passing judgement on the way Donald Trump treats his wife or other women. When the man in charge of our national security has so many skeletons in his closet, he's ripe for blackmail, and that's pretty scary.
35
The more, the merrier. Trump denounces everyone else and personally brings Bill Clinton's accusers to a Presidential debate. Anyone with anything to accuse Donald Trump of, please join the line and come on the record.
22
But, need us not forget, he was neither a Governor of a State or President at the time. This is actually a personal matter. My question is~ were these women intent in their soliciting? In my own personal experience, I have seen it done before by women who wish to be "recognized".
1
he was a presidential candidate at the time--that matters and goes beyond the personal. Pray tell how you have been solicited by women wishing to be recognized.
1
This happened in 2006, we have more important things to focus on.
8
Right. Like what exactly is it the Russians are using to blackmail him.
24
I think that's a sane approach. It's not like Trump is still seeing her now in the WH.
What speaks to this woman's character is that ten years later she got some money (who knows what she got before?) and now is looking for attention and publicity - maybe even more money. It's time to move on honey.
1
Let’s see. It build never be said of Trump. Never a scandal, never meanness, always kind, fine family man, constitutional scholar, diplomatic, spiritual, honest, appropriate... Obama!!
19
Evangelicals: Do we have any mulligans left?
32
It’s hard to see how any of this matters - if the Billy Bush episode didn’t do it for you, how will porn stars change your view, the view of family value Republicans, the view of women who voted for him, the Christian Right. For reasons that can’t be explained but will eventually be the subject of many books, should we not be annihilated while Trump is in office, an alarmingly high number of our fellow citizens chose this charlatan and rather than peel away with each exposed outrage, the demur, they double down. So much winning indeed. For the morally bankrupt clown every single day is like picking the right numbers for the Poweball lottery: improbable but happens each and every day.
21
To the christian right, every woman is Mary Magdalene.
Amusing that there are still some New York Times readers believing that there is „checks and balances“ in the United States.
If so the sexual offender number 1 would have been impeached already a year ago.
9
Oliver:
Last time I looked being taken in adultery was not a high crime and misdemeanor. Heck, it's not even illegal.
A lawsuit about whether a playboy model can override a contract to not reveal that she had sex with a married Donald Trump? I think the horse is out of the barn on that one. It's further confirmation that our president is a sexual predator, but the lawsuit is about doing the media circuit and selling the tell-all book.
7
Maybe if every woman that Donald Trump bound to a non-disclosure agreement and paid a pittance to keep her mouth shut came forward, we could have a class action lawsuit.
31
Never in the history of mankind, has a man so small cast a bigger shadow than donald j trump .
30
These women had consensual sexual relationships with Donald Trump years ago. They were not naive innocent women and knew what they were doing. I am sure they have been around the block a number of times. They are looking for a big payout but will probably walk away empty handed. I hope they do.
11
Thanks for the input Sarah Huckerbee Sanders
23
WPLMMT: Forget about the women. trump was married. He committed adultery. Adultery is a crime in the state of New York. And why is it that trump is so blithely excused from his marriage vows by the evangelicals????? How do you think his wife feels, or that doesn't bother you at all? He also has a little boy with his wife. How do you think that kid feels? How do you think that decent people feel about that little boy having a father like this? I am sorry to say that I fear that little boy will grow up like his two older step brothers, and his father. I hope that somehow his mother prevents that from happening...but the rot may be in his genes.
2
These are the kinds of people Donald "Pageant Owner" Trump associated with and had sex with. Trump never passed up an opportunity to make a buck. It's no surprise these women are trying to profit from their sordid relations with him. I hope they do.
2
Women come in different flavors. This one would have to be paid well over 6 figures to admit to sleeping with the Don. Can't even imagine suing to be able to talk about it. Must have something to do with book deals...
6
I wonder whose campaign chest is paying for this? or what PAC? funded by who, exactly?
We'll find out one day, I'm sure.
2
Still curious what Mike and Karen Pence think about all this. And this man they're tied to. Must make for some awfully interesting conversation barbecuing weekends with Don and Melania. And at church on Sundays with their friends. Mmm-hmm.
40
The Pences have their own experiences with adultery. That's the reason he's not allowed to be alone with any other woman.
7
Pretty sure any affairs Pence may have had would have been with men.
2
Pence sold his soul to the Devil with Trump for ambition, and all who know him are aware he has the moral compass of an alley cat. At least Trump professes no false piety like Pence.
2
Let’s summarize this major explosive news story:
Gorgeous star charged billionaire $130k for sex and to keep quiet about it;
Beautiful Playmate charged billionaire $150k for sex and to keep quiet about it.
Now both women are trying to renege on their deals.
Takeaways:
- Beautiful women charge more for sex;
- Billionaires are willing to pay more for sex;
- It’s good to be a billionaire;
- Beautiful women can’t be trusted to keep their agreements;
- I’m voting for Trump - again.
8
When you say you’re going to vote for Trump again, I say bravo, it’s your right to vote for Anyone you think will make a good president. I just hope you’ll see that almost anyone would be better in the Office than this man.
16
You are now my hero. It used to be Elvis.
3
I hope you are certain, against all evidence, that he did not fool around in Russia with the Ukrainian call girls sent to his room. You need to be really sure, because otherwise, assuming it is TRUE, the Russians own your "good billionaire."
17
Does Trump think we are stupid? These women would not have NDAs if there was nothing to disclose. I hope they win their cases. I am not usually one to watch such matters, but in this case, it may be the way to get Trump out of office if nothing else can. All those Evangelical Christians who love Trump will be unhappy about these affairs.
26
Except that people who voted for him knew - we all knew - what he was before handing the job to him. Did anyone think the affairs while he was married previously, that were public knowledge, were the only ones? Also, is no one else creeped out that he had an affair with a woman who he (allegedly) said reminded him of his daughter?
4
All those evangelical christians are very practiced at looking the other way when it suits them, and laying accusations on others when that suits them.
It may only be twenty per cent if the evangelicals who care. The others want to “win”.
Any evangelical who professes "family values" , yet supports this ego-driven sexually oriented cartoon of a president, should be exposed for what they are: devoid of real Christian values, and lacking a moral compass of any kind.
43
About that Russian tape!
I bet it is true.
Why don’t we offer this philanderer a collective mulligan on this. It okay Mr.Trump, we all know the truth.
Just go away. Resign for the sake of the Republic. No face saving measure will work, you have no shame.
18
Upon reading the agreement Stormy signed it was pretty evident that Davidson poorly represented her interests. This confirms it. The guy is a terrible lawyer.
16
Sure he paid women to shut up, but Trump did not fool around when he was in Russia and Putin could not possibly have something on him.
13
Ever heard of the Golden Showers headed by Trump and several women for hire performed on a bed in a Moscow hotel room, on a bed formerly slept in by Mr. Obama and his wife? Read the details of this still disputed paper by Christopher Steele. If true, you can bet all you own, Putin has the video.
13
Dave, on the off-chance that you're not being ironic... A couple things to consider. Putin was a high-ranking KGB agent. Putin is running a campaign to disrupt foreign governments, amass huge sums of money, and silence his enemies with methods right out of the KGB handbook. Some of those methods were to compromise foreign officials through a variety of means which included sending girls to their rooms to get them into "compromising positions", film or record it, and make that known to the dupe. All of this is a matter of history, well-documented, for years. It was something I was warned about when I visited the Soviet Union as part of a delegation. Everyone was. (Unlike trump, I was neither rich nor influential so I didn't "get lucky.") I know you don't really mean it, but if anyone says "Putin could not possibly (fill in the blank with your favorite scam)" they're utterly, totally, fantastically, hilariously wrong. Not only *can* he, he *will.*
11
What makes you so sure Dave?
1
Our President is a fine, fine man in all regards (cynical). In all honesty, what a piece of horses . . . you-know-what.
Please Republicans, don't hand him "yet another" mulligan. It's time for the roosters to return to the nest and fix things up. Señor Ryan and McConnell, are you listening?
14
Ok, so she had an affair with a married man. We already know that - what else is there to say. She also made money..., and now she wants to take a moral stand? What a total joke.
15
Birds of a feather flock together.
3
Agree exactly!
1
Why think this is a moral issue for her? Isn’t this a case of someone out trumping Trump?
7
Geez, they’re going to have to have signed parental concent for kids to study the Trump chapter in school.
46
Hopefully the center of which is his impeachment.
2
I'm still waiting for the paternity suit to come down the chute.
But it will...eventually.
Anyone want to bet against it?
15
Glen I think he isn’t up to the task.That ship sailed fifteen years ago.
9
I seriously doubt if Playboy models or adult entertainment celebrities have never heard of contraception. I find it interesting that Stormy is no longer called a porn star now that she’s calling out Trump. The Times is going to great length to burnish her reputation. Can’t wait to see her on the witness stand out of those low cut things and dressed instead like a schoolmarm.
2
Wow, Jerry!! 15 years ago? Whose son, then, is Donald Jr.'s and Eric's younger half-brother?
Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.
2
Monty Python was mighty and they wrote a song for evangelicals to sing:
He's an adulterer,
But that's okay!
He tweets all night
And he golfs all day!
He's an adulterer
and he's so fine!
I like to pretend
He was chosen by the Divine!
26
Fox News analyst blasts network as 'propaganda machine'. Any mention of Trump's (that's ALL the Trumps) deviant existence seem to be notably missing from TrumpTV.
I find it impossible to believe that any person educated past the fifth grade could believe the talking heads of Fox "News". Cherrypickers and liars extraordinaire!
25
Wouldn't it be sweet justice if women were the ones who finally brought Trump down.
48
Sue her! She’s made a deal!
4
Infidelity is not illegal.
7
Not a crime but it’s mighty suspect when the guy being accused of it (by a factor of—we don’t know yet) also holds himself up as a standard bearer for family values and morality. Do as I say, I guess.
Some leader.
10
Absolutely true. But paying off someone from campaign funds is. And that may be the case here. Worth looking into.
9
Maybe not, but the whole point is that it, and aiding and abetting the enemy (Vlad), makes one subject to blackmail.
4
Note to Stormy and Karen: I wouldn't want anyone to know that I'd lowered myself to sleep with Trump, let alone file a lawsuit to let me talk about it. In fact, I'd pay HIM not to talk about it.
32
I agree!
One thing is certain at this point. Scandal that would have immediately ended the career of a presidential candidate or POTUS will henceforth be trivially rebutted by a whataboutism. It will be massively entertaining to watch when the shoe is on the other foot. Bad (very bad) for the country of course, but that ship has long since sailed.
16
“will henceforth be trivially rebutted by a whataboutism”
Like “what about what Bill Clinton did?”
1
The Christian rights silence over Trumps continued infidelity is deafening. I can only conclude the Right Wing Christian Evangelicals are nothing more than a fraud just out to use fear and hate to separate others from their money.
56
The evangelicals may not like Trump's somewhat obvious lack of morals, however they despise the left's policies. Ergo, Trump Nation.
3
No, not separate them from their money, separate them from the halls of power. America is their god's presence on Earth and they will not tolerate anyone messing with their rightful control of the nuclear codes.
Back in ancient times, the king has hundreds if not thousands of women to satisfy him to run the country. He did not has to paid a dime for it. This were before Trump became president. IT should not matter if these women, trade sex for money, silence or not they been paid well 150K or 130K. Try to go the street now see how much they get paid or worth. How much more now? Trump needs to run the country
3
Note to Harry: these are not ancient times, or at least they're not supposed to be.
7
He does indeed, but as the increasingly disordered tweets prove, he's unfit.
6
I wonder. We know he has paid off at least two women to keep them quite. What do you suppose the Russian have on him?
6
So Trump "promised" both of these women an apartment. I'd be curious to know if they ever got it, or if this is just another example of Trump's lies.
6
Breach of contract.
"Mr. Trump has denied the affairs."
The above sentence seems to suggest that there are two sides to this matter, that there's some doubt as to where truth resides, so let's clarify at bit. Of course Trump denies; he always denies. And, in denial, he typically and habitually charges the women involved as "liars", his usual mode of "projection". But as everyone -- literally everyone -- knows, Trump is a blatant liar, which makes his denials utterly meaningless, even self-indicting. Whereas, it's rational to believe the women -- the porn star, the Playboy model, and all the other female accusers, to give credence to Trump's multi-denials is to indulge in utter fantasy.
13
It says a bit about our president that the porn stars are seen as the trustworthy party in these disputes.
If Trump is so willing to pay people off for things that he hasn't done with them, then I will give him a bargain. I am not a Trump supporter. For $50,000 dollars I will not tell anyone that I had an affair with him between the Karen McDougal affair and his affair with Stormy.
Since it "didn't happen", I am sure he will quickly pay up. Mr. Cohen - Give me a ring.
26
Donald Trump is not fit to be a president. How many affairs he has had in his life is not my concern. Electing him to take care of this country is a serious mistake.
That was my concern in 2016.
And I hope America does not commit the same mistake in 2020!
14
Trump has friends that help him lie to the public. They are in congress, in the media, (Print, TV and Radio) they are in his lawyer's offices, and on the pages of his rolodex. He has lied so often it is his Form of the art of the Lie, to sell his lies he pretends to like you then stabs you in your back. He is a known cheater on his wives so much so I am sure that he is still thinking how to get away with it even now.
But he isn't a business man that can just do what he pleases. He is the President of the USA. He has to be of a higher Moral standard than he can possibly be and now he is tarnishing the office as bad as Clinton did.
WE should all hate his actions, Someone is making americans immoral if they like this guy.
6
Back in ancient times, the king has hundreds if not thousands of women to satisfy him to run the country. He did not has to paid a dime for it. This were before Trump became president. IT should not matter if these women, trade sex for money, silence or not they been paid well 150K or 130K. Try to go the street now see how much they get paid. How much more now? Trump needs to run the country
1
If only he were competent to do so. I wouldn't put him in charge of a bake sale.
At this point, I am honestly so disgusted and discouraged I don’t even know what to say. And I fear I will begin to tune out just to preserve my sanity.
17
Hang in there, Gretchen. But I know how you feel.
Is it legal to pay bribes in America? Is there a difference between a payment to induce silence? Where are we going here?
