Wikipedia

Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal

(Redirected from Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump hush money scandal)

The Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal or the Donald Trump hush-money scandal involves an alleged one-night sexual encounter in 2006 between businessman and later U.S. president Donald Trump and pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels, a conspiracy on the part of Trump to cover up the story in the month prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and Trump's falsification of business records as part of the conspiracy.[1] The story broke in 2018, when The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen paid US$130,000 to Daniels as hush money to buy her silence during the 2016 Trump campaign.[1]

Stormy Daniels (left) in 2010 and Donald Trump (right) in 2008

After the story broke, Cohen voluntarily cooperated with federal investigators and admitted the payment to Daniels was an illegal contribution to Trump's campaign intended to influence the election. Cohen pled guilty to this and other crimes and in December 2018 was sentenced to three years in prison.[2] The scandal grew during 2018, as the public learned that Trump was alleged to have reimbursed Cohen via false business records designed to hide their true nature.[3] The New York District Attorney's office impaneled a grand jury to investigate Trump's involvement, and the grand jury voted to indict Trump on March 30, 2023.[4]

Trump was prosecuted in New York for falsifying his business records in order to hide any one of three other crimes: Cohen's illegal campaign contribution, tax law violations, and/or Trump's own participation in the alleged conspiracy to influence the 2016 presidential election through unlawful means, in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.[3] A jury found him guilty on all 34 counts he was charged with, making him the first former U.S. president to become a convicted felon.[5] Since The Wall Street Journal's initial report, Daniels and Trump have been outspoken about the scandal and have contested related claims in civil litigation.

Alleged 2006 encounter

In July 2006, Stormy Daniels, an American pornographic film actress, met Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. At the time, Trump was married to Melania Trump (who gave birth to their son Barron four months prior) and was the host of the reality TV series The Apprentice.[6][7]

Daniels said, most recently under oath, that after briefly meeting Trump in 2006, she was invited to dinner and to meet him at his hotel room.[8] Daniels testified that Trump asked her many questions about her life, and at some point Daniels said she had grown up poor.[8] Trump also allegedly asked wide-ranging questions about the business model of pornographic video production, including but not limited to details about condom use and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.[8] Daniels also said Trump talked about making Daniels a guest on The Apprentice.[9][10] Daniels testified that she thought they would be going to a restaurant, and eventually used the bathroom in Trump's hotel room, but upon re-emerging was surprised to find Trump stripped to his underwear sitting on the bed.[8] Daniels testified she said "I think we should go" and moved toward the door but Trump allegedly stood in her way saying in part, "This is the only way you're getting out of the trailer park."[8] Daniels could not remember how she ended up on the bed, but testified that they had sex in the missionary position and Trump chose not to use a condom.[8] Daniels insisted she was neither forced nor under the influence, but also said it wasn't something she wanted and that she "blacked out".[8]

Daniels considered going public in 2011

In 2011, as Trump began exploring a potential presidential bid, Daniels considered selling the story to the celebrity magazine Life & Style for $15,000. As part of the negotiation, Daniels was interviewed and the magazine asked the Trump Organization for comment. In response, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen threatened litigation and the magazine decided not to publish Daniels's story.[11][12]

Daniels also talked about the alleged affair with the gossip magazine In Touch Weekly, whom Cohen also threatened to sue if the story were published.[13][14]

In October 2011, Daniels's agent Gina Rodriguez leaked the story to Nik Richie, author of the gossip blog The Dirty. Daniels complained the blog changed facts of her story and the post was taken down the following day.[15][14][12] Cohen testified in May 2024 that he undertook the effort to get the story removed after Trump took him up on his advice to do so.[16]

Lead up to hush-money payment to Daniels

Alleged catch-and-kill plan to help Trump's campaign

In August 2015, about one month after Trump announced his 2016 campaign, a meeting allegedly took place between Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker, owner of American Media, Inc (AMI), which published the National Enquirer among other periodicals.[15][17] In April 2024, Pecker testified under oath describing an alleged agreement at that meeting saying,[18]

What I would do is I would run or publish positive stories about Mr. Trump and I would publish negative stories about his opponents...I said I would be your eyes and ears because I know the Trump Organization has a very small staff.

And then I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about yourself, or if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen... and then he would be able have them kill in another magazine or have them not be published or somebody would have to purchase them.[19]

Pecker testified that after the meeting he immediately briefed National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard about the meeting's substance, i.e., that either Pecker or Howard were to alert Cohen if they learned of potential stories about Trump and that they were "going to try to help the campaign, and to do that, I want to keep this as quiet as possible."[20]

Over the next several months Pecker, through AMI, purchased two such stories, one from Dino Sajudin and the other from Playboy model Karen McDougal.

AMI buys Dino Sajudin's story

In October, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony, Howard called Pecker to say Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajudin was trying to sell a different story about Trump, one involving an illegitimate child allegedly fathered by Trump. Pecker testified that he immediately informed Cohen per the August 2015 agreement. Pecker testified he had AMI investigate the story and eventually concluded it was not true, but Pecker testified he instructed AMI to purchase the story anyway so it would not be published elsewhere before the 2016 presidential election.[21]

On November 15, AMI and Sajudin allegedly signed a "Source Agreement".[22]

On December 17, AMI and Sajudin allegedly signed an "Amendment" to the Source Agreement.[23] In his 2024 testimony, Pecker said the amendment to the source agreement was made at Cohen's request for purposes of further reducing the chance the story might leak before the election.[24] According to the Associated Press, Cohen admitted that "as a Trump spokesman" he had "discussed" the Sajudin story with AMI while AMI was "working on it".[25]

The following day AMI had the National Enquirer pay Sajudin the agreed-upon $30,000.[25] According to Pecker's 2024 testimony Cohen told Pecker "The Boss will be very pleased" and that Pecker understood "The Boss" to be a reference to Trump.[21] Pecker also testified there came a time that Pecker wanted to release Sajudin, since the story wasn't true and Pecker wanted to avoid "problems", but Cohen insisted the release be delayed until after the election.[21][26]

AMI buys Karen McDougal's story

On August 5, AMI allegedly signed a "Name and Rights License Agreement" with Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had a months-long relationship with Trump several years earlier. In part the agreement assigned McDougal's rights to the story to AMI.[27][28]

On August 9, AMI allegedly paid McDougal the agreed-upon $150,000.[29][30]

On September 6, Cohen allegedly made a secret recording of a conversation between himself and Trump, during which Cohen allegedly told Trump that Trump would have to pay $150,000 for "all that info regarding our friend David", that Cohen had talked to Weisselberg about "how to set the whole thing up", and the deal included "All the stuff. Because -- here, you never know where that company, you never know what he’s..." and Trump allegedly can be heard saying "Maybe he gets hit by a truck".[31][32]

Sometime in September, according to Pecker's testimony, Cohen called Pecker to say Trump allegedly wanted to buy the rights to McDougal's story and boxes of Trump-related info in AMI's possession. Asked if Pecker knew why Trump allegedly wanted these materials, Pecker said Cohen told him "The Boss said that if [Pecker] got hit by a bus and/or the company was sold, he did not want for someone else to potentially publish those stories."[33]

On September 21, AMI allegedly caused a third party limited liability company (LLC) to invoice Cohen's LLC for $125,000, the agreed-upon price for Cohen's LLC to acquire AMI's rights to the McDougal story, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony.[34][35][36]

On September 30, AMI allegedly agreed to assign its rights to McDougal's story to Cohen's "Resolution Consultants LLC" for "good and valuable consideration".[37]

Sometime in the first week of October, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony, Pecker consulted with counsel, decided to cancel the sale of McDougal's story to Cohen's LLC, and communicated that decision to Cohen, who allegedly replied "The Boss will be very angry with you." AMI was never reimbursed for purchasing the McDougal story, according to Pecker.[38][39]

Access Hollywood Tape becomes public

On October 7, 2016—only one month before the 2016 election—the Access Hollywood tape was released. In it, then-Republican candidate Donald Trump described his approach to seducing women:

I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything.[40]

When the tape became public, multiple Republican leaders wanted Trump to drop out of the race, and House Speaker Paul Ryan canceled an event with Trump.[41]

Trump's attorney pays hush money to Stormy Daniels

On October 8, 2016, Pecker allegedly learned that Daniels was trying to sell the story of her alleged 2006 affair with Trump.[42]

On October 9, Cohen allegedly learned that Pecker had instructed AMI to not purchase Daniels's story.[43]

On October 17, Cohen submitted paperwork to create a Delaware-registered limited liability company named "Essential Consultants, LLC".[44]

On October 25, Pecker again allegedly told Cohen that AMI would not buy Daniels's story and that Pecker believed Cohen should buy her story.[45]

On October 26, Cohen opened a bank account for the LLC and on October 27 used his personal home equity line of credit to wire $130,000 into the LLC's account.[44] Cohen corresponded with the bank using his Trump Organization email account and representing himself as "Special Counsel to Donald J. Trump".[46][47]

Investigations

On January 12, 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that in October 2016, just before the 2016 United States presidential election, Michael Cohen, executive vice president at The Trump Organization and special counsel to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, arranged a payment of US$130,000 to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels to stop her disclosing an affair she and Trump allegedly had in July 2006.[48][1][49] Daniels had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). At first, Cohen denied Trump had the alleged affair and sought to suppress the allegation based on the NDA, but a month later publicly acknowledged making the payment.

