State prosecutors in Manhattan subpoenaed President Trump’s family business on Thursday, reviving an investigation into the company’s role in hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to people briefed on the matter.
The subpoena, issued by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, demanded the Trump Organization provide documents related to money that had been used to buy the silence of Stormy Daniels, a pornographic film actress who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump.
The inquiry from the district attorney’s office, which is in early stages, is examining whether any senior executives at the company filed false business records about the hush money, which would be a state crime, the people said.
The prosecutors say they are also looking at payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said she had an affair with the Donald.
Porn star Stormy Daniels was back in the national news this week as sentencing memos for Donald Trump’s former ‘fixer,’ Michael Cohen, were issued.
Additionally, though, Stormy was getting ink on Twitter last night when she canceled an appearance in Fort Lauderdale after a strip club owner allegedly called her assistant a “fucking faggot.”
According to Stormy, the cancellation cost her $6,800 but it was the right thing to do.
Sorry everyone who was planning to see me at Goldfingers tonight but I will NOT be performing. The owner called my assistant a "fucking faggot" after I refused to do something not in my contract. This abuse will not be tolerated.
I didn't cancel. They told us to "get the fuck out" because owner wanted me to do my show in VIP room instead of the stage. Sorry...but no. I will not be bullied or have my employees abused. Ask for a refund from the club.
They told us to leave...because I refused to perform in VIP room. And if you have employees, I feel sorry for them. The owner was both physically aggressive&used hate speech. How is that people seeing my tits matters more than that? Your priorities are more questionable than mine
And to put it in perspective...I'm very sorry to those who paid to see me tonight but keep in mind that I forfeited a $6800 paycheck by doing what I felt was the right thing to do for someone I care about.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence recognize individuals who exemplify the Order’s commitments to Activism, community service, and the advancement of human rights with our highest honor: Sainthood. Stormy Daniels’ bravery in sharing her story and speaking truth to power earned her the respect and admiration of the Sisters.
We surprised her last night at her appearance at the Penthouse Club in North Beach in San Francisco and proclaimed her “Saint Tempestuous, Eye of the Hurricane of Truth and Stormer of the Barricades of Injustice!”
She was extremely overjoyed to see us and seemed truly humbled by the honor.
The Wall Street Journal, a conservative newspaper I will point out, has issued its report on the hush money payments by Donald Trump to former Playmate Susan McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels.
The report itself is behind the newspaper's firewall, but CNBC has the receipts:
President Donald Trump was involved in “nearly every step” of hush-money agreements with multiple women who claimed they had sexual affairs before he became president, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The newspaper, citing dozens of interviews and document, also reported that Trump may have violated federal campaign-finance laws through his participation in the deals. Trump has denied knowing about a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star and director who alleges she had sex with Trump in 2006.
The Journal reported that Trump, as a presidential candidate, “directed deals in phone calls and meetings” related to the women with Cohen. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which prosecuted Cohen, has reportedly also collected evidence of Trump’s involvement in the agreements.
Stormy Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, took to Twitter to make sure folks knew about the reporting.
This further confirms what we have been saying and alleging for months. There can be no question now as to the validity of our allegations. I look forward to the apologies directed at my honest and heroic client @StormyDaniels.https://t.co/2WsR37wbag
If you aren't a subscribe to The Wall Street Journal, you can watch the video report below as the WSJ team breaks down the information and series of events they have uncovered.
Again - this is a conservative-leaning news paper. The WSJ is no 'liberal' anything. Watch below.
After a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by porn star Stormy Daniels against Donald Trump alleging he had defamed her by calling her claims of a one night stand a lie, Trump took to Twitter to call the adult performer, among other things, "horseface."
Trump tweeted, "Federal Judge throws out Stormy Danials lawsuit versus Trump. Trump is entitled to full legal fees.” @FoxNews Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the Great State of Texas. She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!"
You may notice that last misplaced comma basically shows Trump calling himself "a total con."
“Federal Judge throws out Stormy Danials lawsuit versus Trump. Trump is entitled to full legal fees.” @FoxNews Great, now I can go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer in the Great State of Texas. She will confirm the letter she signed! She knows nothing about me, a total con!
But Stormy Daniels is not one to stand down. The porn star slapped back with her own biting critique addressing him as "Tiny."