1
A bribe is a payment made in exchange for the recipient agreeing to perform an illegal act. These payments for silence are not bribes because the act paid for (silence) is not illegal.
1
This is a great example of how the old boys network operates, in overtime, to prey on women and protect one of their own.
15
How is this preying on a woman? Most women I know don't get paid $150,000 for having an affair. She is not a victim. She made a bad business decision and had an incompetent or dishonest lawyer.
1
Why don't you see this an an example of the "old gals network," where women have sex with men and then shake them down for NDA payments?
Your gender bias is showing.
Tony Soprano’s morals were higher than Trump’s. And, more than likely, his ratings too.
16
I do not like DJT, but I do not think that in the big scheme of things (Russia, Facebook, his performance as POTUS) all this matters that much. And I doubt the GOP electorate cares about these women. All "fake news" and likely not reported on Faux News, so not even existing in their consciousness.
Go vote next time. That is the only thing that matters.
13
We did, and most of us voted for Hillary. A lot of things matter.
14
The flood gates are now open and the hypocrisy is flowing..
17
I agree with the many comments saying affairs are not news. But perhaps GOP & 'Christian' hypocrisy is news. And the cover up(s) certainly should be, because it is where the money came from and where it goes that is significant and worth reporting on. No one can be surprised (least of all his current 'boys will be boys' wife) that Trump is an amoral and despicable person--he revels in that image, after all. But the nexus of his affairs and campaign finance is interesting and should be investigated.
19
So she signed an agreement and took the large sum of money. But now she doesn't need the money. I think this chick is looking for attention, because she can get her 5 minutes of fame. She is a homewrecker.
3
So the affairs were all the fault of the women?
6
“So she signed an agreement and took the large sum of money. But now she doesn't need the money. I think this chick is looking for attention, because she can get her 5 minutes of fame. She is a homewrecker.“
Mike S, do you honestly not realize how extremely you’ve had to twist your logic and how absurdly far you’ve had to stray from common sense and basic human decency in order to make your argument?
Trump supporters like yourself are constantly needing to reach unprecedented depths of cynicism in order to keep supporting your guy.
1
I wonder if he made these women wear a white glove like he allegedly did to Katie Johnson when she was 13 years old.
15
This guy is so filthy dirty that he has everybody signed to a confidential agreement, including his family. What a disgusting human being he is.
25
These women who sign NDAs and cashout, just over an affair, now come back and want more money; they are nothing but prostitutes. This has nothing to do with #MeToo; don't be fooled. I hope they go to jail if they break the NDA. At least suing is the legal route.
9
You know violating even a valid NDA isn't a crime, right?
7
I agree 100
"they are nothing but prostitutes." ...I agree. And without willful male participation, prostitution could not exist.
2
Hi NYT can you write an article on this
Channel 4 NEWS in the UK has just done a total exposé of Cambridge Analytica.
Here it is all on tape, and at 4mins in Nix boasts about winning the election for Trump inthe Swing Tapes
'Cambridge Analytica: Undercover Secrets of Trump's Data Firm'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy-9iciNF1A.
7
Trump had an affair? With a Playboy model? And a porn star? And before he even ran for President? Hmm. Is there a story here, or is it just a slow day on the Russian Collusion watch?
13
Cry me a river Ms. McDougal and shame on you for disrespecting Melania Trump by having an affair with her husband.
Furthermore, as an adult, you chose the money. So stop playing the victim and take responsibility for your own lack of morality.
Better yet, why don't you donate that $150,000 to charity?
9
Oh, shame on her, but not on him? Who was the married one here? I think in addition to “fake news”, we need a new hashtag: #WarpedReality.
11
Mr Trump is the one who broke his marriage vows; shouldn't he be the ashamed one? Who knows what line he used? The marriage is over, the marriage is open, we have an agreement, she doesn't care, etc etc.---I've heard a few of those myself. I understand that when his son, Donald Jr., had an affair, he indicated to the woman that his marriage was already dissolving. The only thing we do know for sure is that Mr trump made a choice to sleep with other women when he was married.
12
Michael, these women should never have gone near a married man, HOWEVER, trump was the one who was married and cheating on his wife. Stormy and Karen did not cheat on Melania. It is Melania's husband who cheated on her, and who owes her an apology...but he has cheated on her, apparently, so many times...it is beyond the apologizing stage. He did the same thing with Ivana. You are accusing THE WOMAN of disrespecting Melania by having an affair with her husband????? That is truly insane. Obviously, to her husband, Melania is just a prop, to use when he needs her...but otherwise she is an inconvenience to his libertine lifestyle. trump has NO RESPECT for his wife, or for his young son...and probably not for his adult children either.
1
Just another bead on the necklace of human excrement that Donald Trump is, and America is quickly becoming. MAGA my @$$.
10
''All the President's Women'', the x rated version, opening sometime before November. A host of cameo appearances.
8
It would be fitting - poetic justice - if women brought about the fall of our so-called president.
27
I'm responding to Richard who blames Bill Clinton for making consensual sex okay rather than letting it be a factor in determining whether a president is unfit for office. Well, if is okay, then why doesn't Trump just acknowledge his affairs? It isnt like anyone believes his denials anyway?
Besides, even if you take lying, infidelity, cover-up payments, and playing chicken on nuclear war with N Korea off the table, there are still dozens of other reasons why he isn't fit for office.
If Trump wants to regain credibility, he should show the public his tax returns. If he truly has nothing to hid there, maybe more people would agree with him that this is a witch hunt. But until that happens, the majority of Americans demand to know what he's hiding. And if you are one who thinks he is honest and has nothing to hide, explain why he needs to have his staff sign non-disclosure statements.
20
Trump is owned by AMI now too. You think they did this deal for Trump and expect nothing in return? This was an investment for a future pay off no for profit enterprise just gives their money away.
8
Wow. What a great TV show this would all make. The Presidential Apprentice and his " Ladies ". And Lawyers. " Secrets of the Oval Office ".
OR, " As the Stomach Turns ". Stay Classy, Trump.
19
Don't forget "The Pecker Files."
If these ladies have really damaging information on POTUS, why aren't there any left-minded donors indemnifying them on damages? Don't argue whether the contract is valid, assume so, breach it and pay the money. The Kochs and Mercers are fronting hundreds of millions toward mid-term candidates on their side....just saying.
6
Brian, the billionaire class is 95% pro-Trump. The ones who despise Trump are a tiny minority. That's why you see so much money pouring into right-wing (read, Republican) politics. Clear now?
10
Right, but didn't Hillary supporters end up spending at least 500 million for her campaign...where are those guys, George Soros? This is chump change for some of those guys. Maybe the ladies don't have the best material, not worth the price...
It is beyond strange logic that if Team Trump argues that their were no affairs, then why would they have bought these women's silence? If there's no Russian collusion, then why is Trump acting so guilty and threatening to fire Mueller? If Trump is so successful, then why won't he release his taxes? The most mendacious conman is sitting in the Oval Office and our nation's reputation and the state of our democracy descends deeper and deeper into an abyss. We know Trump will continue to lie, but will Congress wake up from their shameful fealty and confront this philandering fraud?
19
Furthermore, why does trump call putin and congratulate him on his latest "win" and talk about getting together with him soon. He is on a tightrope, that child-in-chief, and when he falls
If you are on the receiving end of this situation, e.g. Trump, do you really think you’re going to “win”? That you haven’t already lost? That throwing more and nastier legal tricks and mouthpieces at the problem is going to make it go away? No, it’s escalating and the road you’re on is gettin steeper. And it’s not fake, either.
3
It feels like we're reaching an inflection point with the Trump Administration. First there's the fact that Trump now finally feels like he can be "himself" as President, without the silly crutches of expertise and seasoned advice, meaning that the chaos and incompetence will increase exponentially from hereon in. And that's pretty frightening.
Then there's the growing number of lawsuits that are just popping around the White House like mushrooms after a gentle summer rain. Unlike the lawsuits that will turn around esoteric, abstract crimes, like the alleged Manafort/money-laundering/collusion crimes, the lawsuits that revolve around pornography, lewdness and moral bankruptcy (Trump cheated on his third wife while she was pregnant!) will be far easier for most voters to digest and understand, especially women. And they will get only worse and more numerous. By the end Trump will have a virtual army of lawyers fighting off the increasing number of women with whom he cheated, and with whom he left evidence of said cheating--those non-disclosure agreements he loves so much.
I bet that the latter types of lawsuits will be what will bring him down. If impeachment doesn't work, then it will be a well-deserved electoral backlash from women who are sick and tired of having such a morally and sexually repugnant misogynist as leader of this still fine nation.
15
Luboman: I wish I could share your optimism (sic.), but a dishearteningly large proportion of women voted for him.
As a religious man I don’t understand how religious people in the heart of this country can support a man who is unfaithful to his wife, a man who routinely breaks the commandments of the lord. What separates Trump from many past Republican Presidents is his immortality, his anti- religion, has the many ever been inside a Church. He seems to care more about carnal delights than spiritual beliefs. Yet people who claim to be religious, who profess to raise their children by the teachings of Jesus Christ , blindly follow this amoral man. Only in America folks.
16
Thomas, I imagine that he has broken every single one of the Ten Commandments. I cannot imagine what trump learned in his home as a young boy growing up. I can still remember when my darling father sat me down and taught me The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And he taught me The Ten Commandments. I don't think that is what trump was taught when he was growing up.
2
Stormy Daniels lawyer did say there were more women with keep quiet agreements wanting to come forward. But of course this is only to be expected from Trump.
5
Two crucial points from this story
#1) AMI's claim that it didn't publish the story of the affair because it could not confirm some detail is risible. I mean, this is the company that front paged a story about Ted Cruz's father being involved in the Kennedy assassination.
#2) Stormy and Karen's lawyer is looking shadier and shadier -- it made no sense that McDougal would accept an $80K payout for her silence when the story was worth far more than that WITHOUT the guarantee that she claims to have been given, which makes the accusation that Davidson was NOT acting in his clients best interest glaringly obvious.
15
Paul, Davidson, the lawyer for the women, may have also been paid by trump to coerce the women into signing the NDA...and THAT would be a big problem for Davidson, because he was not representing his clients if he did that. He was representing trump.
4
Our Constitution gives each & every citizen the right to freedom of speech. So I don't understand how one can sign it away. (Obviously, I'm not a lawyer.)
4
When flood gates open...a tsunami ensures.
3
If he ever gets around to suing all the women he claims have told lies about him,
the White House will need to install revolving doors on the place to handle the comings and goings of all the lawyers who are going to be visiting him.
10
Consumers should boycott AMI and its publications. Lawyer Keith Davidson should lost his law license(s) and be brought before the property State Bar(s) for his unethical and alleged fraudulent acts against his own client(s), especially for de facto dual representation of adverse parties and for charging exorbitant fees! And Donald J. Trump should be held accountable to all US federal and state laws, especially election law violations and for being a Russian spy that reports directly to Vladimir V. Putin. Yes, the Spy Hunt must be allowed to continued.
7
After Ms. Clifford and Ms. McDougal are released from their "contracts," I'd like to see a show with both being interviewed together.
5
"Who cares what Trump did 10 years ago?"
That's what we're hearing from Republicans in 2018!
Obviously, these are not the same Republicans who cared about what then presidential candidate Barack Obama "did 10 years ago" and his exaggerated ties to the Bill Ayers.
Or what John Kerry did nearly 40 years before in 2004 when Republicans attempted to smear his record of service to our nation with the disgraceful "Swift Boat" campaign.
Yeah, sure, who cares what Trump did 10 or 20 years ago?
He's a Republican after all.
25
Where's Pence? Conspicuously silent these days.
24
I could have passed away a month ago and nobody'd know.
4
He is too busy having a conversation with Jesus Christ behind locked doors. Pence is loving all of this. He only wants the bigger airplane. He is another gift from the Trump administration.
Praying to “Jesus”
If I understand all this correctly, both women consented to the deals they made. I'm at a loss to understand why, in the waning days of the 2016 campaign, either one would make such a stupid business decision.
Had they not agreed to this, they could have come forward and had their say. Perhaps, as with Roy Moore, the election might have turned out differently.
Now it seems as if the only thing prompting their challenges to previously agreed upon contracts is MeToo. This only goes to show how weak they are.
6
Except for the possible campaign financing law issues...
8
Alocksley: Exactly! And #MeToo is about women who have been wrongfully sexually harassed and sexually assaulted. Not about women who have willingly had affairs. They both made bad business decisions and their lawyers are at fault. Let's have justice for true victims whom Trump sexually abused.
and yet you focus on the women...
Trump believes in freedom of speech for sure - for HIMSELF only. Everyone else needs to either button their lips or just nod in agreement. From Nondisclosure agreements all the way to 'Fake News!' , Trump simply hates anyone expressing themselves. Truth is something to be litigated or bullied into submission. He shapes his day into a TV show in which he must win and he writes the script.
He gives out the lines for the day.
Trump is the ultimate director, authoritarian, dictator. Freedom of speech will not be tolerated along with equal rights. Just bully beat all others into submission.
All legal issues aside, these two women should speak out to defend the concept of free speech for all Americans in the face of trump's rule.
10
I am glad these women are brave and are willing to show Trumps supporters they are voting for a morally bad man. He needs to withdraw from the Presidency and straighten out his messed up life. I am tired of all this bad news we keep daily getting about him and I am sure many other people feel this way.
7
D.j.j.k.: trump absolutely needs to withdraw from the presidency, but I cannot see that happening. He will have to be forcibly removed, unless he realizes, at some point, that he is in BIG trouble, and he packs up, in the middle of the night, and scrams. But that will be hard to do for this very high profile resident of The White House. Maybe he can climb up to the roof, and have a helicopter spirit him away. As for straightening up his messed up life: NEVER! He is incapable of that. To straighten out everything that he is, everything that he does, and everything that he stands for...he would need a brain transplant. The kind of psychiatric disorders that this guy has cannot be helped by therapy and medication...and I am particularly referring to the malignant narcissism, and the pathological lying. Certain disorders are capable of being treated, but these two are not. I also think that he has a Borderline Personality Disorder, (just from my observations) and, that, too, is not very responsive to treatment. I have even surmised that he has Bipolar Disease. (Manic-Depression) THAT is treatable. But in conjunction with the other disorders...what a god-awful mess! And then it is all complicated by bad character, no integrity, and either a low I.Q. or A.D.D./A.D.H.D. I would say that he was lucky his father gave him that 14 million dollars when he was young, but, otherwise, in the genetic lottery: He LOST.