Besides allegations surrounding the details of the affair itself, the acknowledged payment raised legal and ethical questions as to whether the payment violated federal campaign finance laws, either because the payment was not duly disclosed as a campaign contribution or because campaign funds may have been used towards the payment.[50] On February 13, Cohen said he paid the money out of his own pocket, not as a campaign contribution; and that neither The Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign reimbursed him for making it.[51] On April 5, Trump said he had no knowledge of Cohen's payment; but on April 26 admitted for the first time that Cohen represented him in "the Stormy Daniels deal". On May 2, Trump's new lawyer Rudy Giuliani said that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment.[52]

In August 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including a campaign finance violation for Daniels's payment. He stated under oath that he paid her "in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office". Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison on various charges, and was disbarred.[53]

Daniels filed three lawsuits against Trump and/or Cohen. In the first lawsuit she argued that the NDA was invalid. She won the lawsuit, though it was dismissed after Trump and Cohen agreed not to enforce the NDA.[54] A California court subsequently ordered Trump pay $44,100 to reimburse her legal fees.[55] The second lawsuit, in which she argued she was defamed, was dismissed when U.S. District Judge James Otero said the tweet in question "constitutes 'rhetorical hyperbole' normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States" that is protected by the First Amendment.[56] She was ordered to pay $293,000 for attorneys' fees and another $1,000 in sanctions.[57] She was later ordered to repay Trump an additional $121,972, and then later $5,150, in legal fees for failed motions to reduce the initial fee payment.[58] In the third lawsuit she claimed that Cohen colluded with her previous attorney Keith Davidson against her interests when he negotiated the payment. The lawsuit did not name Trump as a defendant, and settled in May 2019.[59]

Trump's accounting firm, Mazars, provided his tax returns and related documents to the Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., following the outcome of the Supreme Court's Trump v. Vance ruling in February 2021.[60] Although an internal report said there was "reason to believe" Trump's campaign had knowingly violated campaign finance law, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) abandoned an inquiry into the payment to Daniels. The FEC's vote on May 6, 2021, split 2–2 along party lines.[61]

On March 30, 2023, a Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump for his alleged role in the scandal. Trump was arraigned in the Manhattan district court on April 4. [62]

Allegation and non-disclosure agreement

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 12, 2018, that Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in October 2016, a month before the election, to stop her discussing the alleged affair.[1][49]

Cohen denied the existence of the affair on behalf of his client Donald Trump on January 14, 2018,[63] but acknowledged a month later, on February 13, that he paid Daniels $130,000.

Daniels filed a lawsuit against Trump on March 6, 2018, claiming that the non-disclosure agreement she signed about the alleged affair was invalid since Trump never personally signed it despite acknowledging that she accepted the payment made in exchange for her silence in the matter.[64][65] It also alleged that Trump's attorney tried to intimidate Daniels and "scare her into not talking". Cohen initiated an ex parte arbitration process the next day that resulted in an order barring Daniels from disclosing "confidential information" related to the non-disclosure agreement. The order that Daniels's lawyers called "bogus" was to remain confidential.[66]

In an interview with 60 Minutes that aired March 25, 2018, Daniels said that she and Trump had sex once. She also said that she was threatened in front of her infant daughter after a fitness class in Las Vegas in 2011. The threat pressured her to later sign a non-disclosure agreement.[64][65][67]

FBI agents raided Cohen's office and seized emails, tax documents, and business records relating to several matters, including the payment to Daniels, on April 9, 2018.[68]

In April 2024, it was revealed that the $130,000 hush money agreement was drafted by Daniels's lawyer at the time Keith Davidson.[69] In the agreement, Daniels was given the pseudonym "Peggy Peterson," while Trump was given the pseudonym "David Dennison."[69]

In May 2024, Cohen testified that he suggested the idea of including a clause in the agreement which ensured that Daniels would be penalized $1,000,000 every time she told her story.[70] Prior to Cohen's testimony, Daniels herself testified that the agreement made so she would be forced to pay $1,000,000 for every time she committed a violation by telling her story.[71]

Status of Cohen's payment

 
Michael Cohen in 2011

Daniels's lawyer said that the $130,000 payment to her was a cover-up, while others also raised questions about whether the payment violated federal campaign finance laws, which may be the case if campaign funds were involved.[50] The Wall Street Journal reported on January 12, 2018, that Daniels was paid $130,000 after a non-disclosure agreement via a Delaware limited liability company called Essential Consultants LLC that Cohen created for the purpose.[72][73][74] The political watchdog group Common Cause filed a complaint on January 22, calling on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and U.S. Department of Justice to investigate if the reported payout violated campaign finance rules, saying the alleged payment amounted to an in-kind donation to Trump's presidential campaign that should have been publicly disclosed in its official reports.[75][76][77]

Cohen responded to The New York Times on February 13 that he paid Daniels the $130,000 from his own pocket, not as a campaign contribution, and that neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign reimbursed him for making it.[51] The Washington Post later noted that Cohen never ruled out the possibility that Trump reimbursed Cohen for the payment stating that he used his own money to "facilitate" it.[78] Cohen said on March 13 that he transferred funds from his home equity line of credit to Essential Consultants LLC and from the company to Daniels's attorney.[79]

On April 5, 2018, Trump claimed that he had no knowledge of Cohen's payment to Daniels but admitted that Cohen represented him in "the Stormy Daniels deal" for the first time on April 26.[80][81] Trump's new lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on May 2 that Trump reimbursed Cohen for the payment, stating Trump "didn't know about the specifics of it but he did know about the general arrangement, that Michael [Cohen] would take care of things like this".[80] Trump tweeted the next day that Cohen entered into the non-disclosure agreement and stated that Cohen was reimbursed for the $130,000 through monthly $35,000 retainer payments to him tweeting "Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll [sic] in this transaction".[82] Trump contradicted Giuliani's statements on May 4, saying that Giuliani "wasn't familiar with everything" and that, "He started yesterday. He'll get his facts straight."[83] Giuliani later released a statement saying "the payment was made to resolve a personal and false allegation in order to protect the President's family".[84]

Cohen pleaded guilty to eight charges on August 21, 2018, including a campaign finance violation, for his role in the payment. He implicated Trump, saying that he acted "in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office".[85] Trump said that he only knew about the payments "later on", adding that the payments "didn't come out of the campaign, they came from me".[86] The New York Times reported on August 22 that Cohen's court documents revealed two senior Trump Organization executives were also involved in the hush-money payments. It also said that Cohen "coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls" about the payments.[87]

Trump denied directing Cohen to make hush payments on December 13, 2018.[88]

Common Cause filed complaints with the Department of Justice and the FEC claiming that the $130,000 payment to Daniels was a campaign contribution and that Trump's campaign violated campaign finance laws by not disclosing the payment to the FEC.[75] If the payment was made by Cohen, there is also a question whether it is an illegal or undisclosed in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign. However, several members of Trump's legal team deny the payment related to the campaign, instead claiming that it was a personal payment, to save Trump's marriage.[89] Questions have also been raised about how the payment was categorized for tax purposes, and if there is a possibility of tax-based charges or fees relating to the payment.[90]

Daniels filed a civil suit in an attempt to nullify the non-disclosure agreement between Trump and her on March 6, 2018.[91] The hearing was set for July; but U.S. district judge S. James Otero pushed it back, citing the possible indictment of Cohen in the ongoing criminal probe by federal prosecutors.[92][93]

Cohen also faces discipline from the State Bar of New York under the New York Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibits lawyers making loans to clients.[52]

A well-established principle of contract law is the offer and acceptance of "consideration" or something of value, in exchange for a promise to do something (or not do something, as in the case of a non-disclosure agreement). Legal experts argue that the $130,000 payment being accepted by one party is valid consideration and enforceable regardless of the unsigned state of the Daniels non-disclosure agreement, but other elements in the Daniels agreement make predicting the outcome difficult. Issues like the use of pseudonyms and the disclosure exception for law enforcement investigations may favor Daniels's position.[94]

Cohen pleaded guilty to eight charges on August 21, 2018, including tax fraud, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations, for his role in the payment, and implicated Trump, who in response said that he only knew about the payments "later on".[85]

The Wall Street Journal reported on November 9, 2018, that federal prosecutors have evidence of Trump's "central role" in payments to both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal that violated campaign-finance laws.[15]

In a sentencing memorandum for Cohen on December 7, 2018, federal prosecutors implicated Trump in directing Cohen to commit the campaign finance law felonies that Cohen pleaded guilty to. Trump tweeted shortly after the memorandum court filing, "Totally clears the president. Thank you!"[95] Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison.[96]

NBC News reported on December 13, 2018, that Trump was present in an August 2015 meeting with Cohen and David Pecker when they discussed how American Media could help counter unfavorable stories about Trump's relationships with women, confirming previous reporting by The Wall Street Journal.[17][15]

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York investigated the possible role of Trump and others regarding concealment of hush-money payments, but indicated in a sealed court filing that it is unlikely to bring additional charges.[97] On July 17, 2019, U.S. district judge William H. Pauley III, finding the investigation to be over, ordered that filing and materials related to the probe be unsealed on July 18, 2019.[98]

Timeline

2005

In September, Trump is videoed describing his attempt to seduce a married woman... He adds, "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything."[40][99]

2006

 
 
Daniels (left) and Trump (right) in 2006

In July, Trump and Daniels meet at the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and, according to Daniels, have consensual sex.[1][49]

2007

In January, Daniels attends a launch party for Trump Vodka at the Les Deux club in Los Angeles.[12]

In March, Daniels flies to New York and meets with Trump outside his office in Trump Tower.[12]

2011

In April, Daniels conducts an interview with In Touch Weekly about her alleged affair with Trump.[12][100] Cohen "intervene[s]," the story is not published and Daniels is not paid.[12][100]

In May, Daniels takes a polygraph test at the request of Bauer Publishing, then the owners of In Touch Weekly, that supports her account of having sex with Trump.[12][100]

In October, two publications reported the alleged Trump–Daniels affair.[15][14]

2015

Trump announces candidacy for US President

In June, Trump announced he would run for US president in the 2016 election.[101][102]

Alleged meeting between Trump, Cohen, and Pecker

In August, a meeting allegedly took place between Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker, owner of American Media, Inc (AMI), which among other periodicals published the National Enquirer.[15][17] In April 2024, Pecker testified under oath describing an alleged agreement at that meeting saying,[18]

What I would do is I would run or publish positive stories about Mr. Trump and I would publish negative stories about his opponents...I said I would be your eyes and ears because I know the Trump Organization has a very small staff.