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present your president. In addition to his...umm...shortcomings, he has demonstrated his incompetence, hatred of women and lack of self control on Twitter AGAIN! And perhaps a penchant for bestiality. Game on, Tiny. https://t.co/6DpDD5ELtj
For his part, Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti also jumped into the fray:
You are a disgusting misogynist and an embarrassment to the United States. Bring everything you have, because we are going to demonstrate to the world what a complete shyster and liar you are. How many other women did you cheat on your wife with while you had a baby at home? https://t.co/npOKOEFju6
.@realDonaldTrump - tens of millions of Americans are tired of your fraud, lies, and corruption. They are equally tired of your attacks on women, especially the ones who you have had sex with while cheating on your wives. We (and the UN) are laughing AT YOU, not with you. #Basta
Stormy Daniels on Jimmy Kimmel Live (courtesy of ABC)
Stormy Daniels dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live last night to promote her new tell-all memoir, Full Disclosure, and along the way the porn star offered even more details about her 2007 sexcapade with Donald Trump.
Out actress Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Apocalypse) gleefully asked if she could stay on stage for the Stormy segment telling Kimmel she would love to play the porn star in the film version of her book.
After sitting down, Kimmel took the conversation right to "Chapter Trump."
Daniels shared that when she first met the Trumpster in his hotel suite that fateful night, he was wearing silky black pajamas: “I’m pretty sure I thought he was channeling Hugh Hefner. Significantly less sexy.”
According to Daniels, she told him to change.
“I wish you could make him change now,” quipped Kimmel.
“He followed orders much better back then,” Daniels said with a laugh.
Kimmel replied he thought Daniels could still order the Donald around a bit, but Daniels was quick saying, "I don't speak Russian."
Stormy Daniels (image via screen capture)
Kimmel couldn't help but bring up the now-infamous moment during the evening when Daniels reportedly spanked the Donald with a magazine, asking, “What does he do, when you spank Donald Trump?”
Without pause, Daniels responded, “Do you want me to show you? Get up!”
After spanking Kimmel with her book, the late night host paused to pray saying, "Please, God, let him (Trump) be watching this right now."
Eventually, the chat gets around to Daniels and Trump doing 'the deed.'
“And you made love,” said Kimmel.
“Gross," shrieked Daniels. “What’s wrong with you? I laid there and prayed for death!”
Kimmel referenced the passage in Daniels' book where she had described Trump's junk as being "smaller than average" and said his penis was “like the mushroom character in Mario Kart.”
The late night host then presented Daniels with a tray of mushrooms and asked the porn star to pick the one that most resembled Trump’s penis.
“Can you hold it up so it’s coming at me at the correct angle?” asked Daniels.
Taking a moment, she selected one of the smaller toad stools saying with a sly grin, "It's the most accurate depiction."
Throughout the segment, Daniels showed herself to be confident, smart and quick with a clever line.
Watch below. Daniels' memoir, Full Disclosure, is available now.
Porn star Stormy Daniels disses Donald Trump's bedroom abilities in her new memoir, Full Disclosure. The Guardian received an advance copy and shares this anecdote about the Trumpster's now infamous Lake Tahoe tryst with Daniels.
Trump’s bodyguard invites Daniels to dinner, which turns out to be an invitation to Trump’s penthouse, she writes, in a description of alleged events that Daniels has disclosed previously but which in the book are rendered with new and lurid detail. She describes Trump’s penis as “smaller than average” but “not freakishly small.”
“He knows he has an unusual penis,” Daniels writes. “It has a huge mushroom head. Like a toadstool…
“I lay there, annoyed that I was getting fucked by a guy with Yeti pubes and a dick like the mushroom character in Mario Kart..."
“It may have been the least impressive sex I’d ever had, but clearly, he didn’t share that opinion.”
Daniels also writes that when she would see the reality show host on television during the years since the encounter, the memory of her sexual encounter with Trump did not grow fonder.
In fact, she describes her internal monologue as, “‘I had sex with that,’ I’d say to myself. Eech.”
"Mario Kart" and "Toad" instantly began trending on Twitter after The Guardian's piece hit the internet.
Trump has denied the sexual encounter ever occurred although his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 in 'hush money' just weeks before the 2016 presidential election.
Cohen has since pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges.
all I want on this earth is for sarah huckabee sanders to deny it. to come out, glare menacingly at all the nice reporters in the crowd, and say “no the president’s penis does not look like the little mushroom from mario kart”
• In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Australia pop star Sia admits she refused to take a photo with Donald Trump backstage at SNL. When asked for the photo op, she replied, "Actually, do you mind if we don’t? I have a lot of queer and Mexican fans, and I don’t want them to think that I support your views." #Bravo
• John Goodman confirmed to The Times that Roseanne Barr's character will indeed be killed off in the upcoming reboot of the rebooted Roseanne sitcom, now to be titled, The Connors.