2
Let’s be brutally honest: Most of us care more about the quality of our next meal than the quantity of our President’s affairs. We are France.
7
These women are too late. Especially Daniels who used a just-before-the-election threat to make money--instead of vetting the candidate in front of the nation--and is now breaking the NDA to make more. Too late.
6
Cherie: May not be too late if coercion were used to force her to sign an NDA...and it cannot be proven, but I'll bet she was threatened before she signed it.
2
I wonder if David Pekar had to take out a home loan to pay the $150,000.
4
Per Cohen, there are at least 98 more in the wings!
4
This is but a small peek into the world of corruption, money laundering, threats, lies and multiple "fixers" necessary to support a man willing to do whatever it takes to win no matter the cost . Trump voters beware, this is what it looks like when you are being used to satisfy his needs . The fix is in now that the Republican Party of Koch have put their whole operation and money behind him.
14
Trump denies affairs with Stormy and Karen. But Cohen pays Stormy $130,000.
If he paid her $130,000 for not having sex with Trump, then we who have also not had sex with Trump should receive our $130,000. Fair is fair.
28
ahhhh, but do you or I have the photographic, video or audio evidence to back it up? Fingers crossed they do.
1
Has no one asked Cohen the simplest but most important question: WHY did he pay Stormy Daniels $130K if there is no merit to her allegations? I have yet to see his answer
5
treabeton: I know that the rest of us are not having sex with trump, but everyday of his presidency it feels like a 300 pound man is sitting on top of me doing nasty things with his congressional buddies...He owes us much more than $130,000 each for doing this to us!
7
Shouldn't some of these lawyers be disbarred? It seems that the women involved were either not represented well, or that Cohen's behavior was far outside the norms that would be considered ethical or professional (such as personal threats). Trump spent decades bragging about affairs, so his sudden rectitude on the campaign trail, especially his piousness condemning Bill Clinton's affairs and blaming Hillary (unaccountably) for her husband's affairs is revealed as yet more venal behavior.
Remind me why evangelicals consider Trump to be their president? A porn star, a Playboy model, and a few others when Melania is at home with a new baby are all involved with Trump who then turns around and pays them substantial hush money during the election.
Tell the truth, and shame the devil, ladies! Thank you for your honesty. Trump's sexual assault accusers (at least 18 of them) have been pushed into the shadows and have little voice and no justice.
12
Davidson is quite a lawyer, eh?
1
I think it's time for Karen McDougal to admit that she has very poor taste in men.
13
Irrelevant.
5
It was a choice. Very relevant.
... and state the very obvious?
I suppose a headline "Dealing with Mr Pecker" would have been too much to ask for?
12
Okay, but what do these wonderful women see in Trump sexually?
3
MONEY! It more than makes up for small appendages.
8
money, of course.
2
Well, the secret's out. It's confirmed by the confidentiality agreement. Another bimbo eruption. Do we need more details? What is she wanting to reveal? His size? OK, yes, come to think of it, in this environment, that would be news.
6
Guess he gets yet another mulligan from the Republican Evangelical hypocrites. Man, imagine if this was Obama
31
This helps clarify Donald's relationship with Mr. Pecker.
8
I will bet Trump is secretly proud of his sexual exploits. But considering his GIANT EGO I would love to have one of the women tell us "Trump is really just a TEENY WIENNY man!!!
12
Really? The NY Times covering this trailer trash? Puleeeeese. Trump won. Get over it.
11
I don't think it's the affairs that will matter but could it be that just as Al Capone was taken down with his tax returnrs or President could be for these illegal campaign contributions?
7
Now we find out that there is a whole ‘Catch and Kill’ sub-industry
of the tabloid industry. I bet they all play all the angles!
5
After being promised a half-million-dollar escrow account and a 7-figure publishing contract, Ms McDougal learned that “The payment would be $150,000, with Mr. Davidson and others involved on her behalf taking 45 percent.”
While I never expected to advocate for a Playboy playmate, especially one seeking compensation for adultery, her treatment by these men - whom she trusted - is reprehensible. Sue them all!
21
the complaint tells quite a story....and Donald Trump continues to smell worse and worse. Hope Melania divorces him. When will his family speak up?
A national embarrassment.
22
How naive of me. Until now, I thought The National Enquirer objectively covered all the news that’s fit for enquiring minds who want to know.
13
Ken Starr revisited. Here we go again. Ain't it wonderful!
1
Yeah. The best the Republicans could do was produce a blue dress. If all the Democrats can do is produce lurid tales of sexual stupidity, America might as well pack it up. There are real issues on the table to be examined. I still want to see Trump's tax returns!
2
Trump likes women. So what? So did Kennedy and Clinton.
14
That doesn’t make it right. *Pathetic* excuse!
3
He pays for them, or he pays for their silence.
3
We are not talking about Kennedy, Clinton, Roosevelt, Harding, who ever else you want to throw in there. It is about Trump and his network of cover ups. By the way, Clinton was impeached for lying about Monica, what say you about Trump?
6
Can a presidency be annulled? Not just ended, but annulled - like an abusive marriage. As much as possible of what he has done gets undone. The tax “reform” gets cancelled, Obamacare gets reinstated, Comey and McCabe get their jobs back, Joe Arpaio gets unpardoned, Neil Gorsuch loses his seat on the Supreme Court, etc. And Trump gets put in jail, of course. That would be the only meaningful course of action to discourage others from trying the same thing. Otherwise, even if Trump gets kicked out of office, the GOP will still have benefited nicely from all this betrayal by having sent the USA train onto a horribly backwards track.
40
Nice try on Davidson's part, but clients control attorney-client privilege, entirely. If the client wants to reveal privileged information, or demands that the lawyer do so, he doesn't have a rock under which to hide.
14
Not if she signed an agreement. But of course, Miss Greedy could give back the money.
2
You missed my point. Her lawyer cannot refuse to discuss his advice to her by claiming privilege. I said nothing about the NDA.
5
This will be tough on evangelical pastors who are still trying to support Trump. Now he needs two "Mulligans." Or more.
13
And the beat goes on. While this President Trump continues to be charged with wrong doing by many women in his past, his loyal conservative Republican clueless evangel base just shrugs it's shoulders.
Can you imagine if just ONE of these women had accused President Obama of any hanky-panky how the phony holier-than-thou evangels would have screamed their heads off calling for President Obamas removal from officse? They would have frothed at the mouth and howled at the moon.
29
Maybe there has to be actual proof for a change.
So far Mr Trump has been involved in an affair with a porn star and a playboy model, while being lawfully married. Not exactly tough reaches for a guy like him, with so much going for him with all the fame and money. It appears he's only interested in the low hanging fruit for his dalliances. You'd think a guy like him would have more self confidence when it came to sexual conquests. Frankly I'm disappointed.
4
All of this guy’s “conquests” are gold diggers, obviously - within wedlock or outside. Not even his dog could want to be with him for his personality or looks.
1
It a shame how Mr.Trump has lowered our country into the gutter. It is quite a task looking the news and there is a porn start to edify the citizens of what our country looks like around the world now because with the standards? of the POTUS shining fourth from our "former city on a hill"
9
At least he didn't have a private email server or wear a tan suit.
4
Such an apt comparison, it boggles the mind.
This is SO much more interesting than basement email servers...
27
I’m not being judgmental however when most individuals are rooting for a former Playboy centerfold together with an adult film star actress as opposed the President of these United States, God help us!
25
God, i do believe, is rooting for the women in this case, not the POTUS>
2
"A.M.I. has previously acknowledged that Mr. Trump had been friends with Mr. Pecker, but said that he had never tried to influence coverage at the company’s publications."
Anyone who goes shopping would know that during the election that tabloid printed non-stop, off the wall scathing garbage on Secretary Clinton every week. There was not a single negative story about Trump. At that time I initially thought it was really odd. Then it was quite obvious what was going on.
12
Putin should not like what it is happening with the POS, the value of his Kompromat is decreasing day by day...he may be tempted to use it before it will be of no value or Mueller get the whole mess public!
6
trump just called him to congratulate him on his election "win". They are now old buddies, and Cambridge Anal-itical probably made the PPTAPE that Mr Nix was pushing the other day in a video. Hookers and compromising situations. Sounds just like Moscow 2013. Haven't hear from the person who projected slogans on HUMPTOWER, but here's a new one for him: TRUMP IS TOAST, signed MT.
3
These woman were bought off cheap. They aren’t heroes. They owed it to the public to expose Trump before the election. ____ them.
5
Melania Trump would like to deliver her own “State of the Union” address !!!
7
It would be interesting to hear Melania's "State of the Union" address now!
1
and instead of the abnd playing Hail to the Chief, they will be playing "he's in the dog house now, he's in the dog house, now...."
1
No doubt the Times is America’s “Greatest Newspaper”. Maybe it could return to its historic role of reporting “real news”.
4
actaully this IS real nes. In past times, this sort of stuff was buried and dwe had no clue that our politicians were such randy characters. WE need to know what amoral teeerddds they are.
4
This is so unfair to Saint Donald. All these extramarital assignations occurred before he became America’s Top Christian. Who can forget when he even read from “Two Corinthians”? (He probably thought it was about a pair of bodices made of Corinthian leather, but let’s not pick nits.)
12
"Who can forget when he even read from “Two Corinthians”? (He probably thought it was about a pair of bodices made of Corinthian leather, but let’s not pick nits.)"
Or a couple of hot twins from Corinth.
4
Ivanka? Pence? Melania? Hello? Hello? Are you there? Is anyone at home?
15
And what does mrs. trump have to say about all this? Any of the mrs. trumps.
7
They’re all under similar agreements, I’m sure. Including the current floozy, sorry, FLOTUS. It’s just a matter of time and size of the offer to speak out. Crowdfunding, anyone?
8
Translation: The Russia probe has failed, Trump Nation is winning, and the 2016 losers are whining. And most importantly,the Second Special counsel is about to be appointed. Now, back to your scandals.
5
To all of trump's evangelical voters, is Trump the secret Anti-Christ who has fooled you all? How many of the Ten Commandments has he broken? How would you compare Trump to the Bushes, especially the elder Bush, a Vet ? No need for a Devil if all your sins are forgiven by a mere multi-millionaire preacher.
3
How would you compare Trump to the Bushes, especially the elder Bush..."
I suspect Melancholia is the oldest "bush" and there is probably NO comparison.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You don't get to go after Clinton non-stop for years, and attempt to impeach him for possible sexual and other misdeeds, and now say that one should lay off of Trump for similar ones.
21
The paradox here is the more disrespectful Trump is to women the more white women who vote for him.
13
These readers are soaking it all up.
No wonder Howard Stern does so well in New York.
3
Wouldn't want to throw the first stone…but…maybe Trump should have followed Pence's policy of taking his mother or wife long on outings with women.
9
I guess nobody has had the heart to tell Pence that he and his virtue have nothing to worry about.
6
Why would anyone want to admit that they had a relationship with trump?!
9
They are taking one for the team.
2
Our so-called president is an abomination—an embarrassment to America and to his family. (Does Melania’s prenup have an escape clause?)
Evangelicals and right-wing Christians like Sarah’s dad, Mike Huckabee, were in an absolute frenzy to trash Barack Obama. President Obama and his family were stable, exemplary in their behavior, and a credit to our Nation, characteristics the Trumps do not recognize as real family values.
22
The larger question is what does all of this mean to his political party-the Republicans-and what does it mean to the party's political future? The party, in general ,has not come out in force to condemn Trump but they may when it seems that the fallout is going to impinge on their political reelections.
Strange that Republicans have chosen to absorb the Trump fallout rather than come out with a real statement. They are hoping that the base will forget about it, or if not, forgive it.
If all of these women are successful in proceeding against Trump, there may be another group who have had to sign NDAs-but we do not know that now. It will all come out-not withstanding all the Trump lawyers.
4
they didn't elect him, he is the head of THEIR party not the other way around and so they are NOT going to do anything about him. HE IS THEIR RUBBER STAMP. The executive and the legislative branches are ONLY connected by the Constitution and the GOPEE party could care less about that document. If the NRA didn't sign it, can't be very important.
Hope that I can have the chance to know more
1
Wonder if Stable Genius is still the darling of the religious right?
Silly me, of course he is. He is a repentant sinner. He saw the light.
4
He said he doesn’t need forgiveness because he has done nothing wrong. At least that is what his god tells him known as Lord Mammon.
NDAs / Non Disclosure Agreement should be illegal in all cases like this. Confidentiality NDAs were made for intellectual property protection. Not the strange way that they have been applied with hiding sexual abuse or sexual misconduct or harassment. These are crimes. They are not intellectual property. Settlements are one thing, the silence should not be legally allowed. Slavery is over, you can't pay these women to be silent without it being close to prostitution or chattel and slavery. NYTimes and Wapo help end this nightmare and help make the legislation to make NDAs illegal. This would have prevented the horror or Weinstein, the horror of Nassar and it might be the one thing that saves our nation from a fascist dictator who clearly has too many NDAs out there due to his sexual misconduct.
20
NDAs / Non Disclosure Agreement should be illegal in all cases like this. Confidentiality NDAs was made for intellectual property protection. Not the strange way that they have been applied with hiding sexual abuse or sexual misconduct or harassment. These are crimes. They are not intellectual property. Settlements are one thing, the silence should not be legally allowed. Slavery is over, you can't pay these women to be silent without it being close to prostitution or chattel and slavery. NYTimes and Wapo help end this nightmare and help make the legislation to make NDAs illegal. This would have prevented the horror or Weinstein, the horror of Nassar and it might be the one thing that saves our nation from a fascist dictator who clearly has too many NDAs out there due to his sexual misconduct.