And then I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about yourself, or if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen... and then he would be able have them kill in another magazine or have them not be published or somebody would have to purchase them."[19]

Pecker testified that after the meeting he immediately briefed National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard about the meeting's substance, i.e., that either Pecker or Howard were to alert Cohen if they learned of potential stories about Trump and that they were "going to try to help the campaign, and to do that, I want to keep this as quiet as possible."[20]

AMI buys Sajudin story

In October, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony, Howard called Pecker to say Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajudin was trying to sell a different story about Trump, one involving an illegitimate child allegedly fathered by Trump. Pecker testified that he immediately informed Cohen per the August 2015 agreement. Pecker testified he had AMI investigate the story and eventually concluded it was not true, but Pecker testified he instructed AMI to purchase the story anyway so it would not be published elsewhere before the 2016 presidential election.[21]

On November 15, AMI and Sajudin allegedly signed a "Source Agreement".[22]

On December 17, AMI and Sajudin allegedly signed an "Amendment" to the Source Agreement.[23] In his 2024 testimony, Pecker said the amendment to the source agreement was made at Cohen's request for purposes of further reducing the chance the story might leak before the election.[24] According to the AP, Cohen admitted that "as a Trump spokesman" he had "discussed" the Sajudin story with AMI while AMI was "working on it".[25]

The following day AMI had the National Enquirer pay Sajudin the agreed-upon $30,000.[25] According to Pecker's 2024 testimony Cohen told Pecker "The Boss will be very pleased" and that Pecker understood "The Boss" to be a reference to Trump.[21] Pecker also testified there came a time that Pecker wanted to release Sajudin, since the story wasn't true and Pecker wanted to avoid "problems", but Cohen insisted the release be delayed until after the election.[21][26]

2016

AMI buys McDougal's story

On August 5, AMI allegedly signed a "Name and Rights License Agreement" with Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had a months-long relationship with Trump several years earlier. In part the agreement assigned McDougal's rights to the story to AMI.[27][28]

On August 9, AMI allegedly paid McDougal the agreed-upon $150,000.[29][30]

On September 6, Cohen allegedly made a secret recording of a conversation between himself and Trump, during which Cohen allegedly told Trump that Trump would have to pay $150,000 for "all that info regarding our friend David", that Cohen had talked to Weisselberg about "how to set the whole thing up", and the deal included "All the stuff. Because -- here, you never know where that company, you never know what he’s..." and Trump allegedly can be heard saying "Maybe he gets hit by a truck".[31][32]

Sometime in September, according to Pecker's testimony, Cohen called Pecker to say Trump allegedly wanted to buy the rights to McDougal's story and boxes of Trump-related info in AMI's possession. Asked if Pecker knew why Trump allegedly wanted these materials, Pecker said Cohen told him "The Boss said that if [Pecker] got hit by a bus and/or the company was sold, he did not want for someone else to potentially publish those stories."[33]

On September 21, AMI allegedly caused a third party LLC to invoice Cohen's LLC for $125,000, the agreed-upon price for Cohen's LLC to acquire AMI's rights to the McDougal story, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony.[34][35][36]

On September 30, AMI allegedly agreed to assign its rights to McDougal's story to Cohen's "Resolution Consultants LLC" for "good and valuable consideration".[37]

Sometime in the first week of October, according to Pecker's 2024 testimony, Pecker consulted with counsel, decided to cancel the sale of McDougal's story to Cohen's LLC, and communicated that decision to Cohen, who allegedly replied "The Boss will be very angry with you." AMI was never reimbursed for purchasing the McDougal story, according to Pecker.[38][39]

Access Hollywood Tape becomes public

On October 7 the existence of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape was made public.[40]

Cohen's LLC buys Daniel's story

On October 8, Pecker allegedly learned that Daniels was trying to sell the story of her alleged 2006 affair with Trump.[42]

On October 9, Cohen allegedly learned that Pecker had instructed AMI to not purchase Daniels's story.[43]

On October 17, Cohen submitted paperwork to create a Delaware-registered Limited liability company named "Essential Consultants, LLC".[44]

On October 25, Pecker again allegedly told Cohen that AMI would not buy Daniels's story and that Pecker believed Cohen should buy her story.[45]

On October 26, Cohen opened a bank account for his company Essential Consultants, LLC, and then uses his personal home equity to transfer $131,000 into the LLC's account.[44] Cohen corresponded with the bank using his Trump Organization email account and representing himself as "Special Counsel to Donald J. Trump".[46][47]

On October 27, Cohen wires $130,000 from his LLC to Daniels's attorney.[44]

November

On November 4, The Wall Street Journal reported Trump's affairs with both McDougal and Daniels.[103]

On November 8, Trump won the 2016 US presidential election.[104]

December

On December 9, Cohen allegedly called Davidson complaining that Cohen would not be part of Trump's team in Washington and that he had not yet been reimbursed for the $130,000 Cohen paid to Daniels.[105][106][107][108]

Sometime "around November/December", Pecker allegedly met first with Cohen and then with Trump at Trump Tower. Cohen allegedly asked Pecker for help getting his expected "Christmas bonus" from Trump. When Pecker later met with Trump Pecker allegedly said that Cohen had been loyal and "his bonus is really very important to him on the monies he's going to receive", to which Trump allegedly replied, "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."[109][110][111][112]

2017

January

On January 7, Trump allegedly met with Pecker at Trump Tower and thanked Pecker for preventing publication of Sajudin's and McDougal's stories.[113][114][115]

On January 19, Cohen announced he would start a new job as Trump's personal attorney.[116]

On January 20, Trump was sworn in as president.[117]

January 27 was Cohen's last day as a paid employee of Trump Organization, according to the company's finance controller at the time.[118]

February

In Cohen's 2019 congressional testimony, he said:

In February 2017, one month into his presidency, I’m visiting President Trump in the oval office for the first time, and it’s truthfully awe-inspiring. He’s showing me all around and pointing to different paintings. And he says to me something to the effect of, Don’t worry, Michael. Your January and February reimbursement checks are coming. They were FedEx’d from New York. And it takes a while for that to get through the White House system.

As he promised, I received the first check for the reimbursement of $70,000 not long thereafter.[119]

On February 6, McConney, then-finance controller for Trump Organization, allegedly emailed Cohen to remind Cohen to submit the invoices Cohen allegedly discussed with then-Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg.[120][121]

On February 8, Cohen was allegedly photographed in the White House Press Briefing Room.[122][123]

On February 14, Cohen allegedly emailed McConney saying "Please remind me of the monthly amount" that Cohen should bill on the invoices, to which McConney allegedly replied "$35,000 per month". Later that day Cohen sent an invoice to McConney billing $35,000 for each of January and February.[124][121]

On February 14, a check from the Trump trust account to Cohen for $70,000 was prepared. The check allegedly bore Trump's signature.[125] Vouchers for $35,000 for both January and February were attached and coded as "legal retainer". Id.

2018

January

On January 12, 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that Michael Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in October 2016, a month before the presidential election, to stop her discussing an affair she allegedly had with Trump in 2006.[1][49]

On January 14, Cohen denied the existence of an affair on behalf of his client, Trump,[63] but acknowledged that he had paid Daniels $130,000. He also said that the payment was out of his own money. Initially, it was reported that the payment came via Essential Consultants LLC, a private company founded by Cohen in Delaware on October 17, 2016, which received £500,000 from Columbus Nova, an affiliate of Viktor Vekselberg's Renova Group.[74][126] Daniels was reportedly in talks to tell her account to both Good Morning America and Slate at the time.[73] The Daily Beast also discussed with Daniels "after three sources—including fellow porn star Alana Evans—told the website that both Daniels and Trump were involved. Daniels ultimately backed out on November 3, just five days before the 2016 election."[63][127]

On January 16, CNN reported that Fox News reporter Diana Falzone wrote an article about Daniels and Trump in October 2016, that Fox News never published. It included Daniels's then-manager Gina Rodriguez alleging on-the-record about a sexual relationship between them. CNN also reported that "Falzone had even seen emails about a settlement" between Daniels and Trump.[128] In Touch Weekly published excerpts of the 2011 interview of Daniels alleging a 2006 extramarital affair with Trump the next day. The magazine described her account as being supported by a polygraph and corroborated by both her friend Randy Spears and her ex-husband Mike Moz.[129] Although Cohen alleged that claims made in that interview were untrue and previously published in Life & Style magazine on October 24, 2011, The Daily Beast described the interviews as "hardly identical". Although Daniels declined to comment to Life & Style, the In Touch Weekly interview had direct quotes from Daniels.[130]

