Porn-star Stormy offers to return Trump's $130,000 to break silence
What's the story
Further convoluting the already murky saga of Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels, the porn star on Monday offered to return the $130,000 that Trump's attorney Michael Cohen paid her in 2016 to not discuss their alleged relationship. Stormy is willing to repay in exchange for the freedom to speak openly about the situation and publish any texts/photos/videos she may have, reported AP. Here's more.
Details
Stormy's offer valid only till today afternoon
According to Stormy's letter to Cohen, after she returned the money, the non-disclosure agreement would be considered "null and void." It also said the offer was valid only until Tuesday afternoon. Last week, Stormy, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles seeking to quash the agreement to "set the record straight."
Information
The agreement uses fake names for Stormy, Trump
As per Stormy's lawsuit, the NDA signed days before the 2016 American presidential election is legally invalid because it had only her and Cohen's signatures, not Trump's. Notably, "the hush agreement" refers to Stormy as Peggy Peterson and Trump as David Dennison.
Backstory
Stormy alleges the affair lasted between 2006-2007
Stormy's lawsuit alleges that her intimate relationship with Trump began in Lake Tahoe in the summer of 2006 - around the time Melania Trump gave birth to Donald's son Barron - and continued till 2007. The complaint claims that among other things, they at least met once at a Beverly Hills Hotel bungalow in Los Angeles County. Trump, however, has vehemently denied these allegations.
Speculation
Stormy first discussed the affair in 2011
Last month, Cohen had acknowledged that he did in fact pay $130,000 to Stormy from his own pocket and was never reimbursed. Stormy first discussed her alleged affair with Trump in a 2011 detailed interview with InTouch magazine. However, since then she has done several interviews and appeared on prime-time TV shows, fueling the scandal by changing her stance ever so often.