2
People are stupid plain and simple! A woman who takes her clothes off for money instead of becoming educated and getting a job that could utilize those skills, yet no one sees an issue? She had consensual sex with a man, then took money not to tell people about it, yet no one sees and issue. Now this man she accepted money to not tell people about, has a bigger potential to bring this woman more publicity and money, she all the sudden is moral and is all bout telling everyone that she had consensual sex with him. Who cares, what does this have to do with a persons job? So getting laid is a problem and somehow makes you incompetent to perform a duty or be in charge of something? I get laid all the time and make just decisions just fine.
6
Did you feel that way about Bill Clinton? Probably not, right? And he didn't use campaign funds.
2
The president of the United States cheated repeatedly on his wife and he lied about it repeatedly. He's still lying about it.
1
No worries. You can totally disregard him paying off people he has had affairs with. There is no shortage of trump characteristics that make him incompetent to perform his job.
1
Crooked lying trump is also a manipulative cheater! And there were probably subtle threats to accept this hush money “or not lose”! The swamp isn’t deep enough to find his kind of slime! How much farther will evangelicals and others of professed faith follow this man of no morals to the bottom of this cesspool?
10
I hope these Women make lots of media money because they are revealing publicly to being intimate with an Orange Fat Beast.
15
I enjoy thinking about how much Melania's lawyers are extracting from Cheapo Trump every time there is a headline like this. She must be charging Trump a fortune for every single day she doesn't make a grand, sweeping exit through the front door of the White House in her Jackie-O sunglasses with a battalion of civil servants trailing behind carrying the Louis Vuitton travel cases. Hahahahaha!
Meanwhile, not that I care, but why did these women settle for chump change in the first place? Bad agents?
32
if only they had waited till he was elected; their silence would have been much more valuable. Their sin is not having enough faith in TRUMP.
1
Just saying that as an Evangelical Christian, I condemn Trump for how he speaks of others, his lack of any moral character, and how he views and treats other people and nations. I honestly don't know how anyone could support him as POTUS.
31
You must be a member of a small minority: Evangelical Christians who read the NYT.
7
God Bless you!
3
You're apparently a real evangelical. That's different than a Trump evangelical.
1
I'm a little puzzled as to what new information these women could provide. or what advantages would accrue to them, even if the non-disclosure agreements were deemed invalid. Unless you believe Trump or Cohen paid them $130,000 and $150,000 purely out of the goodness of their hearts, the basic facts of the women's stories are already known: they had sexual affairs with a married Donald Trump, and he paid them to keep silent.
5
This is rich: Trump (or his lawyer, on his own initiative, without basis then, AND, using his own money) paid out largish sums of money to various women with whom he DID NOT have affairs, entered into NDA's with self-same women to prevent them talking about the affairs they DID NOT have.
And most of his base couldn't give a hoot about any of this anyway, since he could stand in the middle of Fifth Ave. and shoot someone and they would still love him.
So, what gives?
Is there a bridge he wants to sell us?
14
My neighbor Larry has since taken his Trump flags off his stupid truck. They'll never admit it, but they all got suckered. Ahh ha ha haaa
42
Congratulate Larry for doing that. It takes courage to concede a mistake.
6
I dont think it was the truck that was stupid.
After seeing the pictures of some of the women Trump has had sex with, it's hard to call him stupid anymore.
9
Reading about how his choice of partners in extramarital affairs has backfired on him so spectacularly I suspect he's even stupider than I thought. Clearly the women involved think he's pretty stupid. But then they wouldn't have been doing it because of his brains. Or his looks. Or his personality...
It's horrifying!
It's disgusting!!
The though of these, and many other, beautiful women having sex with that old, ugly, fat, and obnoxious man is enough to make people sick to their stomachs.
Enough, NY Times!!!
9
How much more can this country take of this pervert Trump.. Here he is with a beautiful new wife at home that just gave birth to a son ...Then he goes off and disgraces his new bride and family....So I guess, not only is he cheating on Melania but at the same time he is cheating on his new lover Stormy Daniels with this brand new one named Karen McDougal? Are you kidding me? Trump you have got to be the lowest of the low rent losers we have ever witnessed.. I am moving to Mexico!
25
Who knew porn stars, playboy models, and high school students would be so fierce in standing up to 45. I love it!
30
Is this serious? His name is Mr. Pecker and he's a friend of Trump. I'm following down laughing.
14
David Pecker, Charles Harder, Stormy Daniels--these names are hilarious, and the most hilarious name of all it: Trump. Trump the chump who exhausts his sexual prowess in just one pump.
14
Monica who?
29
You're so clever.
1
How does one sign a non-disclosure agreement with a person who refuses to reveal his taxes, brags in public about his whoring, feels compelled to remind folks he is not terminally flaccid or senile, had three marriages two probably still require payouts for silence, "accidentally" places US security in jeopardy with his stupid big mouth, makes up "facts", tweets like a drunk uncle, has fake Time magazine overs in his cheesy resorts, and peddles bogus crap like steaks goofy ties, and not laugh.
60
because you're crying.
4
Services and arrangements bought and paid for. We know Trump has these relations. What’s the news? Totally unimportant. All that counts is the real legal matters in the investigation. This woman will be forgotten as she should. When the porn star was asked about any feminist aspect she said “hell no”’ “don’t you know what I do for a living?” It’s a money hunt for paid interviews. No one is interested in the details of the alleged intimacy.
This is non news.
7
It is news because apparently some people need further education about slimeball that is the President of the United States. Until he is gone from the national scene it is imperative that everyone have the chance to learn what an evil stupid person he is.
3
no, it's "porn" news.
maybe the NYTimes will run an article about how Melania is taking all this= not that anyone cares or is surprised by anything any more that this poor excuse for a "man" does -
the sooner all of these people (him, & family) are out of the White House & out of the news we'll all be able to breathe & focus on what really matters -our own lives..
1
Ok. I know (and so do you) that Trump lies and cheats (on everyone, including his wives). So why do Trump and his friends spend hundred of thousands of dollars to quiet these women?
I'm not a fan of President Trump, but he slept with some hookers/porn actors....so what? if a Democrat did it, you guys would say....so what ? don't act all high and moral.
8
We aren’t being high and moral.
We are entertained.
And it confirms there isn’t a decent bone in his body.
14
And if a Democrat ‘did it’, Republicans would be yelling ‘immoral’, ‘unfit’. Remember they tried to impeach Clinton for his affair. Huh???
3
Except, of course, the Republican Party - and especially the evangelical and Tea Party camps - are the ones constantly thumping the Bible and preaching “American family values”. Yet, it’s not beneath them to idolize a president who is a liar, a thief, a trickster, a glutton, a bigot, a sexual predator, and an honor roll member of the adultery club.
1
Melania, please show a smidgen of self resect and leave this man already. If not for yourself, then to protect your son from this sick, sick man we call our President.
35
You really don't get this at all. Melania is just as slimy as he is. She married him not despite of his behavior but because of it and because he's rich. She is just as vile, dishonest, and evil as he is. The only way to save any of the kids would be to take them away from this miserable couple.
8
A guy named Pecker trying to keep Trump's pecker out of trouble. You couldn't write it any better.
31
Both women should tell their stories. If they sued and are monetarily penalized for their stories, the should start a go fund me campaign. Millions of Americans will make sure they won’t have to pay anything from their own pockets. It will be the HUGEST go fund me campaign ever. Nothing would be worse for Trump than the news reporting the daily progress in the fund
57
The discovery in these cases will be fascinating.
7
Looks like they are asking trump to renegotiate their agreements to keep silent. smart cookies
I would contribute .
Glory follows virtue as if it were its shadow.
5
What sadden me the most is that this story will not matter to his supporters, e.g. the GOP. He was absolutely right when he said he could kill someone on "Fifth Ave and get away with it". It doesn't matter. And it doesn't because he was not elected for his good manners, customs, morals, or leadership capacity.
He was elected on hate for the system, as a white-lash against Obama, as a punishment to liberals, a punishment to immigrants, to "inflict harm against all of those progressives and educated people who have deviated this country and made me feel poor, abandoned and disfranchised". The top positions in the Government allowed it and allow him because now they can pass their tax cuts, the defense programs that will fill their pockets.
With those being the reasons why someone chose him, who cares if he slept with prostitutes while married? who cares if he negotiated with Russia? who cares if he has no morals? He is at least giving them all a hard time.
Our only hope lies in the little honesty that might remain in the real conservative men and women in Congress. The greed and craving for a revenge against Obama and Democrats need to stop before it destroys the rest of the country.
Make no mistake: he will destroy many an institution in the process if he is not stopped. Look FBI, look DOJ, look the school programs, the NRA and all that.
As a Venezuelan, I know this as a fact. Chavez had same kind of personality.
123
You are absolutely correct. When I talk about Trump I talk about Chavez with the exact same arguments.
4
Great comment.
What I never understood is where what you describe as "the need and craving for a revenge against Obama..." comes from? The man they despised, even though he did more for them then Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 and this current President ever did.
1
It's always interesting to watch the predators circle the wagons around one their own. Lest they be similarly held accountable some day.
10
It may come to pass before too much longer that any protective actions will give way to hunger and the circle of protection will give way to something very different.
3
It is no wonder that this president has decided his "gut" is better than any person's advice. Just look at how many people are willing to bury his bad publicity. I do wish this had come out before the election. Oh, sure, he would win anyway, but he and Willy could have kept score.
6
Big as it is, I'm not sure it's his gut that needs to be kept in check.
3
I hate to say it but it sounds like she has a much better case against her own lawyer for malpractice than she does against the contract.
2
Trump only hires the best people. Meaning, the best people he knows are people he hires because no one will hang out with him unless the are being paid, or expect to be paid, to do so. Same rule applies to these "companions."
6
When a guy has access to the nuclear football, I am not that concerned about who he was schtupping ten years ago. There are far more immediate and threatening concerns.
13
Yes. Agreed. This kind of thing should concern only him and his wife.
Except Trump is the leader of a party that claims the ‘moral highground’ and is supported by the so-called Christian evangelicals. Bringing them down is too much fun.
2
Come on, give Trump a break. He told told the world in a TV debate with Hillary that "Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody, nobody has more respect". The man's a stable genius so he wouldn't make up stuff like this.
20
What does 'respect' have to do with paying someone off to stay quiet about a relationship? Did he abuse these women? Are you confusing this with #MeToo?
Um... His wife had just had his child and he’s off having affairs with multiple porn stars. Oh the respect!!
1
As an American and as a patriot concerned for my country, if either of these women want to meet with me they are free to talk about it to anybody they want.
5
Contracts such as these -- paying someone with dirt on a public figure to keep quiet -- are against public policy.
Can you imagine how Trump's defenders would be screaming to the heavens if Bill Clinton's girl friends signed the same contracts?
37
Trump has tried to get people who work at the White House (people WE pay) to sign non-disclosures.
5
Can we say "book deals in the offing". I don't blame either one of them, like trump they are just trying to cash in on a deal.
13
Apparently my conservative - mostly card carrying Republicans - have had a sudden change of heart. They used to object to indecent behavior and talked incessantly about family values. They admired people who were honest and wore American flag lapel pins. They valued hard work and disapproved of coarse behavior. And they were deathly afraid of increasing the federal deficit.
I just wish one of their prominent spokespersons would step forward and explain to us how all of that changed. And how it changed practically over night.
78
It's simple really - the're hypocrits power seekers and toadies to the small few who hold most of this country's wealth and believe they know best how to distribute the taxpayer's wealth.
2
I am confused. Will any of these accusations and possible indictments have any impact to the President owing to the fact that these incidents happened before his actual Presidency? The only thing I can see is that it could hurt his chances in the 2020 elections. I can even see that some of his base may be enjoying his antics. The evangelical voters do not seem to care, Melania is nowhere to be found, and more important, these issues are distracting the public from the bigger matter at hand, the Russian investigation.
13
There are legal implications regarding the monetary payment prior to the election to Stormy Daniels. This may have constituted violations of campaign finance laws. Depends on the facts - when they get out - as to where money came ultimately came from and other considerations.
8
Why would it hurt him for 2020? None of his followers actually expects him to be an honest man with integrity. They wouldn't dare hold the bar so high for their leader.
1
The more weapons we have to fight stupid self-worshiping evil the better. These women are weapons beyond belief. If their stories are verified (and they will be) yet another layer of phony will be totally exposed and the folks at Fox will probably all require new vocal cords to blabber the new load of bullsauce stirred up to supposedly distract women from hearing anything about it. They are hearing it - guess how much they like it.
Apparently Trump's affairs were—and continue to be—transactional. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't enough money in the world to make Trump appealing.
34
There appears to be no end to this Circus and Soap Opera.
I have often wondered how it will be for the Media for the News agencies,
Radio and TV when it will all come to an end. Maybe we will have the ongoing
good fortune of watching DJT in his own NETWORK, regaling us with more salacious and diabolical scenarios.
The antics in US politics is providing fodder for so many including those of us who have found the whole thing riveting, although by now a little tiresome. One feels a little like a voyeur.
6
On the positive side, it's nice to see a brunette in the mix.
42
Not only is Trump a shyster, but also the people who work for him!
30
Duh!
2
Take them all, you have my blessing.
So Trump wants a piece of $20 million for contractual breaches disclosing details and breaking silence about events and episodes that Trump says never happened? That's chutzpah and greed!
If it didn't happened, why is he party to the payoff?
89
.......and it's in Federal Court.......one has to wonder if this a 'bought' judge who will be presiding.
The price comes from the NDA, which provides for a penalty of $1 million for each breach. Stormy agreed to this in advance.
Exactly!
While I wouldn't ordinarily care about who slept with who and when, as long as it is consenting adults involved, I cannot help but remember back to a President named Clinton. Following the lead of elected Republicans at that time, I can only conclude that this is surely the type of issue that those most religiously devout and morally judgmental of politicians must consider an impeachable offense. Where are you, o evangelical and holy Republican politicians? Where is your voice and outrage now?!
523
peter, yes they are such hypocrites
...but i think they tried to impeach clinton because he lied. i don't think having sex is an impeachable offense
were? Here. We don't care what he did before he was elected. Now if he did it in the oval office, like Clinton, thats another story.
My memory of the Clinton impeachment was that he lied to congress about his affair. In this case, congress is not asking.