On January 18, Mother Jones reported that Daniels considered running to become the senator for Louisiana in 2009, identified Trump as a potential campaign donor to a political consultant, and described details of a sexual relationship with Trump. That consultant discussed Daniels's revelations to another consultant in emails that Mother Jones obtained and published.[131]

February

On February 13, Cohen publicly acknowledged paying Daniels $130,000 and said the payment was made with his own funds. He also said that neither the Trump Organization nor the campaign reimbursed him. Daniels's attorneys notified Cohen that by disclosing the payment Cohen was in breach of the NDA agreement, and so Daniels was no longer bound to it.[132][133]

March

On March 5, The Wall Street Journal cited anonymous sources recounting Cohen as saying he missed two deadlines to pay Daniels since Cohen "couldn't reach Mr. Trump in the hectic final days of the presidential campaign" and that he complained that he had not been reimbursed for the payment after Trump's election. Cohen described this report as "fake news".[134]

On March 6, Daniels filed a lawsuit against Trump in California Superior Court, claiming that the non-disclosure agreement never came into effect since Trump never signed it among other things.[135][136][137][138] A complaint for declaratory relief, the suit seeks a judgment declaring that no agreement formed and for costs of the suit and other relief the Court deemed proper.[139][140] The Court set a July hearing date.[92]

On March 7, NBC News reported that Cohen initiated an ex parte private arbitration case against Daniels on February 27, 2018, and obtained a restraining order barring Daniels from disclosing "confidential information" related to the NDA agreement and stated that Daniels faces penalties for discussing her alleged relationship with Trump in public. Daniels's lawyers called the order bogus and was to remain confidential.[66] White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that President Trump's personal attorneys won an arbitration case "in the President's favor" against Daniels, and "there was no knowledge of any payments [to Daniels] from the President".[141][142][143][144]

On March 14, documents surfaced indicating that Jill Martin, assistant general counsel for The Trump Organization, signed legal papers in connection with the restraining order against Daniels.[145][146]

On March 16, Daniels's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said on both CNN and MSNBC that Daniels had been threatened with physical harm if she was not silent about the alleged affair with Trump.[147] Avenatti did not state when the threat was made, or who made it.[147]

On March 16, Cohen asked for Daniels's suit to move from the state to federal court, based on the criteria that the parties live in different places and the amount at stake is more than $75,000 with Trump's approval. Cohen asserted that Daniels could owe up to $20 million in liquidated damages for breaching the agreement.[148] The filing marked the first time that Trump himself, through his personal attorney, took part in the Daniels litigation.[149][150]

On March 25, Daniels's involvement with Trump was the subject of a segment on the U.S. television news program 60 Minutes.[65][151] The segment included interviews by Anderson Cooper with Daniels, her attorney Avenatti, and Trevor Potter, the former chairman of the FEC. Daniels said in her interview that she briefly spanked Trump with a copy of a Forbes magazine; had sex with Trump in the same encounter; later met Trump privately but did not have sex on that occasion; and signed multiple false statements that the affair was not under pressure from her former business manager–lawyer. She also said that, while she was getting her infant daughter out of their vehicle in a Las Vegas parking lot, an unknown man showed up at the vehicle and said "Leave Trump alone. Forget the story. That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom".[64]

April 2018

 
Daniels and Avenatti address the media in 2018.
  • April 5, 2018: Trump said he did not know about the $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels on Air Force One. He also said he was not aware of why Cohen had made the payment or where he got the money.[152]
  • April 9, 2018: FBI agents raid Cohen's office and seized emails, tax documents, and business records relating to several matters, including payments to Daniels. The raid conducted on behalf of the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, and likely resulted from information uncovered from Mueller's investigation.[68] Daniels reportedly cooperated with federal investigators following the raid.[153]
  • April 26, 2018: Trump said in an interview on Fox & Friends that Cohen "would represent me on some things. He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me".[81] This is Trump's first admission of any relationship to the case.
  • April 27, 2018: Judge put Stormy Daniels lawsuit on hold for at least 90 days while the criminal investigation of Cohen moves forward in New York since Cohen asserted his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself while the criminal investigation continues.[154]
  • April 30, 2018: Daniels's lawyer Michael Avenatti, tweeted about a lawsuit filed against Trump, where Daniels currently sues Trump for his "recent irresponsible and defamatory statements" made against her. These statements appear in a tweet mocking the released police sketch of the man Daniels claims told her to drop her allegations of the affair, and have been claimed to be defamatory as they accuse Daniels of falsely accusing a person of threatening her.[155]

May

  • May 2, 2018: Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on Fox News that "the president repaid" Cohen the $130,000 that Cohen had paid to Daniels. He also said that Trump "did know the general arrangement" of Cohen's payment, but not "the specifics". This contradicts Trump's claim of April 5 that he had no knowledge of the payment.[156][157]
  • May 3, 2018: Trump tweeted that Cohen entered into a non-disclosure agreement with Daniels. He tweeted that Cohen reimbursed for the $130,000 through monthly $35,000 retainer payments to him and wrote that "Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll [sic] in this transaction".[82]
  • May 4, 2018: Trump contradicted Giuliani's statements, saying that Giuliani "wasn't familiar with everything" and that "He started yesterday. He'll get his facts straight."[83] Giuliani later released a statement saying "the payment was made to resolve a personal and false allegation in order to protect the President's family".[84]
  • May 5, 2018: Daniels appeared on Saturday Night Live, playing herself, in a sketch involving the president, played by Alec Baldwin, and mocking Trump with the line, "I know you don't believe in climate change but a storm's a-coming baby".[158]
  • May 9, 2018: CNN reported that Mueller's team questioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg about hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments his company's US affiliate made to Cohen.[159] The US Treasury Department opened an investigation into the leak of Michael Cohen's private bank records to Michael Avenatti, the porn actress's lawyer, who sent a seven-page dossier to The New York Times and other news outlets.[160]
  • May 10, 2018: Newsweek reported that Michael Cohen's lawyers argued that some of the small transactions that Avenatti reported were for a different Michael Cohen but did not deny that the large transactions were for their client.[161] Greenberg Traurig, the former law firm of Giuliani, released a statement against Giuliani's claim that it was common practice for lawyers to make secret payments to individuals. A spokesperson for the firm stated: "We cannot speak for Mr. Giuliani .... Speaking for ourselves, we would not condone payments of the nature alleged to have been made or otherwise without the knowledge and discretion of a client."[162]
  • May 16, 2018: Trump acknowledged that Cohen was paid between $100,000 and $250,000 last year, out of which potentially came the $130,000 payment for Daniels, in his annual disclosure of personal finances required by the Office of Government Ethics.[163][164] The form reports on page 45, "Mr. Cohen sought reimbursement of those expenses and Mr. Trump fully reimbursed Cohen in 2017. The category of the value would be $100,001 to $250,000 ..."[165]
  • May 24, 2018: Daniels's lawyer Avenatti filed a motion in federal court to have a judge allow Daniels's lawsuit to move forward, instead of continuing the 90-day hold placed last month.[166] Avenatti cited recent statements by Trump and Giuliani, that potentially contradict Cohen's argument for the stay, with the recent disclosure of the Settlement Agreement and the "new facts call into question whether Mr. Cohen's Fifth Amendment rights ..." in relation to the case are "as compelling as previously argued ..."[167]

June

  • June 6, 2018: Daniels sued both Michael Cohen and her own former lawyer, Keith Davidson, accusing Cohen of encouraging Davidson to violate her attorney–client privilege.[168] The lawsuit also alleges Trump was aware of the efforts for Daniels to deny the affair on media interviews.[169]
  • June 6, 2018: Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, verbally attacked Daniels, saying: "The business you were in entitles you to no degree of giving your credibility any weight ... Explain to me how she could be damaged ... If you're going to sell your body for money, you just don't have a reputation ... a woman who sells her body for sexual exploitation I don't respect".[170][171][172]
  • June 19, 2018: Daniels's May 24 motion to reconsider denied. Avenatti said he would file an appeal shortly.[173][174]

July 2018

  • July 12, 2018: Undercover vice cops arrested Daniels in a sting operation in Columbus, Ohio.[175] Officers alleged that Daniels "touched" three undercover officers in the club where she performed, which is against Ohio law.[176] Two other female adult entertainers who were arrested at the club for the same alleged violations received summons to appear in court and did not have their mugshots taken, unlike Daniels while she was booked into the county jail.[177] Daniels retained Columbus defense lawyer Chase Mallory,[178] who worked with prosecutors to dismiss the charges less than 12 hours later, citing that the law excluded out-of-town performers.[175] It later reported that the lead detective on the vice squad in charge of the arrest was a supporter of Trump.[179]

August

  • August 21, 2018: Cohen officially surrendered to the FBI.[180] He pleaded guilty to eight charges that afternoon: five counts of tax evasion, one count of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of willfully causing an unlawful corporate contribution, and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution at the request of a candidate or campaign.[181][182][183] The plea deal reportedly does not include any agreement to cooperate with investigators.[184] However, the plea includes both jail time and a substantial monetary fine.[85] Cohen implicated Trump, but not identified him by name, in his plea.[85] Daniels said she felt "vindicated" following the plea.[185] It was also specified that Cohen had requested a reimbursement of $180,000, which Trump Organization officials doubled and added a bonus of $60,000 for a total payment of $420,000.[186]
  • August 22, 2018: The New York Times reported that Cohen court documents revealed that two senior Trump Organization executives also involved in the hush-money payments, and that Cohen "coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls" about the payments.[87]
  • August 23, 2018: Trump said the payment funds came from him personally and not from campaign funds during a Fox & Friends interview. He also said that he only knew about the payments "later on". These comments contradict earlier statements that Cohen gave while under oath. Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis suggested that Trump be prosecuted for the crimes that he instructed Cohen to commit.[187][86]