1
The courts have accepted the concept of binding arbitration in contracts (something I disagree with), but if arbitration leads to a financial penalty, as in the case of Ms Clifford aka Stormy Daniels, I don't see how collection can be enforced. If the courts say the inclusion of an arbitration clause in a contract precludes them from interfering, then the courts should also be precluded from enforcing collection, yes? The supposedly injured party could not bring any other entities to bear in asking for a financial penalty, and just be left holding their members in their hands. I would like to see that idea tested in court.
24
That is not how arbitration works. The Courts are precluded from addressing the merits of the case, but required to enforce the arbitration Order by converting it into a Judgment that can be executed upon for collection.
7
Has Tony Perkins run out of Mulligan's yet?
46
First Stormy, now a Playmate of the Year? Trump just nailed down the bro vote for reelection. At least they weren't West Wing interns.
23
I bet the other kids in your 5th grade class got a yugggeeeee chuckle out of that one. Someday when you are reviewing the blooper reel that was your life, I hope the above statement stands out to you as woefully stupid, as it will to most readers...maybe by 10th grade your sense of shame will be more developed and save you from further similar embarrassments.
2
Paying them counts?
1
And if you don’t think this is a pattern of Trump and his corruption that goes far beyond this situation, your delusional.
The fact that your amused while Trump undermines the integrity and social fabric of our country is quite sad.
2
I'm not sure what the story is here? Who voted for Trump because they thought he kept his marital vows with his much younger 3rd wife?
27
oh right a porn star with the goods on the prez, no, that's a non-story.
5
If they're okay with it, why the NDAs?
Yes, Trump always just denies and dismisses it. End of story.
So why is Trump going ballistic to shut up these 2 particular ladies?
To quote that great seductress of juris prudence, Stormy Daniels, "Ugh, here we go."
44
Haven't seen or heard much from Melania these days. I wonder what the heck she's thinking about all this "winning".
80
I think she's thinking "Beige. Maybe I'll have the bedroom painted beige. Now where is that Neiman Marcus catalogue?"
13
Well, her husband said she would win so much she would get sick of it, and so it appears to be.
7
I imagine she is terribly embarrassed by all this - but it is hard to believe she didn't know what an uncontrollable adolescent boy she was marrying (The Donald)..... and they probably have their own agreement
Having Trump being linked to (consensual) affairs to porn stars and playboy bunnies will play well to his male base. This is truly the advantages of being a billionaire.
Oh and there is no way the evangelicals will ever vote for liberal Democrats (those God-hating hypocrites!). As such, they'll just hold their nose and vote for Trump.
My point is, while salacious and feeding the outrage of the left, this is just tabloid fodder that won't mean a whit when it comes to an election.
27
You may be right about it playing to his sophomoric base.
BUT ...
The adults haven't forgotten that these are but Exhibits 412 and 541 of the laundry list of Trumpian travesties.
If these were the ONLY transgressions, he might mulligan his way out of it.
Yet, let's not forget that the man himself claimed he never settles lawsuits (because he "always" wins) and also claimed he never met these ladies (from whom he needed NDAs for dalliances that supposedly never happened.)
Oh and Russia, emoluments, the Swamp Cabinet, etc. etc.
Just more fuel for the fire, my friend.
5
Yep Republicans that preach against the A thing, get a total pass.
A GOP primary would be nice.
What Lily Tomlin said: No matter how cynical you are, you just can't keep up.
58
Who wouldn't pay to see the look on Bill Clinton's face when he reads this headline? He may switch party affiliations.
13
"The National Enquirer, American Media Inc., which paid her $150,000 and whose chief executive is a friend of President Trump’s."
Really, the fake president and third rate TV person is friends with folks with great credentials.
31
Lies and coverups brought down NIXON and the same things will bring down Trumpy...Trumpy's starting to make NIXON look like an honest individual with half decent moral values...
41
You know our country is in trouble when the New York Times headlines are about the president and the porn star, the president and the playboy model, the president congratulates Putin on election win, and his friend and chief of ami is named pecker. What’s next? Please New York Times - let’s get away from the distractions and stick to the news stories and the real problems of where we are and where we are headed.
238
I'm not distracted. They do both types of stories and I read both. This one is extremely important because there is a possibility of campaign finance laws broken. Who knows, this could be the one that gets him.
29
Thanks for your input, Boris.
7
Sir, Do you understand that this IS a problem? That a president has repeated affairs with porn stars/ playboy models while married? Do you understand how this behaviour is part of a pattern of unsavoury activity that reflects both his mentality and morality? This country is headed to hell BECAUSE of Trump, his belief system and activities.
AND, maybe, just maybe, when it all begins to get too much, the Republicans will dump him.
And then we get Mikey Pence
11
Is there a chance that the media company contacted Trump for his side of the story and he offered to pay more to burry it? and as he boughther exclusivity rights through a 3d party it would remand buried.
3
What trauma has happened to the Republican Party that its members can condone such audaciously vile behavior? Any women who votes for a representative of this immorality has a serious lack of self-respect and the desire to completely debase herself. And any man who votes for this Party just wants to emulate trump’s malignancies.
37
So all this shutting up past love affairs certainly is payment for his political campaign.
6
These women should also go after their lawyer at the time, Keith Davidson, who apparently pressed them to sign agreements disadvantageous to them, while pocketing 45% of the money they received.
64
Well, not just that -- if he was talking to Cohen, it's more than likely he wasn't working in just his clients' interests. That's a violation of his duty of loyalty to his clients as he's potentially accounting for or representing adverse interests.
6
Great Point- he should have held out for the millions they will now make from the media. Of course no one may ever date them again.
Why not just let them tell us their version of events? After all, we have heard Trump's version ad infinitum from the president, his associates, and his enforcers. They have all told us that Trump did not have a sexual relationship with these women. If it turns out that the president has not told the truth, or is otherwise hiding something, then there are clear implications vis-à-vis national security and his vulnerability to blackmail by a foreign adversary.
40
I think there is legitimate value in publicising these cases. If nothing else it lays bare the hypocrisy of the GOP in what they are willing to live with by having Trump as a president. After Trump, never again can the GOP pretend to be shocked and morally outraged by any misdeeds of a Democrat whether it be infidelity, dishonesty, financial crimes, (morally) treasonous behaviour with a hostile country... you name it. There isn't any vile behaviour that their own leader hasn't exhibited and the GOP has sat silent. Trump's legacy will haunt the GOP for years.
57
Just hope humanity will still be around to consider his legacy after he is done.
3
You underestimate the Richter rating for the shockability of Republicans in response to possible Democratic shenanigans. Their ability to express outrage survived various sex/marital scandals involving Rep. Buz Lukens, Rep. Robert Bauman, Rep. Jon Hinson, Rep. Thomas Evans, Rep. John Schmitz, Rep. Dan Crane, Rep. Gerry Studds, Rep. Ernie Konnyu, Rep. Arlan Stangeland, Sen. Robert Packwood, Rep. Ken Calvert, Rep. Helen Chenoweth-Hage, Rep. Bob Barr, Rep. Dan Burton, Rep. Robert Livingston, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Henry Hyde, Sen. Pete Domenici, Rep. Ed Schrock, Sen. Strom Thurmond, Rep. Steven LaTourette, Rep. David Dreier, Rep. Don Sherwood, Rep. Mark Foley, Sen. David Vitter, Sen. Larry Craig, Rep. Vito Fossella, Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Chip Pickering, Rep. Mark Souder, Rep. Chris Lee, Rep. Scott DesJarlais, Rep. Vance McAllister, Rep. Blake Farenthold, Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Tim Murphy, Rep. Joe Barton, Rep. Pat Meehan, and Gov. Mark Sanford. Their outrage level will drop again as soon as the subject is not Donald Trump.
1
Bill Clinton taught the nation that private consensual affairs had no bearing or relevance to fitness for office, and Democrats uniformly supported him. That genie cannot be put back in the bottle.
11
I'm not sure that was the lesson. Remember, there was an impeachment.
4
It is not the private consensual affair in this case, it is the reality that this man has too many shady things in his life and is a prime target for blackmail.
4
Huh? He was impeached for lying about an affair.
They should just talk and then have the next President (a Democrat!) pardon them. Put Trump on the defensive.
2
Ms. McDougal´s lawyer tells us that “We intend to invalidate the so-called contract that American Media Inc. imposed on Karen so she can move forward with the private life she deserves.” All very well, but a howler is a howler. If the agreement is invalidated her private life will consist of going public and telling all and maybe even a bit more than all. It´s a story of betterment, of enterprise, a very American story and one that, had he not gotten himself into it, the Gonif in Chief surely could appreciate.
2
The Lawyers for these two ladies really sold them short.
1
What part of the word ‘contract ‘ are these ladies having a hard time understanding?
5
About the same understanding as Trump when It came to honoring his financial obligations.
5
A marriage license is also a contract. What part of that did Trump have a hard time understanding?
1
John Curley, what part of the words 'void for fraud,' 'void as against public policy,' 'obtained under duress,' and other valid defenses to contract formation are you having difficulty comprehending?
These 'contracts' were for payment of hush money, quite possibly made in violation of campaign finance, and/or banking and tax laws, on the eve of the Presidential election, for the clear purpose of duping the American voting public.
Not all contracts are enforced as written. You may have noticed that Mr. Trump used similar strong-arm tactics in an effort to obtain 'nondisclosure agreements' from White House staff and cabinet members. Small problem there: we have public disclosure laws that trump (pun intended) El Presidente's wishes, whether expressed in a 'contract' or not.
The Presidential election process is not a private business transaction, and Trump may not treat it as such. The White House is not a private sole proprietorship, and Trump may not treat it as such.
Until theRepublican Party goes whole hog and change the nation's name to 'The United Fortune 500 and Hedge Funds of America,' there are still some guardrails to prevent bullies, creeps, thugs and tinhorn Mafioso like Trump and his henchmen from hijacking our democracy.
3
This guy really has an incredible libido for a man his age! I have to give the resistance credit though for their persistence. I assume that these sex stories are the next back up plan in case Mueller doesn't deliver the goods or they can't get the son in law? What's next?
6
Exactly. Well said.
1
Had. Not "has."
2
"I assume that these sex stories are the next back up plan in case Mueller doesn't deliver the goods or they can't get the son in law? What's next?" What is next is the fact that nearly 100% of these problems first arose because trump can't keep his mouth shut and keeps telling people to not look in the basement or in the trunk of his car. What is next is trump once again stepping on his own...unit, and saying something that provides another road mark toward another indictable offense.
2
It took a porn star to finally threaten the Trump presidency. Not a special investigation, not a dissolving cabinet that more closely resembles a bus stop, not even Trump’s blatant violation of the Emoluments Clause.
It took a porn actress, who in social standing is almost rock bottom (ranked slightly above pimp, and one step below tax cheat) in other words, one who has zero to lose and everything to gain. The potential earnings available to Ms. Clifford now that Mr. Trump is president have increased by fifty. Add to that Ms. Clifford's apparent "evidence" (there are numerous references to text, calls and possibly photos) and her potential earnings have re-drawn the balance of power between porn star and president. The $130,000 already given for her silence is being happily returned. It’s a fascinating turn of events. Trump is infamously litigious, and this is perhaps his greatest court battle. I have a feeling the Court will allow her to return the hush money.
This should be excruciatingly painful for Mr. Trump. Unfortunately this man has no heart therefore he may not suffer from the human condition like many of us do.
22
I disagree. A porn actress works for her money. A pimp is a parasite. Besides, hopefully these two ladies will get enough media money to quit the indignity of their work.
3
Are you kidding, Trump loves all this press! Plus it diverts our attention away from the Mueller investigation.
Nice try at grabbing at more straws, the others failed, because democrats grasping at straws to unseat a sitting president, cause their queen lost.
The immorality of Trump is his brand, but must not be normalized. And the corruption demonstrated by the attempted suppression of accounts of Trump's sexual indiscretions by his legal goon squad must be brought to light.
10
If these ladies wish to speak out, why do not they report on their affairs with Donald Duck or with Denis Davidson? No silencing contract would be broken.
7
If I remember correctly the contracts also specify they can use the events in fictionalized versions either. The contracts are incredibly one-sided and one has to wonder whose side their lawyer was on?
5
Probably in the other side’s pocket. 150k is laughable.
1
Trump and his ilk certainly impose a ton of nondisclosure agreements and financial settlements for people who are as squeaky clean as they claim to be.
8
Of course Trump hasn't been doing anything grabbing either?
2
Shame on me! What no Facebook Group for these ladies to share not disclose?
And to think McCabe was fired for not being "forthcoming".
35
He got fired for lying to the FBI during an investigation. A bit different than the rather salacious, but not illegal, dalliances of a morally suspect NY billionaire.
2
Ahh, but McCabe was fired by the guy who could not recall anything
"lack of candor.".. yes definitely a criminal offense in Trump's book.
If they win, the precedent would demolish no disclosure agreements for every public figure; every celebrity. Get out the popcorn folks!
9
Next year when he attends the Boy Scouts Jamboree, he'll have a lot more good stories to tell them.
48
Right before he says, "You mean there isn't a badge for snagging porn stars? SAD!!!!"
3
As with Stormy's case, there is really nothing new we have to learn here. The probability Mr. Trump had affairs is a given. What more do we really need to know?
Just the accusation and the existence of some Non-Disclosure Agreement is enough for me, plus the fact Mr. Trump is threatening enforcing that agreement. Clearly he is trying to hide something which is in the open. These are zombie cases in that they arise from being apparently dead.
2
Would be good to know why were there statements about "paternity" in the NDA? Maybe it's just SOP but definitely curious.
It wasn't so long ago that all the women who came out with information against Clinton were totally ignore and dismissed by the media.
6
It wasn't so long ago when republicans were for what they called family values.
5
It was 30+ years ago and the media actually covered it quite extensively.
6
Actually, it was a pretty long time ago. A lot has changed in 20 years.
1
It now seems rather clear that Trump has been a serial philanderer and serial sex assaulter; both of which he has adamantly and publically denied. As blanket denial seems to be the de rigueur of those so charged until the clear evidence proves otherwise, no one is overly concerned or surprised that Trump would lie to the public about such things. We, in fact, expect that from men in his position.