September

  • September 7, 2018: Cohen offered to rescind and invalidate the non-disclosure agreement with Daniels, in return for Daniels refunding the $130,000 Cohen paid to her.[188][189]
  • September 8, 2018: Trump's lawyers declared that he would neither enforce the non-disclosure agreement nor contest Daniels's claim that it is invalid.[190]
  • September 10, 2018: Michael Avenatti argued lawsuit over 2016 non-disclosure agreement must be allowed to proceed in federal court since neither President Trump nor his former personal attorney has faced "any true consequences or a meaningful inquiry into the truth" in the case.[191]
  • September 12, 2018: Stormy Daniels announced a book titled Full Disclosure about her life that she says will include details of her tryst with Donald Trump.[192][193]

October

November

  • November 9, 2018: The Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors have evidence of Trump's "central role" in payments to both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal that violated campaign-finance laws.[196]

December

  • December 7, 2018: Federal prosecutors implicated Trump in directing Cohen to commit the campaign finance law felonies Cohen pleaded guilty to in a sentencing memorandum for Cohen. Trump tweeted shortly after the memorandum court filing, "Totally clears the president. Thank you!"[95]
  • December 11, 2018: Daniels was ordered to pay $293,052.33 in attorney's fees, costs, and sanctions, less than half the amount demanded by Trump's lawyers, in relation to the defamation lawsuit that Judge Otero dismissed in October 2018.[197]
  • December 12, 2018: Cohen was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for having paid $130,000 hush money (characterized in the charges as an "excessive campaign contribution") to Daniels during Trump's election campaign.[198][199]

2019

May

July

  • July 17, 2019: The federal investigation into the hush payments announced as closed.[98]
  • July 18, 2019: Unsealed documents released, and show that the FBI suspected that Trump talked to both Cohen and Hope Hicks at the time about "the need" to keep Daniels from going public before the presidential election.[201]

August

September

  • September 2, 2019: The House Judiciary Committee prepared to investigate Trump's alleged involvement in the 2016 hush-money payments to both Daniels and Karen McDougal.[203]
  • September 11, 2019: NBC and CNN reported that Cohen entered into a proffer agreement with the Manhattan prosecutor to provide information on the matter.[204][205]

2020

August

  • August 1, 2020: Daniels lost her appeal in the defamation lawsuit against Trump.[206]
  • August 22, 2020: A California judge ordered Trump to pay Daniels's legal fees as the prevailing party due to his September 2018 agreement not to enforce the NDA.[207]

November

  • November 3, 2020: Trump lost the 2020 United States Presidential Election.

2021

January

February

  • February 22, 2021: The Supreme Court declined to take up the defamation case, making Daniels's loss final.[208]

May

  • May 6, 2021: The FEC dropped an inquiry into whether the payment to Stormy Daniels violated campaign financial law during the 2016 election. The FEC split 2–2 along party lines on taking action. The vote came months after an internal report recommended that there was "reason to believe" Trump's campaign had knowingly violated campaign finance law.[61]

2022

March

  • March 18, 2022: The 9th Circuit (U.S. District Court for the Central District of California) responded to an appeal on the final ruling in Daniels's lawsuit against Trump, wherein she owes nearly $300,000 in attorney fees, costs, and sanctions (not including appeal costs) to the injured party. Allegations of an affair remain unproven, and the final court ruling on the matter was affirmed by the USCA asserting that Stephanie Clifford has suffered a loss in court, owing damages, leaving no merit for further appeal on the matter.
    • Upon the ruling against Daniels, she tweeted "I will go to jail before I pay a penny."
  • March 22, 2022: Former President Donald Trump called the ruling "a total and complete victory and vindication for, and of me." He also reiterated his initial claim that he never had sex with Daniels, and claimed that the lawsuit was purely a political stunt.[209]

November

  • November 21, 2022: The New York Times reported that Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg's office "has moved to jump-start its criminal investigation into Donald J. Trump['s]" reported "hush-money payment to a porn star who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump."[210]

2023

January

  • January 17, 2023: Michael Cohen met with Bragg's office following the sentencing of Allen Weisselberg.[211]
  • January 30, 2023: The Manhattan district attorney's office was scheduled to present evidence to a grand jury regarding Trump's role in the payment.[212]
  • January 31, 2023: Trump wrote on Truth Social that "the 'Stormy' nonsense ... is VERY OLD & happened a long time ago. ... there was NO reason not to rely on [Cohen], and I did." Daniels asserted that this was an admission to the truth of her claims.[213][214][215][216][217][218][219][220]

February

  • February 1, 2023: Cohen said he had given his cellphones to the DA's prosecutors, who wanted evidence of communications, including voice recordings, of Daniels's former lawyer Keith Davidson.[221]

March

  • March 18, 2023: Trump stated that he expected to be placed under arrest the following Tuesday (March 21), on unspecified charges at the behest of New York prosecutors.[222]
  • March 30, 2023: A grand jury voted to indict Donald Trump[223] on more than 30 charges related to business fraud. Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina suggested a New York surrender and arraignment the following week.[224]

April

  • April 4, 2023: The 9th Circuit dismissed Daniels's challenge to over $121,000 in fees from a firm representing Trump, which were related to her unsuccessful defamation suit.[225]

June

  • June 2, 2023: Trump's attorneys requested that Judge Juan Manuel Merchan recuse himself from his New York City criminal case due to what they described as anti-Trump bias and a conflict of interest stemming from Merchan's daughter's association with some of Trump's Democratic opponents.[226]