However, we appear to also know that Melania did not have an agreement with Donald to look the other way while he committed these indiscreet acts.
Therefore, Trump felt entitled to not only lie to the public, but to also to cheat on and lie to his wife - and that is the most troubling of all. If a man will lie to and cheat his wife, do you think he would ever have any compunction to do less to the public/the citizens of this country if he found it expedient to do so. Nothing Trump says cannot be taken without at least a grain of salt... Absolutely NOTHING!
10
"we appear to also know that Melania did not have an agreement with Donald to look the other way while he committed these indiscreet acts."
Unless you have seen any prenuptial arrangement. you can state no such thing.
He had billions, she had almost nothing, those with the gold write the rules.
1
While I'm sure this is just the tip of the filthy iceberg that is his private life, I'm more concerned with how Trump has been given free rein to jeopardize our democracy while the GOP remains compliant.
46
So, it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that Trump has no morals.
Now, in the case of these 2 accusers, they knowingly had affairs, took money in exchange for their silence, and now are suing to get out of it so they can make more money?
Seems like a lack or morals all around.
7
You lie down with the dogs, you get up fleas.
1
Two pretty airheads, consensual adultery by adults, no legal offenses that any court should have to get involved in, then or now. But large mob suffering Trump Derangement Syndrome wants moral, political, cultural outrage; or something.
Silence? Why should anyone ever be paid to keep silent? We have a right to know!
In fact courts do allow escape from NDA's for good reason. None here.
I thought it was illegal to pay a woman for sex. People get arrested for it all the time where I live. I do not see how Trump can pay a woman for sex and not be charged with a crime.
Trump offered her 130 grand to have sex but not talk about it. If that is not prostitution, then the pimps in my neighborhood should reword the transactions going down so no one gets arrested anymore.
A.M.I.'s tabloid publications, yes the ones you see at the grocery store check-out lines, are among the worst at disseminating distorted, if not outright false information. I'm referring to the ones which are blatantly anti-Obama, anti-Hillary and pro-Trump. It's ironic that the same person they have supported since he declared his candidacy for the Presidency, Trump himself, is now "emperor with no clothes" in the mainstream (i.e. legitimate) media.
7
Maybe, just maybe, we have to make NDA's illegal. Because if they're being used like this, they aren't being used for the right thing.
8
To all those commenting that Ms. Clifford and Ms. McDougal signed contracts and should now adhere to them, recall that Mr. Trump would often do the same thing in his development business. He often reneged on agreements with contractors after work had been completed, daring them to sue him or renegotiate from a position of severe weakness - after they had committed capital and needed to pay workers and suppliers. These women are merely using the same tactics he employed to get a better deal. Karma is quite a thing.
78
I'm sure Trump gave both ladies signed copies of the Art of the Deal.
Who knew they'd read it?
1
Few know better than Trump, who manipulates through his use of mass and social media, that keeping others from doing what he does is proactive behavior. Ironic that he is so abjectly failing at showing such foresight as president. Public service has insufficient personal rewards, apparently--just the welfare of a country whose interests he was (I guess) elected to represent.
This isn't even a case of skeletons in the closet. It's a closet full of sewage, and it's oozing out through every crack and crevice and opening. I wish the women good luck, but it seems like the only thing Trump's lawyers are much good at is shutting up people who know what a sad caricature of a human being he really is. That is a particularly grotesque form of prostitution that I hope causes them many sleepless nights and professional ostracism. Open the door, shine a light, and let those supporters see what sort of creature their public support enables. At that point, if they still prostrate in front of the billionaire pseudopopulist offering mulligan after mulligan, at least the rest of us have a better image of what his true soul mates and the forces aligned against representative democracy look like.
And can vote them out. Ryan, McConnell and Nunes would be a good start.
24
If you google "in touch stormy daniels" you get a 7 year old interview that pretty much tells the story. The New Yorker article is similarly public.
I'm not a lawyer. How can a non disclosure agreement stop further discussion of already public information?
13
'There was no affair.' That's why Trump and his henchmen siphoned $280,000 in hush money to these two women, shortly before the 2016 Presidential election.
Trump was running for President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States. While to some extent a candidate's private life might be irrelevant to his fitness for office, at some point a lifelong pattern of abusive behavior, infidelity, lying, bribery and blackmail surely has some relevance and is information the voting public has a right to know.
There is a good argument that in this context, these 'non-disclosure agreements' violate public policy and should be held unconscionable and unenforceable. A contract in furtherance of fraud is not enforceable.
The very existence of these shady deals is all we need to know. Beyond that, I don't want to know who did what to whom behind closed doors - I'd like to keep lunch down. But I do want to know the who, what, where and why behind every one of these strong-arm 'contracts' - including where the dirty money came from, how it was funneled through bogus corporations, and how it was accounted for in campaign and tax records.
Dollars to donuts there's conduct here in violation of tax and banking laws, and 'Mr. Fixer' Cohen likely committed ethical violations worthy of suspension or disbarment.
Between this nonsense, Nix and Cambridge Analytica, and Brad Parscale's social media trolling, we're looking at a few episodes of The Sopranos - not a democratic election process.
10
I'm old enough to remember when republicans cared about President Clinton's infidelities.
34
There are still days when I wake up in utter disbelief that Donald Trump is president of the United States. These are dark days, and there is no relief in sight.
The prospect of Pence replacing Trump is no comfort. He is probably more determined and capable than Trump to take us all back to the Stone Age.
31
Maybe, but guaranteed he’s slept with fewer porn stars and playboy bunnies. Hmm. Is that a positive or negative?
Non-disclosure agreements are a gross perversion of justice. They serve the interest of the wealthy and powerful.
9
The big trouble with this nondisclosure contract is that her intent was for an exclusive on telling her story, not being prevented from telling her story.
20
Why7 do you think Karen McDougal wanted to tell her story, if not for money? It's not something most women would want the world to know.
2
Maybe she has a conscience.
These young ladies' stories are extremely useful. They serve to expose the true morality of the churches who support this man. Just like modern day Republicans are not about patriotism or fiscal sanity or morality, they and the churches have shown they are about power over others and wealth.
327
"Just like modern day Republicans are not about patriotism or fiscal sanity or morality". Well, if that was the case they would be considered Democrats, right?
4
Nothing new there.
4
Blatant projection
2
Every secret deal Trump has made or has been procured by one of his minions is another potential source of manipulation contrary to the security interests of the USA. This fall vote for Senators and Representatives who will respect national security and hold Trump accountable.
135
Dear DWS, If the electorate dutifully heeds your patriotic call, there will probably be 10, or fewer, Republicans serving in the entire Congress come next January. The "swamp" will have been rightfully drained!
Who knows what if anything Trump was doing with this woman, but nothing would surprise me as it's plainly apparent that he is a self-centered lying bully that is above no kind of behavior that I can think of as long as it helps him to get what he what he want. Regardless of whether there's anything going on here, if there is it does nothing to move the needle as far as seeing what type of person he is. He is pretty much the exact opposite of the type of person I'd like to go out and have a beer with (wouldn't buy a round), would want to work for (would be bullying and abusive, taking all credit and casting all blame), would have work for me (would not do any work, would be untrustworthy and would deliberately undermine coworkers and superiors alike so he, and he alone, could get ahead), or would have any of my female friends or relatives get involved with (sorry, no examples here I want to think about). But 62.98 million Americans voted for him, many of whom claim to be devoutly religious. Go figure.
84
being devoutly religious does not conclude that one is intelligent and or has any common sense.
14
Here's one reason. Trump said that he'd stop abortion. If you consider abortion to be murder of the innocent, then it's easy to convince yourself that Trump is, for all his moral failings, a means to an end.
Religion is the opiate of the masses. And when religion is no longer a sufficient buzz, the masses move on to oxycontin.
2
It's not very hard to wonder why every time one of these lurid stories about the current occupant of the White House comes out, support among evangelical Christians rises:
They adore and respect tRump for his ability to cover up his moral and ethical transgressions using any means possible, just as they use religion to cover up theirs.
175
Trump is adored by those evangelicals who follow prosperity theology. Financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God.
Trump isn't to be blamed. His affairs with Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels are the will of God!
6
Not true!
They love him because he has been able to surmount his previous lustful self and turn into a True Believer!
(Sarcasm)
4
Gort:“Klaatu barada nikto”
trump has seduced not only a growing number of women who are increasingly willing to take him on publicly, he has seduced Republicans (particularly Congressional leaders) and those who profess Christian morals. When will these people do their jobs and uphold their beliefs by disavowing this morally bankrupt con?
97
When Trump's poll numbers start to tank. if they do.
4
Actually it is not seduction when the women accept money for their silence after their sexual affair with our married president. It becomes prostitution and the Donald becomes the John.
7
That old Regan era slogan, "Stop the Madness!" has unintended and new found meaning...Seriously, it's hard to keep up.
This must all be part of The Donald's Master of Chaos strategy to win his Presidental Apprentice game show.
12
I misread the Reagan Era slogan you cited as "Stop the Mattress!"
Trump should do that, too!
7
So long as it doesn't physically harm another, the sexual practices men and women engage in is their business. Whatever Mr Trump has done in his personal life has no bearing on his ability to govern and the question of extra marital affairs should remain between him and his wife.
If however he has misled others with regard to these encounters he has breached his first responsibility to our citizenry, that of public trust.
While a breach of this sort doesn't rise to that of a high crime it does indicate a lack of character and public responsibility, both of which are inextricably entwined with the position of the Presidency.
He certainly does not have to answer to anyone including his wife, but if he chooses to answer he must be prepared to do so honestly and accept the consequence. A tough pill to swallow, but necessary if one chooses to seek the position of leadership he has now attained.
None of this has anything to do with belief, but all of it is related to the literal trust entailed with holding our highest and most respected political office.
Mr Trump has to face his own demons and if there is any character present within his personal makeup, he will not ask our nation to accept this travail as our own.
8
While breaching the trust of the citizenry (and his wife) is disturbing, what is truly problematic is that there are people who can hold this over this head to sway him in a particular direction on public policy through blackmail. It is these type of incidents that brought down people like Rob Porter, which is why he couldn't get security clearance.
11
So you believe its ok for presidents having extra martial affairs? Many people that i know of who did the same have character flaws, meaning they lack character. Shouldn't our standards be higher for our leaders, especially the POTUS?
2
B,
No I do not consider it OK, but it is a personal rather than a pubic matter.
Character takes many forms and even apparent cowardice may hide a strength which can overcome this perceived flaw when a situation demanding actual courage arises.
I do not accept the supernatural and consider stories supporting beliefs of this sort to be rooted in ignorance and fear
The separation of church and state is the single most important concept of any nation which purports to represent all the people.
1
How I wish a kind-hearted billionaire would say, "Let the women speak, and if they have to owe The Donald $20 million dollars apiece for violating their contract, I WILL PAY IT FOR THEM."
46
Where's Larry Flynt?
1
If I were Trump, I would be a bit SAD to realize that history will not be very nice about me .... yet alone my presidency. But then, it's so hard to do good. Much easier to flop this way and that, create problems (FUN) and say whatever I feel. Maybe the history books would gloss over everything and just say I was able to get taxes for the rich reduced. That should suffice.
15
And he kept lawyers and porn stars gainfully employed. Maybe those are the job-creation results he keeps bragging about.
1
Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal accepted money to sign non-disclosure agreements when they—and practically everyone else—thought Donald Trump had no chance of winning the 2016 election. Now that he is president, they realize they made a bad bargain. The courts should enforce the contracts.
6
Opportunist vs. opportunist-now how is it that Trump gets a pass?
Trump is an oozing slime fest as POTUS-as he always has been according to the public record of his business career. Now tell us how to speak to children about the moral and ethical character of our President. I would expect silence and let's change the subject from you on that one.
5
Their contracts were to sell their story not to keep them from talking. Then the Inquirer squashed the stories. It was Donald friend who owned the rag mag. It was not a legal contract if the names were made up and cash was paid out of his campaign funds.
What part of this are you not understanding?
10
But that's the problem; the bargains are at least arguably unenforceable. The courts shouldn't enforce any more of the contracts than Trump is entitled to.
If the accused were anyone other than DJT my (uninformed) instinct would lead to the conclusion that a legal document is binding, period. However, DJT has spent his lifetime subverting and pushing the law to its limits in order to vanquish foes Roy Cohn style. How apt to see he is now getting a taste of his own medicine. These lawsuits, perhaps more than Mueller's investigation, might yet prove to be his undoing. If any or all of these women were paid with 'campaign contributions', then that crime should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
32
By suing these women for breach of the non-disclosure agreement, Trump is essentially admitting the affairs took place. Why would there even BE a nondisclosure agreement if there wasn't some dirt to disclose? If he contended the women were lying, he would be suing them for libel.
Pretty much the same applies to his efforts to squelch Mueller - if innocent, he would welcome the investigation.
55
I've got no dog in this fight, but I'd love to see these and any other women speak out, daring Trump to take them to court on these claims. I sure I'm not alone in my willingness to chip into a gofundme account to help with expenses.
32
Ideally, no one should be President. Unfortunately, that would be even worse than my being President. On the other hand, in my own defense, I would hesitate a bit before starting a nuclear war. Everyone for starting a nuclear war, please vote for President Donald Trump, a man who might start a nuclear war without even realizing he had done so.
Another day, another lie, another scandal from the Trump administration. IF there was a non disclosure agreement regarding Trump, which we now know there was as the president is suing Stormy over one, then there was SOMETHING to not be disclosed. The contract was not signed by Trump, and it is therefore void under California law. Trump denies that the events happened, then sues on the grounds those events were meant to be private?! What? This presidency is in shambles. The wheels are coming off. The FBI is at the door over serious ethical and financial breaches, obstruction of justice and possible collusion with the Russian government. How is Trump's approval rating staying in the 30-40% range?
21
"The contract was not signed by Trump, and it is therefore void under California law."