2024

May

The court case regarding this incident and its aftermath, Prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, was decided on May 30, 2024, against Trump.[227]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Rothfeld, Michael; Palazzolo, Joe (January 12, 2018). "Trump Lawyer Arranged $130,000 Payment for Adult-Film Star's Silence". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2020. A lawyer for President Donald Trump arranged a $130,000 payment to a former adult-film star a month before the 2016 election as part of an agreement that precluded her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.
  2. ^ "Southern District of New York | Michael Cohen Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison | United States Department of Justice". December 12, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bump, Philip (April 23, 2024). "Unpacking the alleged crime that made Trump's alleged crime a felony". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  4. ^ Stein, Perry (March 30, 2023). "Trump is indicted in N.Y. Here's what it means and what happens next". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  5. ^ Woodward, Alex (May 30, 2024). "Trump found guilty, becomes first criminally convicted US president after hush money trial". The Independent. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  6. ^ Perper, Rosie (March 25, 2018). "Stormy Daniels: Here's what Trump said when I asked about Melania and newborn, Barron, just before the affair". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  7. ^ Rothfeld, Michael (March 19, 2023). "Inside the Payoff to a Porn Star That Could Lead to Trump's Indictment". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Cohen, Luc; Queen, Jack; Sullivan, Andy (May 7, 2024). "Stormy Daniels testifies she had sex with Trump, defense attacks her credibility". Reuters.
  9. ^ Dunham, Will; Cohen, Luc (March 31, 2023). "Who is Stormy Daniels and how is she involved in Donald Trump indictment?". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Bubalo, Mattea; King, Robin Levinson (March 11, 2023). "What happened between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump?". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  11. ^ Rothsfeld, Michael (March 30, 2023). "This is the sordid story behind the hush-money deal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Hagg, Matthew; Rothfeld, Michael (May 7, 2024). "A Timeline of the History Between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Pearson, Jake (January 19, 2018). "Tabloid held porn star's 2011 interview after Trump threat". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c Borchers, Callum (March 10, 2018). "Stormy Daniels has successfully navigated the media 'puke funnel'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Palazzolo, Joe; Hong, Nicole; Rothfeld, Michael; Davis O'Brien, Rebecca; Ballhaus, Rebecca (November 9, 2018). "Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "LIVE Live updates: Michael Cohen testifies he lied and bullied on Trump's behalf". Associated Press. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Winter, Tom (December 13, 2018). "Trump was in the room during hush money discussions with tabloid publisher". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Pecker said he would be "eyes and ears" for Trump during meeting". April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Transcript of Pecker testimony, [1] and [2]
  20. ^ a b Transcript of Pecker Testimnony pg 1021
  21. ^ a b c d e f Chao-Fong, Léonie; Michael, Chris (April 23, 2024). "David Pecker tells hush-money trial about paying Trump doorman $30,000 to take a story 'off the market' – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  22. ^ a b AMI-Sajudin Source Agreement of Nov 15, 2015
  23. ^ a b Amendment to AMI-Sajudin source agreement
  24. ^ a b Pecker testimony pg 1072
  25. ^ a b c d Pearson, Jake; Horwitz, Jeff (April 12, 2018). "$30,000 rumor? Tabloid paid for, spiked, salacious Trump tip". Associated Press. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  26. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1080
  27. ^ a b McDougal-AMI "Name and Rights License Agreement"
  28. ^ a b Herb, Jeremy; del Valle, Lauren; Gingras, Brynn (April 25, 2024). "McDougal contract with National Enquirer parent company being shown". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Herb, Jeremy; del Valle, Lauren; Gingras, Brynn (April 25, 2024). "McDougal payment filed under president's budget instead of editors' budget for clerical reasons, Pecker says". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  30. ^ a b AMI General Ledger Detail
  31. ^ a b Transcript of alleged Trump-Cohen recording on September 9, 2016 (People's Exhibit 248)
  32. ^ a b Piccoli, Sean (May 2, 2024). "Prosecutors Play Recording Of Donald Trump And Michael Cohen Discussing Hush Money Payments — Update". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1148
  34. ^ a b Invoice from Investor Advisory Services LLC to Resolution Consultants LLC
  35. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1153
  36. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1154
  37. ^ a b Assignment of License Agreement
  38. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1159
  39. ^ a b Pecker testimony, pg 1160
  40. ^ a b c "Transcript: Donald Trump's Taped Comments About Women". The New York Times. October 8, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  41. ^ Sherman, Jake. "Ryan 'sickened' by Trump, joint appearance scrapped". Politico.
  42. ^ a b "Trump hush money trial day 7 highlights: David Pecker cross-examination begins". Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  43. ^ a b Herb, Jeremy; del Valle, Lauren; Gingras, Brynn (April 25, 2024). "Pecker told National Enquirer editor they "can't pay 120k" for Daniels's story, texts show". CNN. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  44. ^ a b c d e Becket, Stefan (April 15, 2024). "Timeline: Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels and the $130,000 payment to buy her silence - CBS News". Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  45. ^ a b David Pecker testimony on April 26, 2024 in People of New York v Donald J. Trump, pg 1483.
  46. ^ a b "Michael Cohen used Trump Org email to arrange Stormy Daniels payment - CBS News". March 9, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  47. ^ a b Email used as exhibit in trial
  48. ^ Hill, James. "What you need to know about the case against Michael Cohen". ABC News. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  49. ^ a b c d Prokop, Andrew (January 12, 2018). "Wall Street Journal: Trump's lawyer arranged $130,000 in hush money for an ex-porn star". Vox. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018. At the height of the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump's personal lawyer reportedly arranged a payment of $130,000 to a former porn star, so she'd stay silent about an affair she'd had with Trump.
  50. ^ a b Luckhurst, Toby (May 3, 2018). "Why the Stormy Daniels-Donald Trump story matters". BBC News. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  51. ^ a b Haberman, Maggie (February 13, 2018). "Trump's Longtime Lawyer Says He Paid Stormy Daniels Out of His Own Pocket". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  52. ^ a b Eisen, Norman; Canter, Virginia (May 3, 2018). "Flashback: Stormy Daniels on '60 Minutes' makes Donald Trump's legal problems even worse". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  53. ^ "Michael Cohen has been disbarred". NBC News. February 26, 2019. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  54. ^ "US judge dismisses Stormy Daniels's lawsuit against President Donald Trump to end their NDA". ABC News. March 8, 2019. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  55. ^ Whalen, Jeanne (August 22, 2020). "Court orders Trump to pay Stormy Daniels $44,100 to cover her legal fees". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  56. ^ "Federal Judge Rules In Favor Of Trump In Stormy Daniels Defamation Lawsuit". NPR. October 15, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  57. ^ Stevens, Matt (December 11, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Ordered to Pay Trump $293,000 in Legal Fees". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  58. ^ "Judge orders Stormy Daniels to pay Donald Trump another $120,000 in legal fees". April 5, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  59. ^ Finnegan, Michael (May 17, 2019). "Stormy Daniels settles suit against Michael Cohen in hush-money scandal". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  60. ^ Scannell, Kara; Prokupecz, Shimon; Cole, Devan (February 25, 2021). "Trump's tax returns and related records turned over to Manhattan district attorney". CNN. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  61. ^ a b "Stormy Daniels: US election officials drop Trump hush money probe". BBC News. May 7, 2021. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  62. ^ Mangan, Dan; Breuninger, Kevin; Pramuk, Jacob; Schwartz, Brian. "Trump indictment updates: Trump denies committing crimes, attacks foes in scattered Mar-a-Lago speech". Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  63. ^ a b c Stern, Marlow; Snow, Aurora (January 12, 2018). "Porn Star: Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels Invited Me to Their Hotel Room". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018. Cohen on Friday did not address the alleged payout to Daniels but provided the following statement to The Daily Beast: "These rumors have circulated time and again since 2011. President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence as has Ms. Daniels." The attorney also provided a letter dated Jan. 10, 2018, allegedly signed by Daniels, that denied any "sexual and/or romantic affair" with Trump or the receipt of any "hush money" from Trump.
  64. ^ a b c "Stormy Daniels describes her alleged affair with Donald Trump". 60 Minutes (website ed.). CBS News. March 25, 2018. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018. Includes video and transcript.
  65. ^ a b c Parks, Miles (March 25, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Shares Graphic Details About Alleged Affair With Trump". NPR. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  66. ^ a b Fitzpatrick, Sarah (March 8, 2018). "Trump lawyer Michael Cohen tries to silence adult-film star Stormy Daniels". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  67. ^ "'It was my most terrifying experience – and I've seen Trump naked!': Stormy Daniels on standup, tarot and reality TV". The Guardian. January 27, 2023. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  68. ^ a b Apuzzo, Matt (April 9, 2018). "F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump's Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  69. ^ a b Rothfield, Michael (April 30, 2024). "Keith Davidson, Who Represented Women From Trump's Past, Testifies at Trial". New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  70. ^ "Live Updates: Michael Cohen, Trump's Ex-Fixer and Nemesis, Takes Stand at Hush-Money Trial". New York Times. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  71. ^ "Stormy Daniels Describes Sexual Encounter With Trump and Is Grilled by His Lawyer". New York Times. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  72. ^ Matthews, Dylan (April 6, 2018). "The definitive guide to the Stormy Daniels scandal". Vox. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  73. ^ a b Twohey, Megan; Rutenberg, Jim (January 12, 2018). "Porn Star Was Reportedly Paid to Stay Quiet About Trump". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  74. ^ a b Palazzolo, Joe; Rothfeld, Michael (January 18, 2018). "Trump Lawyer Used Private Company, Pseudonyms to Pay Adult film Star 'Stormy Daniels'; Michael Cohen created limited liability company just before $130,000 payment". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  75. ^ a b "Watchdog Questions Whether Trump's Payment Is A Campaign Finance Violation". NPR. May 3, 2018. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  76. ^ Gerstein, Josh (January 22, 2018). "Alleged payment to porn star was illegal donation to Trump campaign, watchdog says". Politico. Archived from the original on December 27, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  77. ^ Berman, Mark (January 22, 2018). "Watchdog group files complaint against Trump campaign over reported payout to Stormy Daniels". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  78. ^ Blake, Aaron (February 14, 2018). "Did Trump's lawyer just implicate Trump in the Stormy Daniels payment?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  79. ^ Llamas, Tom; Zaki, Zunaira; Faulders, Katherine; Peck, Christina (March 10, 2018). "Michael Cohen dismisses claims of email as proof that Trump knew about payment to porn star to buy her silence". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  80. ^ a b Thomsen, Jacqueline (May 2, 2018). "Giuliani: Trump reimbursed Cohen for $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels". The Hill. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  81. ^ a b Crowe, Jack (April 26, 2018). "Trump: Cohen 'Represented Me' in Stormy Daniels Negotiations". National Review. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  82. ^ a b Wagner, John (May 3, 2018). "Trump acknowledges his lawyer was reimbursed after payment to Stormy Daniels". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  83. ^ a b "Trump contradicts lawyer Rudy Giuliani over Stormy Daniels". BBC News. May 4, 2018. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  84. ^ a b Barrett, Devlin; Dawsey, Josh; Wagner, John (May 4, 2018). "Giuliani tries to clarify comments on Trump's reimbursement of payment to porn star Stormy Daniels". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  85. ^ a b c d Orden, Erica; Morales, Mark; Scannell, Kara; Prokupecz, Shimon; Jarrett, Laura (August 22, 2018). "Michael Cohen implicates Trump in hush money scheme". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  86. ^ a b Singman, Brooke (August 22, 2018). "Trump insists he learned of Michael Cohen payments 'later on,' in 'Fox & Friends' exclusive". Fox News. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  87. ^ a b Rashbaum, William K. (August 22, 2018). "Cohen Wasn't Alone: Records Suggest Others in Trump Circle Had Role in Hush Money Arrangements". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  88. ^ Wagner, John (December 13, 2018). "Trump denies directing Michael Cohen to break the law to buy the silence of Playboy playmate and porn star". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  89. ^ Savage, Charlie; Vogel, Kenneth P. (May 3, 2018). "The Legal Issues Raised by the Stormy Daniels Payment, Explained". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  90. ^ Wood, Robert W. (May 7, 2018). "Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Giuliani, Trump & Taxes". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  91. ^ Kirby, Jen. "Filed Complaint (1)". Vox. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018 – via DocumentCloud.
  92. ^ a b Stahl, Jeremy (March 15, 2018). "A Legal Screw-Up by Michael Cohen Should Give Stormy Daniels the Right to Tell Her Story". Slate. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  93. ^ Stempel, Jonathan (June 18, 2018). "Judge Cancels Hearing in Stormy Daniels Case Against Trump, Cohen". Reuters. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  94. ^ Campolongo, Jeffrey (April 2, 2018). "Would the Stormy Daniels NDA Be Enforceable Under Pennsylvania Law?". The Legal Intelligencer. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  95. ^ a b Barrett, Devlin; Zapotosky, Matt (December 7, 2018). "Court filings directly implicate Trump in efforts to buy women's silence, reveal new contact between inner circle and Russian". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  96. ^ "Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison". CBS News. December 12, 2018. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  97. ^ Buchanan, Larry; Yourish, Karen (September 25, 2019). "Tracking 30 Investigations Related to Trump". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  98. ^ a b Breuninger, Kevin; Mangan, Dan (July 17, 2019). "Feds end probe of hush money that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen directed to Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal". CNBC. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  99. ^ Katersky, Aaron; Charalambous, Peter (March 5, 2024). "Infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape was 'catalyst' for Stormy Daniels hush payment, prosecutors say". ABC News. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  100. ^ a b c Tapper, Jake; Lee, MJ; Tatum, Sophie (March 20, 2018). "Stormy Daniels polygraph report released". CNN. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  101. ^ Lerner, Adam B. (June 16, 2015). "The 10 best lines from Donald Trump's announcement speech". Politico. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  102. ^ Graham, David A. (May 13, 2016). "The Lie of Trump's 'Self-Funding' Campaign". The Atlantic. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  103. ^ Alpert, Joe Palazzolo, Michael Rothfeld and Lukas I. "National Enquirer Shielded Donald Trump From Playboy Model's Affair Allegation". WSJ. Retrieved May 3, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  104. ^ "Clinton Delays Concession Speech As Trump Seizes Victory". November 9, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  105. ^ Feuerherd, Ben (May 2, 2024). "Michael Cohen bashed Trump in angry rant after 2016 election, Stormy Daniels's former lawyer says". Politico.
  106. ^ Davidson testimony, pg 1855
  107. ^ Davidson testimony, pg 1956
  108. ^ Davidson testimony, pg 1857
  109. ^ Pecker Testimony, pg 1207
  110. ^ Pecker Testimony, pg 1208
  111. ^ Pecker Testimony, pg 1209
  112. ^ Pecker Testimony, pg 1210
  113. ^ Pecker testimony, pg 1210
  114. ^ Pecker testimony, pg 1213
  115. ^ Pecker testimony, pg 1214
  116. ^ Brenzel, Kathryn (January 19, 2017). "Michael Cohen will be personal attorney to POTUS". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  117. ^ "President Trump 2017 Inaugural Ceremony". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  118. ^ Jeffrey McConney testimony, pg 2290
  119. ^ Transcript of Michael Cohen's Feb. 27, 2019 Testimony Before The House Oversight And Reform Committee (Report). February 27, 2019.
  120. ^ Scannell, Kara; Del Valle, Lauren; Herb, Jeremy; Souza, Sabrina (May 6, 2024). "February 2017 email between McConney and Cohen about invoice shown in court". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  121. ^ a b Email chain and invoice, People's Exhibit 1
  122. ^ Testimony of Douglas Daus, pg 2002
  123. ^ Testimony of Douglas Daus, pg 2001
  124. ^ Scannell, Kara; Del Valle, Lauren; Herb, Jeremy; Souza, Sabrina (May 6, 2024). "Judge allows exhibits into evidence". Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  125. ^ Trump Trust account check dated Feb 14 2017 to Cohen
  126. ^ Clegg, Ruth; Rana, Manveen (December 12, 2018). "Fears over sensitive US military data in commercial cloud". BBC News. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  127. ^ "'He chased her around hotel room in his underpants': porn star claims Donald Trump paid US$130,000 to keep affair secret". South China Morning Post. Associated Press. January 13, 2018. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018. The porn star, Stormy Daniels, has stayed silent on the salacious claims, except for a statement of denial supposedly signed by her and circulated by Trump's personal lawyer.
  128. ^ Darcy, Oliver (January 16, 2018). "Fox News shelved story on Trump and porn actress Stormy Daniels before election". CNN. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  129. ^ "'In Touch' Explosive Interview With Stormy Daniels: Donald Trump Cheated on Melania With Me". In Touch Weekly. January 17, 2018. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  130. ^ Ryan, Erin Gloria; Zadrozny, Brandy (January 17, 2018). "InTouch to Drop 5,000 Words From Stormy Daniels on Sex With Trump". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  131. ^ Friedman, Dan (January 18, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Once Claimed She Spanked Donald Trump With a Forbes Magazine". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  132. ^ Pearson, Jake; Horwitz, Jeff (February 14, 2018). "Porn star who alleged Trump affair: I can now tell my story". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  133. ^ Haberman, Maggie (February 13, 2018). "Trump's Longtime Lawyer Says He Paid Stormy Daniels Out of His Own Pocket". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  134. ^ Palazzolo, Joe; Rothfeld, Michael (March 5, 2018). "Trump Lawyer's Payment to Stormy Daniels Was Reported as Suspicious by Bank". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  135. ^ Carter, Brandon (March 6, 2018). "Stormy Daniels files lawsuit against Trump". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2019. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, claims in her suit filed Tuesday that the nondisclosure agreement is not valid because Trump never signed the deal, according to documents revealed publicly by her attorney, Michael Avenatti.
  136. ^ Avenatti, Michael J. (March 6, 2018). "Filed Complaint" (PDF). Dropbox. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  137. ^ Fitzpatrick, Sarah (March 6, 2018). "Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says 'hush agreement' invalid because he never signed". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
  138. ^ Romo, Vanessa (March 7, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Files Suit, Claims NDA Invalid Because Trump Didn't Sign At The XXX". NPR. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  139. ^ "Filed Complaint" (PDF). MSN. March 7, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  140. ^ "Documents : Daniels Sues Trump : Redacted" (PDF). tmz.vo.llnwd.net. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  141. ^ Liptak, Kevin (March 7, 2018). "Sanders says as far as she knows, Trump didn't know of porn star payment". CNN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  142. ^ Collinson, Stephen (March 8, 2018). "A White House taken by storm(y)". CNN. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  143. ^ "White House says Trump won arbitration order against Stormy Daniels". Reuters. March 7, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  144. ^ Nelson, Steven (March 7, 2018). "Stormy Daniels attorney mocks Sarah Sanders claim Trump won in private arbitration". Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  145. ^ Fitzpatrick, Sarah; Connor, Tracy (March 14, 2018). "Another Trump lawyer signed Stormy Daniels gag-order documents". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  146. ^ Stephanie Clifford a.k.a. Stormy Daniels a.k.a. Peggy Peterson v. Donald J. Trump a.k.a. David Dennison, Essential Consultants, LLC, and Does 1 through 10, case no. BC 696568, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles.
  147. ^ a b Stanglin, Doug (March 16, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's lawyer says porn star was physically threatened to remain silent over alleged affair with Trump". CNBC. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  148. ^ Fitzpatrick, Sarah; Connor, Tracy (March 16, 2018). "Trump tries to move Stormy Daniels lawsuit to federal court, claims she owes him $20 million". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  149. ^ Tatum, Sophie; DiCarlo, Patricia (March 17, 2018). "Attorneys for Trump and Cohen file to move Stormy Daniels lawsuit to federal court". CNN. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  150. ^ Stephanie Clifford a.k.a. Stormy Daniels a.k.a. Peggy Peterson v. Donald J. Trump a.k.a. David Dennison and Essential Consultants, LLC, case no. 18-cv-02217, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Western Div. – Los Angeles).