This may be true (I'm not an attorney), so this may or may not be true. If true, trump has another "problem" to deal with. What does seem to be true is that the agreement itself, from reportage, contains a clause (section 8?) which requires signatories to the document before it can be considered enforceable. Based on the fact that trump's lawyer -- Cohen -- appears to have waived confidentiality, by talking about both the agreement and the underlying issue publicly, it would seem that the preponderance of evidence will run solidly against trump -- perhaps the driver of his effort to move the case to courts where he believes he will get a more favorable review of the facts in the case. In any event, the more time he spends on these issues the less time he will have to continue destroying the first amendment as well as the rest of our democracy.
3
Yes, it's void (in California). And unfortunately Trump has shown a great capacity to screw up multiple things at a time.
how?
maybe because his not so well-off supporters
are still desperately waiting for a piece of, or
the entire pie they think he promised them?
as for the well to do ones ...
[except for those who have been fired by now],
they haven't been faring all too badly up to this point.
so why change anything?
"the times they are a-stranging!" [if i may twist the original a bit].
today, one is either in favor of the benefits of so-called globalization,
multiculturalism, open borders, and easily adapts to fast changes.
or one is afraid to lose out, be left behind, be overlooked, overrun,
and craves for the good old days, when [male white] might was right.
to me, the no longer negligible 30-40% support for DJT and the likes
illustrate that a lot of freedoms we fought for are very much at stake,
and, much to my dismay, they are at stake around the globe.
cui bono - for whose benefit?
If a principal to an agreement doesn't sign, is it null and void?
10
It is in California.
Trump's lawyer can legally sign it, only if representing Trump under power of attorney. Otherwise Trump must sign it. They are denying it was a signature authorized by Trump as the attorney claims it was entirely his own doing.
1
I don't know why any of these women now speaking out knowingly engaged in a sexual relationship with Donald Trump or anyone else, but, while acknowledging Mr. Trump's lewd and lascivious behavior and his uncontrollable desire for carnal knowledge of women of all stripes, it is still the woman's right and responsibility to say no. That being said there is no excuse for Donald Trump's behavior. I am also troubled by the other men notably accountants, lawyers and agents who willfully took advantage of the women. We'll probably never know the full extent of the betrayal by those individuals. I am disgusted by all of the men involved.
The unscrupulous behavior of Trump's attorney is beyond words. There are no innocents or ethical people involved in these sordid affairs.
In the New Yorker it has been revealed that Ms.McDougal had breast implants removed and that she believes those devices impaired her health. Hopefully she is now doing better and has no lasting effects.
I am also surprised that Playboy didn't provide some counseling to help young women avoid exploitation.
Maybe we need to offer courses in high school and college that will help women understand their rights and responsibilities especially when they suddenly are a star attraction or they are just entering the work place and the sharks and wolves are lurking.
7
"You will be safe if you deny." That has an ominous ring to it. Safe? From what? If she doesn't deny, what is the implied danger? Everything about DJT and his Crime Family reminds me of The Mob and their methods. The biggest difference was the Mafia had 'omerta' and Trump Crime Family has NDA's.
Plus the Mafia had more of an honor system based on keeping your word and paying off your debts. If you ran a protection racket, that meant you had to actually provide protection.
Before this is over, we will be seeing a massive RICO case.
13
Win or lose, the mere filings of these cases are revealing important truths and trends. Trump had intermediaries buy everyone's silence so that he could lie and pretend he never had sex with these women. The fact that he paid them and got legal muzzles to silence them tells that he was and is so concerned about the truth that those who know it have influence over him. What are the odds that he has more secrets hidden in his tax returns, shell corporations, and relationships with a campaign crew that seem, to a person, to have involvement with Russians or agents of Russians?
19
He said he had nothing to do with any of this. The country has a right to know if the President has lied or not. Period. End of story.
21
"If he lied"?
He lies constantly. We just never can be sure 100% when he is or isn't lying.
Or if he's "joking" as Kellyanne & Sarah would have us believe at times....
2
He lied. End of story.
2
I hope she has filed a disciplainary complaint against Keith Davidson. He should be disbarred. There should be no reason to call Cohen on a contract between his client and AMI. Both he and AMI were clearly working for the President to dupe her into signing the contract.
I'll bet there are a lot more women who have been treated like this by Davidson, AMI and Trump over the years. AMI itself admitted that it but it acknowledged that it discussed her allegations with Mr. Cohen, the president’s lawyer, saying it did so as part of its reporting process. What kind of "reporting process" does it have with the President and his lawyer? Do not settle this lawsuit until we find out how many other women were defrauded by Trump into thinking that Davidson was their lawyer when he was ultimately working for Trump?
15
Trump's "family values" base doesn't seem to care... let's hope that the people who do care get out and vote!
21
with "family values" this question just occurs to me:
except for barrack obama, was there any other
,sitting' US president who did not have affairs?
i know, the issue here is more about honesty
than about the actual affairs themselves ...
and on a slightly lighter note, billy joel comes to mind:
"honesty is such a lonely word. everyone is so untrue."
1
Shouldn't there be some loophole that when the person who has paid to silence you becomes the president of the United States the agreement is null and void?
8
By trying to silence Karen MacDougall and Stephanie Clifford; AMI, Trump and Cohen are, in fact, assuring that the women are not effectively silenced at all. America might not yet know all salacious details of their stories, but the broad parameters are no mystery.
In denying that the alleged affairs ever happened, the president adds mendacity to the sleazeball element of these sorry tales. America knows full well what's been going on. Trump supporters either forgive or celebrate it. Everyone else, let us hope the majority, is disgusted.
12
As they say, there is no accounting for poor taste. Or, horrible choices in men.
6
Welcome to episode 9568 of "What if Obama Had Done This?"
I suspect that some of the very same people who dismiss this as a non-story are the same people whose heads would explode if Obama failed to measure. every. word. or his behavior wasn't pristine.
I'll cop to it- I enjoy this story purely from a gossip standpoint. But there is an allegation that Daniels was physically threatened.
I truly marvel at the spiritual, mental, emotional and intellectual energy, such as may be mustered by, say, an Evangelical Christion supporter of Trump in order to justify defending him.
You must be very weary.
33
Sex has taken a terrible hit. I don't know if it will ever recover any of its former luster.
22
Best comment of the day.
Trumps vanity must be so enormous that regardless of a young and beautiful wife waiting at home, he still was out playing the field (literally), as though he were single and carefree.
In a year where women were finally being heard about the ages old sexual harassment abuse, here is our president being sued by women in order to speak. How embarrassing and cringe worthy.
What an appalling role model Donald Trump is, not only to his own sons, but to every young man looking for a hero. That he sits at the Resolute desk is irony beyond reason.
20
She wanted an apartment from Trump. Did she get it? Twenty years ago? Kind of like a Brittany Spears song where telling lies to get what you want gets you what you want. At least Trump did. What does an self entitled for her beauty woman pushing 50 want? The talk show circuit? A memoir with extra large print and few pages? A new playboy center fold? I wish her luck because what ever is she deserves it.
1
Maybe, just maybe, she wants to be courageous and set an example for all women ... that women are DONE being silent when men try to shut them up. And, yeah, sure, she's hoping for money too. That's fine with me.
2
"What does an self entitled for her beauty woman pushing 50 want?"
Sorry, but this is word salad. Can someone translate?
3
These women should come forward with their stories. it is disgustimg thar "45" thinks he can buy their silence. Can these agreements be enforced? if he sues and they can't pay, what can 45 do? "The truth shall set you free." When will Melania file doe divorce?
5
When? When she finds another rich ( and I use that term loosely till the tax returns are public) man/child comes along...
Let's be honest her expectations are set kind of low now.
1
Despite how Trump has treated women, majority of White women still voted for him, and basically ensured that he became President. Go figure.
15
Although Trump's infrastructure plan for the country seems to have stalled, there is no shortage of infrastructure in Trump's seedy, personal world. He has an army of lawyers to try to defend him, a team of lackeys who regularly lie on his behalf and even a seedy publication, the National Enquirer (no fake news there, no doubt) on call to smear any woman who dares to challenge the credibility of the documented liar in the White House.
9
When taunted by Marco Rubio over the size of his hands and what that might indicate, Mr. Trump told his audience, "I guarantee you there's no problem. I guarantee you."
Would Ms. McDougal and Ms. Clifford tell a different story?
That must be why they were silenced.
At least now we know exactly which "powers of the president" should "not be questioned."
14
I promise that if McDougal and Clifford came out with that Trump would be tweeting/admitting a rebuttal within hours. If I was their lawyer....
1
Oh please give poor Donny a pass on his youthful indiscretions that weren't illegal and where he says there was no abuse or coercion and don't mean anything or reflect on his outstanding character as a wealthy businessman. (Besides he totally earned it and Melania agrees.)
It is totally normal for consensual relationships to end in pay offs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars who knows from where for not speaking about these wonderful caring relations between consenting adults that didn't happen. It happens all the time. Everyone does it.
Besides he denied it all, right? I mean none of this could be true since none of it happened. Poor Donny got taken by these women who he paid to say nothing about nothing that happened. Lying certainly isn't something we should be concerned about either. He wouldn't do that to the American people.
7
The fact that sleazy tabloids used sleazy tactics to bury candidate Trump’s sleazy extramarital affairs is not particularly newsworthy. The fact that his wife and his supporters don’t feel like they are worthy of a better husband/president isn’t either, but it sure is depressing.
17
Wrong! He is and has been subject to blackmail from a number of different directions. He has degraded the office. His payoff activities and those of his lawyers may have violated campaign finance laws. There is nothing trivial about this stuff. Beyond being morally repugnant, his behavior may have hidden deeper sins/crimes.
3
Now think about where the First Lady is coming from? How much will she want?
3
Hello GOP Senators and Representatives of Congress, why are you silent? Did you also sign NDA with Mr. Cohen or any tabloid publication? If so, follow the lead and file law suits to free yourselves to exercise your constitutional right to the free speech that our constitution affords to everyone.
11
...like the one last week, she's just looking for a better financial deal...
2
It is about time that women can divulge such details and freely discuss their personal lives. Especially when they have been the victims of lying cheats such as Donald Trump and his faceless predatory lawyers.
It is time to stop treating women effectively as sex slaves & chattels under ridiculous one-sided non-disclosure contracts. Especially when the male signator of the contract brags on national televisión in the most vulgar terms about his many sexual exploits. Again and again.
Enough!
6
After Stormy Daniels spoke out, Bannon said that Trump's lawyers took care of 100 women during the campaign.
Two down...at least 98 to go.
18
I don't care one way or another about the sexual mores of private citizens, even those who later become president. I do however think that the violation of campaign finance laws are yet another way that Trump believes the rules do not apply, and gaming those rules is yet another in a dozen ways that Trump went low/cheated to close the election. They add up. Not only do they continue to confirm he is an illegitimate president, they are also potential legal violations that will matter later, when we have a different Congress.
So sure, prostitutes and pornographers were gold diggers when they had the affairs and gold diggers when now that they want to cash in on their stories. But it's Trump and his organization that broke the law. Anyone dismissing them for being unreliable sex workers or for this being simply sensationalistic report is working pretty hard to obscure the actual crimes reported in this piece. It's not the sex, its the financial crimes that matter.
Trump is vile.
21
i thought that one of Trump's selling points was his business acumen....how is it that he pays so much for sex,or is that just how the one percent live?
28
rumors of his business acumen are greatly exaggerated, see filed bankruptcy six times.
5
I sold a stock. After I sold, it went up in price significantly. Can I sue now to undo the sale?
I look forward to the NYT covering my case with the same ardor.
4
"I sold a stock. After I sold, it went up in price significantly. Can I sue now to undo the sale?"
Stupid analogy. Here is a better analogy: I bought a stock; the share price went up on the back of bookkeeping manipulations; I failed to sell, the stock cratered below my initial execution price. Do I have a cause of action?
Or, a market insider followed insider information and sold but the sale has not yet been reported on Edgar; the stock started to go up; a non-insider buys; accounting manipulations are revealed; the stock tanks. Does the non-insider have a cause of action.
I am on the board, I sell; other members of the board haven't disclosed to me, as an outside director, that the stock is destined to soar due to new patent protections on several key products. Do I have a cause of action?
4
If the broker denied having ever carried out the transaction, you could possibly have grounds to sue them.
I just don't understand; why would any self-respecting woman want to admit having had an affair with Trump?
14
Watch how quickly Republicans are going to do an about-face regarding the notion of a sitting president having to give a deposition under oath in a sexual harassment lawsuit. The judge in the case cited Clinton v. Jones. Chickens, welcome home. Roost away.
22
My goodness, it's staggering how low the rotten fruit of Trump hangs....yet still, against the odds, manages to cling to the tree.
7
Trump seems to have an uncontrolled sexual appetite. It is hard to believe that this appetite is now under control. Especially since he is likely to be very stressed.
5
Wow. Wouldn't it be way way cheaper just to have sexual relations with his wife. She ain't so bad, really. $150k per event is just so inefficient.
16
He did once that we know of...that's why she's in constant squint mode now.
2
"$150k per event is just so inefficient." You don't know what he paid for the call option embedded in the prenuptial agreement: his cost per "event" might be considerably higher when factor in other expenses. That said, I would guess he got the better deal, it is hard to imagine any woman getting in the sack with that 230lbs (probably closer to 280lbs).
2
Few will object to knowing about Trump's sex life, but many will object to the attempt to shut the women up. It's the coverup that gets you all the time. Ironically, this may be bigger than Mueller's investigation. More people hate the thought of being shut up than care about such far away things as Russian interference.
2
So he denies the affairs.
My question is: What woman would claim to have had sex with Donald Trump who had not?
10
Just shows that if you're super rich like DJT you can buy just about anything. Past extramarital affairs keeping you up at night while you run for President of the US? No problem! Just have your expensive lawyers create bogus LLCs and shady contracts to bribe all of those women to keep quiet forever.
And Fox news and all the evangelicals sure seem to be ignoring all of these women accusing Trump of sexual misbehavior. If this were Obama they would be screaming for impeachment.
4
Imagine if porn stars and playboy models were coming out of the woodwork claiming that they were paid to cover up affairs with Obama when he was president. Republicans would be going absolutely crazy, evangelicals would be denouncing him and Fox would be airing minute by minute updates with dedicated sound tracks and exposes. They went as far as to hold impeachment hearings for Clinton. None of this is happening of course because Donald is a republican president and all of those listed hope to get something from him at any cost no matter how low he sinks this country and the institution of the president. What hypocrites.