  151. ^ Davidson Sorkin, Amy (March 26, 2018). "What We Learned from Stormy Daniels on '60 Minutes'". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  152. ^ "Trump breaks his silence on payment to porn star Stormy Daniels". ABC Online. April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  153. ^ Tatum, Sophie; Lee, MJ (April 13, 2018). "Stormy Daniels is cooperating with federal investigators". CNN. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  154. ^ Polantz, Katelyn (April 28, 2018). "Judge temporarily puts Stormy Daniels lawsuit on hold". CNN. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  155. ^ "Stormy Daniels sues Trump over 'defamatory' tweet". BBC News. April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  156. ^ Chamberlain, Samuel; Dedaj, Paulina (May 3, 2018). "Giuliani says Trump paid $130G to Cohen for 'expenses' over several months". Fox News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  157. ^ "Giuliani contradicts Trump on Stormy cash". The Standard. Warrnambool. Australian Associated Press. May 3, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  158. ^ "Stormy Daniels warns Trump on SNL 'storm's a coming baby'". BBC News. May 6, 2018. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  159. ^ Scannell, Kara; Prokupecz, Shimon (May 9, 2018). "Mueller's team questions Russian oligarch about payments to Cohen". CNN. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  160. ^ Korte, Gregory; Schouten, Fredreka (May 9, 2018). "Treasury investigates possible leak of bank records for Trump lawyer Michael Cohen". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  161. ^ Edevane, Gillian (May 10, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's attorney got the wrong guy in bank records, Trump lawyer Michael Cohen claims". Newsweek. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  162. ^ Lee, MJ; Polantz, Katelyn; Foran, Clare (May 10, 2018). "Giuliani's former law firm rejects his defense of Stormy Daniels payment". CNN. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  163. ^ Overby, Peter (May 16, 2018). "Trump Acknowledges Financial 'Liability' For Stormy Daniels Payment". NPR. Archived from the original on May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  164. ^ Eder, Steve; Lipton, Eric; Protess, Ben (May 16, 2018). "Trump Discloses Cohen Payment, Raising Questions About Previous Omission". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  165. ^ Allen, Jonathan (May 16, 2018). "Trump form discloses debt payment to Cohen, lawyer who paid Stormy Daniels". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  166. ^ Lee, MJ; Sidner, Sara (May 24, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's attorney asks for case against President Trump to move forward". CNN. Archived from the original on May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  167. ^ Balsamo, Michael (May 24, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's lawyer renews efforts to depose Trump". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  168. ^ Ruiz, Rebecca R. (June 6, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Sues, Saying Michael Cohen Colluded With Her Former Lawyer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  169. ^ Lee, MJ (June 13, 2018). "Stormy Daniels files new lawsuit against Cohen and her old attorney". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  170. ^ Karimi, Faith (June 7, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's lawyer calls Rudy Giuliani an 'absolute pig' over comments". CNN. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  171. ^ "Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has no respect for Stormy Daniels". BBC News. June 7, 2018. Archived from the original on June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  172. ^ Davidson Sorkin, Amy (June 7, 2018). "Rudy Giuliani Attacks Stormy Daniels But Disgraces Himself". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  173. ^ Larson, Erik (June 19, 2018). "Stormy Daniels Loses Effort to Restart Lawsuit Against Trump". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  174. ^ Balsamo, Michael (June 19, 2018). "Judge denies Stormy Daniels's request to reverse case delay". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  175. ^ a b Burger, Beth; Cooley, Patrick; Rouan, Rick (July 12, 2018). "Charges dropped, Stormy Daniels takes stage at another Columbus strip club". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  176. ^ Schmidt, Samantha; Bever, Lindsey (July 12, 2018). "Stormy Daniels was arrested and accused of touching strip-club patrons. The charges were dismissed". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  177. ^ White, Chris (July 12, 2018). "Stormy Daniels free of charges after overnight arrest at Columbus strip club". Fox 28. Columbus, Ohio. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  178. ^ Myers, Derek (July 12, 2018). "Meet the Columbus Defense Lawyer who got Stormy Daniels's charges dismissed". Fayette Advocate. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  179. ^ Myers, Derek (July 13, 2018). "Political prisoner? Cop who arrested Stormy Daniels revealed as Trump supporter". Fayette Advocate. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  180. ^ Neumeister, Larry; Hays, Tom (August 21, 2018). "Cohen pleads guilty, implicates Trump in hush-money scheme to influence election". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  181. ^ Hong, Nicole; Ballhaus, Rebecca; Davis O'Brien, Rebecca; Palazzolo, Joe (August 21, 2018). "Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty, Says Trump Told Him to Pay Off Women". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018.
  182. ^ "Michael Cohen trial: Trump accused of directing hush money". BBC News. August 22, 2018. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  183. ^ Reid, Paula; Milton, Pat; Watson, Kathryn (August 21, 2018). "Ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen pleads guilty to campaign finance violations". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  184. ^ Higgins, Tucker; Breuninger, Kevin (August 21, 2018). "Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty, admits to making illegal payments at direction of candidate to influence election". CNBC. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  185. ^ Samuels, Brett (August 21, 2018). "Stormy Daniels says she's 'vindicated' by Cohen guilty plea". The Hill. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  186. ^ "Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Eight Counts, Including Criminal Tax Evasion And Campaign Finance Violations". Department of Justice. August 21, 2018. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  187. ^ "Trump insists hush money payments by Cohen were legal". BBC News. August 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  188. ^ Feuer, Alan (September 8, 2018). "Michael Cohen Offers to Rip Up Deal for Stormy Daniels's Silence on Trump". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  189. ^ Reints, Renae (September 8, 2019). "Michael Cohen Offered to Void Stormy Daniels's Nondisclosure Agreement ... If He Gets His Money Back". Fortune. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  190. ^ Viebeck, Elise (September 9, 2018). "Trump, Cohen do not plan to enforce Stormy Daniels's nondisclosure agreement, court filings state". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  191. ^ Viebeck, Elise (September 10, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's lawyer fires back at attempts to dismiss her case against Trump". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  192. ^ Sidner, Sara; DiCarlo, Patricia (September 12, 2018). "Stormy Daniels writes tell-all book: "Full Disclosure"". CNN. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  193. ^ McCarthy, Tom (September 18, 2018). "Stormy Daniels's tell-all book on Trump: salacious detail and claims of cheating". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  194. ^ Sullivan, Kate (October 15, 2018). "Federal judge dismisses Stormy Daniels's defamation lawsuit against Trump". CNN. Archived from the original on October 16, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  195. ^ Chaitin, Daniel (October 15, 2018). "Stormy Daniels appeals dismissal of Trump defamation lawsuit". Washington Examiner. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  196. ^ Ballhaus, Rebecca [@rebeccaballhaus] (November 9, 2018). "NEW: Trump was involved in or briefed on every step of the hush payments arranged by Michael Cohen, telling him of the Stormy Daniels payment in Oct. 2016, "Get it done," according to Cohen's testimony to prosecutors. What Trump knew and when he knew it" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2018 – via Twitter.
  197. ^ Jardin, Xeni (December 11, 2018). "Judge rules Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $300,000 of Trump legal fees in defamation case". Boing Boing. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  198. ^ Winter, Tom; Williams, Pete; Rappleye, Hannah; Dienst, Jonathan; Gregorian, Dareh (December 12, 2018). "Michael Cohen gets 3 years, says Trump's 'dirty deeds' led him to 'choose darkness'". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  199. ^ Michallon, Clémence; Stevenson, Chris (December 12, 2018). "Michael Cohen sentencing: Trump's former lawyer 'to state publicly all he knows about president'". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  200. ^ Orden, Erica (May 6, 2019). "Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen reports to prison for three-year term". CNN. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  201. ^ Mangan, Dan (July 18, 2019). "Unsealed FBI evidence shows calls between Trump and Michael Cohen around time of 'Access Hollywood' tape release, deal with Stormy Daniels". CNBC. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  202. ^ Protess, Ben; Rashbaum, William K. (August 1, 2019). "Manhattan D.A. Subpoenas Trump Organization Over Stormy Daniels Hush Money". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  203. ^ Bade, Rachael; Hamburger, Tom (September 2, 2019). "Congressional Democrats plan to launch inquiry into Trump's alleged role in scheme to silence affair accusations". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  204. ^ Reiss, Adam (September 11, 2019). "Source: Michael Cohen met with prosecutors investigating Trump Organization". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  205. ^ Scannell, Kara (September 11, 2019). "Exclusive: Michael Cohen is interviewed for probe into Trump Organization". CNN. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  206. ^ Moreno, J. Edward (August 1, 2020). "Federal appeals court rejects Stormy Daniels libel case against Trump". The Hill. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  207. ^ Simko-Bednarski, Evan (August 22, 2020). "Court orders Donald Trump to pay legal fees in Stormy Daniels suit". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  208. ^ de Vogue, Ariane (February 22, 2021). "Supreme Court refuses to take up Stormy Daniels appeal in defamation case against Trump". CNN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  209. ^ Mangan, Dan (March 22, 2022). "Porn star Stormy Daniels loses appeal in Trump case, vows 'I will go to jail before I pay a penny' of $300,000". CNBC. Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  210. ^ Bromwich, Jonah E.; Protess, Ben; Rashbaum, William K. (November 21, 2022). "Manhattan Prosecutors Move to Jump-Start Criminal Inquiry Into Trump". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 25, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  211. ^ Protess, Ben; Rashbaum, William K. (January 17, 2023). "Trump's Former Lawyer Meets With Prosecutors About Hush Money". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  212. ^ O'Connor, Lydia (January 30, 2023). "Manhattan DA Investigating Trump To Present Evidence To Grand Jury: Report". HuffPost. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  213. ^ Derysh, Igor (February 1, 2023). "Stormy Daniels thanks Trump for "admitting that I was telling the truth" in Truth Social rant". Salon.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  214. ^ "Stormy Daniels Thanks Donald Trump for 'Admitting' She Told Truth". Newsweek. January 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  215. ^ "Stormy Daniels thanks Trump for accidentally appearing to admit that an affair with her 'happened a long time ago'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  216. ^ "Stormy Daniels mocks Trump's grammar in Truth Social post and says he accidentally confirmed her story". February 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  217. ^ "Stormy Daniels Thanks Trump for 'Admitting' Their Affair". The Daily Beast. January 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  218. ^ "Stormy Daniels mocks Trump's grammar in Truth Social post and says he accidentally confirmed her story". Independent.co.uk. February 2023. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  219. ^ "Stormy Daniels rips Trump amid indictment fears: 'Thanks for just admitting that'". January 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  220. ^ "Stormy Daniels Snarkily Thanks Donald Trump After He Insults Her Looks". February 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  221. ^ Pellish, Aaron; de Vries, Karl (February 1, 2023). "Cohen says he handed over phones to Manhattan DA". CNN. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  222. ^ Fowler, Sarah (March 18, 2023). "Trump says he expects to be arrested on Tuesday". BBC News. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  223. ^ Protess, Ben; Bromwich, Jonah E.; Rashbaum, William K. (March 30, 2023). "Grand Jury Votes to Indict Donald Trump in New York: Live Updates". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  224. ^ Cole, Kara Scannell, John Miller, Jeremy Herb, Devan (March 30, 2023). "Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud | CNN Politics". CNN. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  225. ^ Rawnsley, Adam (April 4, 2023). "Irony Alert: Judge Ordered Stormy to Pay Trump $121K Today". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  226. ^ "Donald Trump's lawyers ask judge to exit criminal case, echoing claims of political bias". AP News. June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  227. ^ Protess, Ben; Bromwich, Jonah E.; Haberman, Maggie; Christobek, Kate; McKinley, Jesse; Rashbaum, William K. (May 30, 2024). "Trump Convicted on All Counts to Become America's First Felon President". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stormy_Daniels–Donald_Trump_scandal&oldid=1257291739"