9
With any other administration, this would be a big deal, but with Trump, the two cases are merely a tawdry sideshow to the horrifying main event, starring Teflon Don vs The American Constitution. Is there a single American who believes Trump’s outraged denials? Remember, he was going to sue all those women who spoke up during the election. His support among the Chino’s (Christians in name only) still seems to be holding, but deep down everyone knows he’s a congenital compulsive reflexive serial liar. I just hope Stormy, who actually seems like a fun lady, has her day in court,
3
Billionaires of the world unite: buy bodyguards for Ms. McDougal, Ms. Daniels, and their lawyers, and hand them twice as much cash as you think they'll need to buy off President Comb-over.
http://www.thecriticalmom.blogspot.com
2
Trumpies can complain about the media stooping down to this level (I have to laugh at that, considering what the Clintons went through) but it's my bet that women are going to bring down this scoundrel who occupies the White House. Power to the Me Too Movement!
3
We're going to need a lot of Mulligans.
2
I loathe our President (even typing word that hurts when I think who's holding the office), but I've quickly tired of the kid gloves with which McDougal and Daniels/Clifford have been treated. I can't say they're worse than Trump (because that's just nigh impossible), but make no mistake: #MeToo Age or not, these women aren't being driven by anything remotely noble. It's all seller's remorse from money-grubbing women of shabby character who have realized their prostitution was sold too cheaply. And now they're trying to cash in on their willing participation in infidelity by trying to back out of an agreement. I'd say "Shame on you" if they had any sense of what shame was.
Still, I guess if it gets DJT out of office sooner versus later, it'll be worth it.
Perhaps a new version of The Hustler is in the works. Or, Valley of the Hustlers! The Main Man Hustler has sure met his match(es).
1
So, the fake news outlet paid $160K to keep real news out of circulation. I should be amazed but am not. I wish it was othrewise.
1
This is a lose-lose for everyone. Trump looks glaringly awful for his aggressively boorish behavior(surprise). The women look like unrepentant gold-diggers who willingly slept with a married man and now -- along with their lawyers and publishers -- want a payday for it. And the media look like a demented mob concerned with every nasty detail and every new click on their websites. We live in goofy times.
2
I have no sympathy for Donald Trump, nor for these woman. They went for the money, and now that they smell more (from the media), they want that too. The only person I feel sorry for is the poor wife. It belittles the New York Times to keep reporting on this subject.
Let’s say that both of these women did have an affair with trump what is your complaint that you knowingly had sex with a married man and what does that make you non complicit
1
Trump thinks he's a Kennedy.
Who cares????? He’s doing a great job! What he did years ago is HIS business!
1
And what the women did years ago is their business!
Why do all Trump's women look the same?
1
School-kids are shot at because guns are legal and prostitution, once again (thanks Trump and Clinton), is the in-thing to discuss during coffee breaks. Quite a country from Sea to Shining Sea.
Don't have much sympathy for these women, but oy, Trump must be spending tons on attorneys!
Exposing him might only help in the next election. The guy is just a piece of work as they say and so many foolish Americans voted for him. Let them now speak up.
So Trump had affairs with really gorgeous women ... I'm sort of jealous. But I can't honestly see why any of them would publicly admit having sex with him.
I don't really care if Donald Trump had affairs with these women. We were all lectured by leading democrats and columnists in the 1990s that sex between consenting adults is private.
BTW: Mr. Pecker is a friend of Donald Trump? Really?
2
Without getting into whatever the legalities are of hush-money payments made during the election, what rankles about this stuff is the Republican and evangelical moral hypocrisy involved - they're apparently tolerating all this, no problem - and the likelihood that Trump is lying about it all. Clinton was impeached for lying about his affair. Will Trump be? Not by the Repubs, apparently.
2
“IF YOU DENY YOU ARE SAFE,”
Sheesh. Just how many of the sleazy, rich Republicans are there? It seems like everybody's a millionaire, everybody can write a personal check for a couple hundred grand. And they're all slimy up to their armpits.
Well, at least us little people get to be entertained by all this shenanigans.
11
Trump is providing significant, direct and indirect monetary support to the beleaguered core of civil lawyers -- on all sides.
5
The Con Don has "new", stolen money and thinks he's got something. He has nothing of value as a human being. He is a totally conceited, socially unconscious, stupid, predatory man. How can Melania stay with him? Why aren't "conservatives" trying to shame and impeach him as they did with Bill Clinton over consensual oral sex?
Perhaps young women who read/hear about the reality of hooking up with someone like him will think twice. Mamas don't let your baby girls grow up to think money is more important than humanity. They might get stuck with someone like The Con Don.
95
njglea, the reason is simple. While Trump is distracting everyone, the GOP is busy, behind the scenes, trashing the rights of regular people and passing laws that give everything to their wealthy benefactors. Lovely little switch and bait.
2
Look at the long list of enablers over the decades:
NJ Casino Commission
Atty Cohen
Richard M. Nixon offering encouragement to pursue a political career
Hugh Hefner with a cover shoot
NBC
Mark Burnett
Arnold Schwarzenegger
United Artists Media Group (season 14)
MGM Television (seasons 15)
Tony Schwartz as ghostwriter of Art of the Deal, and author of "What Really Matters: Searching for Wisdom in America," and "The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs."
These were MEN.
and THESE were the donors of millions:
https://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/contributors?cycle=2016&id=n00023...
Tony is still searching, for absolution, at the Oxford Union.
How can Melania stay with him? Just a guess, but probably for the same rea$on she married him and a pre-nup which gives her nothing if she leaves.
Wow, The Times loves to beat a dead horse. You do remember that JFK's father paid Jackie a million to keep her with John so as to not ruin his presidency. And then there was Bill and Monica. Let's see, who else? FDR, Dwight, Bobby, Martin, &ct., &ct., &ct.
11
No, we don't remember that!
4
Ah, the famous "whataboutism" argument. Never mind what my guy did, what about so and so.
4
But that's ancient history. This is NOW.
3
We all knew Mr. Trump was not your normal politician and media should also stop focussing on these matters unless there was an illegal act. The Times is this nation's torch bearer for news and it should do not cover these things as they are curtain lectures.
17
This story involves the actions and character of the president of the United States and as such, is germane to legitimate news coverage which is the business and duty of the NYT.
I think these stories reveal the fine, upstanding man your President is. Where else can we read it? Not in the National Enquirer!!
1
No. The Oval Office has to be occupied by a person who cannot be blackmailed into changing his/her positions on matters of national importance. Does anyone really think that this troll will do what's best for the nation when the average person has stuff on him? How about Putin? What of Putin has dirt on him that under normal circumstances would be bought off by some simpleton at the National Enquirer?
Presidents have to be above reproach. That's what we expect when we elect them. Since trump has hidden all this dirt, there is obviously plenty else that he had to hide - like money laundering subordinates.
He should resign and now!
3
And it will matter not at all to his "base". They will continue to adore him and revel in his disdain for elemental civility and decency. There has never been such a great time to be an angry, ignorant white person in America. Well, maybe since the Civil War (or, as they are fond of calling it in the South, the War of Northern Aggression).
119
Who did Kennedy's indiscretions matter to? Certainly not his followers.
A tipping point comes for everything; I'm sure this is just the beginning of revelations about Mr. Trump's trysts. At some point, even Evangelicals will have to stop holding their noses and realize what a stench is coming out of Washington.
2
If we want to be historically accurate, we would have to say that they were even madder during Reconstruction.
1
Does everyone not know what a "legal agreement" is? A legal agreement is when you agree under penalty to either do or not do "X" in exchange for "Y". If you make the agreement and accept the "Y", you are bound and committed to "X". When you go to the media and do "X" and then add that you are going to sue to get out of the agreement, you've already broken the agreement for which you accepted the terms and the payment. It is not an excuse, nor is there any provision in the agreement that there is an exception that if you agree to forever keep quiet it is okay if you go blurt your secret out to the media as long as you add the caveat that you are going to sue to have the agreement nullified. None of us should be hearing about any of President Trump's pre-presidential trysts by women who have agreed on paper to forever shut their mouths. Nobody here can say exactly how they would act if they grew up to become a young, good looking, New York billionaire. The fact is that Donald Trump probably had the hottest women in the world swarming him from all angles all of his life. Cool. They got what they wanted, "now for the good of the country since Trump became president, please don't talk about it and here is $XXX,000 for your discretion", as a way of "pre-settling" any potential scandal, which is bad for the country. Why is that not good enough for you holier-than-thou lunatics who absolutely refuse to acknowledge all the great things Trump has done for America?
12
You know what? I was agreeing with you on almost all the flattering things you were saying about Trump....until the drivel about "all the great things". There you lost me.
Excuse me for not bowing before Trump. Mea culpa!
Please enlighten us what all these great things are that he's done for America?
Maybe, just maybe #MeToo is finally catching up with Donald Trump (aka David Dennison) and his fixer" or legal bag man Michael Cohen. We won't go to how appropriate the cognomen of the A.M.I. executive is, but only that it fits the pattern of of sleaze and payoffs (aka "illegal campaign contributions") to silence women and to cover up potential criminal activity. The dam of protective nondisclosure agreements seems to be breached and along with other revelations like the illegal use of Facebook data indicate a pattern of unscrupulous and illegal business practices and campaign violations.
67
#MeToo is another red herring, these women are opportunists just like Trump. His achilles heel is obvious and now he is being hobbled by it.
1
Pathetic that our media including this one is drooping down to the level of a porn media covering something that may have happened a decade ago. There are so many newsworthy things happening in the world.
23
Guess what? They cover those too.
If it was the guy who worked at 7-11 it wouldn't be news. But when it's the most important politician in the world... That's the definition of news.
1
True. There's the interference in the 2016 elections by the Russians, the gutting of the EPA by Scott Pruitt, the gutting of the Interior by Ryan Zinke, the hollowing out of the State department, the fleecing of HUD by Ben Carson, the fleecing of America by Donald Trump (who seems to think the emoluments clause don't apply,) the misuse of position by Jared and Ivanka Trump to promote their businesses, the abandonment of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of hurricane Maria, and the endless stream of people leaving the White House after being fired and/or quitting, not to mention all the indictments.
There are indeed many more newsworthy things happening in the world. Perhaps this gets space because Trump's misogyny actually seems a welcome relief from what we are usually considering: the possibility that the president is a traitor who is divorced from reality, and incapable of loyalty to anyone other than himself; a man who actually asked, "We have nukes. Why don't we use 'em?"
Compared to that, Donald Trump's 'love life' is absolutely the least of our concerns... which makes it a relief to dwell on compared to anything else in his disastrous presidency so far.
Who knew that "the Swamp" is UP for Trump??
The guy is a moral bog.
60
Can't wait to hear the excuses from the party of family values and the Christian right wing. How can Pence reconcile his thoughts about gay folks with his support of an adulterer?
392
Same way he reconciled his thoughts on marriage when he attended Steven Mnuchin's . . . third.
5
Pence is evil but not stupid. He's hanging on because:
* If Trump is thrown out of office before the 2020 election, he becomes President
* If Trump manages to survive his term and chooses to run again, Pence can decide whether he will stick with him and stay on the ticket or run on his own. The Christian evangelicals LOVE Pence.
1
Republican morality has always been fake. They can't win elections without cheating and bigotry. Speaking of that longed for return to the Fifties by Conservatives... what would Eisenhower think of the moral sewer that the Republican party has become.
3
I guess I don't understand how these legal things work. Trump has paid out nearly $300,000 to 2 women to not speak about affairs that he denies happened. At this point, the truth seems pretty obvious.
1159
Yes, it is pretty simple isn't it?
6
Wash my mouth out but I'm with Trump on this one. If he had slept with these women he would pay for billboards in Manhattan to brag about it.
Michael:
Doubtful selection. $130,000.00 was [supposedly] paid by Cohen, while $150,000.00 by a publisher.
There is no connection, at this point, between Trump and either party as far as cash flow can be determined.
When it rains it pours...
24
Trump paid hush money to every woman he philandered with. No wonder he went bankrupt so many times.
311
Bingo!
3
Why don't they just give her Hope Hicks' old job. It's a win-win.
40
These women agreed to keep quiet, and now, suddenly, must tell their stories....and get large book deals. They are a bunch of gold diggers, nothing more, and should be regarded as such.
26
And what is Trump? The male equivalent of a gold digger. Let's see his tax returns.
5
Golddiggers. That they are indeed. "Agreed to keep quiet" for $$$...is there a sliding scale on what acts people would be allowed disclose, even after being paid to keep quiet? How much for adultery? How much for murder?
True, but it's juicy new none the less.
1
Such tawdry chicanery!
If only we had H. L. Mencken or Ambrose Bierce to comment on such goings on - THAT would be very enlightening and entertaining.
It would not simply be lunatic and sleazy
19
Won't they leave this poor man alone?
7
Assuming your comment is not a joke, Bill Clinton certainly has not been left alone. Hillary certainly has paid big time for his behavior.
2
What is Donald Trump, the big man with the ladies afraid of, Melania finding out.
14
And you may ask yourself, how did we get here?
So sick of our country being dragged through the mud.
33
Hopefully it's "once in a lifetime"
2
I'm no fan of Trump and I hope Mueller sticks it to him, but these woman took the money whether Trump signed it or not and it sure seems like they are looking for another pay day bigger than the first.
17
And even if so....what is wrong with that? It is American capitalism at its best...the very thing Trump embodies.
They are behaving exactly as Trump would if the situation were reversed.
Rightly or not, they are behaving just as Trump has throughout his career.
1
From most perspectives it would be easy to conclude that ethics, good judgment, concern for right/wrong and unintended consequences was furthermost from the minds of all actors involved--and still is. Also, when you create your own storms, it makes no sense to play the victim or complain when it rains.
22
I’d like to know how all those evangelical supporters and VP “I talk to Jesus” Mike Pence are feeling about this right now? Having a bottle of Irish whiskey at Mulligans Pub?
106
They're all busy trying to cover up their own affairs.
4