•Porn star Stormy Daniels was asked by Vogue Magazine about her infamous one-night-stand with Donald Trump. Daniels reply - “How many details can you really give about two minutes?” #Ouch
• I'll bookend this News Round-Up with one more by the handsome Mr. James, who proves in this pic he has clothes, albeit they may be coming off in the photo...
• I know, I know - It's Thursday and shirting is hard...
• The story of the secret love affair between two of the most popular leading men of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Tab Hunter and Anthony Perkins, is heading to the big screen thanks to Zachary Quinto and J.J. Abrams.
• A Southern California mother has been sentenced to life in prison and her boyfriend was sentenced to death for the killing of an 8-year-old boy who prosecutors say was punished because the couple believed he was gay. #Good
• A new poll by Quinnipiac University shows a majority of Americans - 58% - don't find football players taking a knee during the national anthem to be 'unpatriotic.'
• Porn star and Donald Trump paramour Stormy Daniels is launching a new perfume and it's name is... TRUTH.
• Season 2 of Netflix's Queer Eye lands June 15. The Fab Five have a whole new crop of men to makeover — and a woman!
"We're doing a lady," says Bobby. "I haven't done a lady in years," responds apparent bisexual legend Antoni. Check out the new trailer below!
Donald Trump's 2017 financial disclosure was released today and listed on the document is (who would have ever guessed?) a payment of more than $100,000 to his longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, issued as reimbursement for payments to a "third-party."
Gee, could "third-party" end up being the one and only Stormy Daniels?
Didn't Donald tell the press on Air Force One that he didn't know anything about any payments to Ms. Daniels?
The disclosure, released by the Office of Government Ethics, did not specify the purpose of the payment. However, Mr. Cohen has paid $130,000 to an adult film actress, Stephanie Clifford, who has claimed she had an affair with Mr. Trump.
Mr. Cohen has said he made the payment to keep the actress, who goes by the stage name Stormy Daniels, from going public before the 2016 election with her story about an affair with Mr. Trump.
A footnote in the disclosure said that Mr. Cohen had requested reimbursement of the expenses incurred in 2016 and Mr. Trump had repaid it in full in 2017. It did not give an exact amount of the payment but said it was between $100,001 and $250,000.
Mr. Trump’s disclosure today conclusively proves that the American people were deceived by Mr. Cohen, Mr. Trump, Mr. Schwartz, the WH, and Mr. Giuliani. This was NOT an accident and it was not isolated. Cover-ups should always matter. #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 16, 2018
Trump, April 5: Reporter: “Do you know where he got the money to make that payment?” Trump: “No. I don’t know...You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael.” https://t.co/kOUn3RXR27
Let’s be clear what this is: the Trump-appointed acting head of the Office of Government Ethics just wrote DOJ to flag that Trump may have committed a crime by not disclosing his Stormy payment to Cohen in last year’s financial disclosure. https://t.co/uIre10zsy1
So, Saturday Night Live went THERE tonight with the one and only Stormy Daniels making a guest appearance in the cold open opposite Alec Baldwin's "Donald Trump."
From NBC: "With the FBI listening in, Michael Cohen (Ben Stiller) fields calls from an all-star roster of Trump characters including Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin), Rudy Giuliani (Kate McKinnon), Melania Trump (Cecily Strong), Ivanka Trump (Scarlett Johansson) and Jared Kushner (Jimmy Fallon) and the real Stormy Daniels."
Stormy:"A storm's a comin', baby!"
Donald: "I've never been so scared and so horny at the same time!"
Donald Trump's newly-installed lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is in serious spin mode as he attempts to walk back his comments that the Trumpster knew about the $130K "hush money" to porn star Stormy Daniels and has since repaid the funds to longtime "fixer" Michael Cohen.
Giuliani issued an official statement today "intended to clarify the views I expressed over the past few days."
First: There is no campaign violation. The payment was made to resolve a personal and false allegation in order to protect the President’s family. It would have been done in any event, whether he was a candidate or not.
Second: My references to timing were not describing my understanding of the President’s knowledge, but instead, my understanding of these matters.
Third: It is undisputed that the President’s dismissal of former Director Comey – an inferior executive officer – was clearly within his Article II power. Recent revelations about former Director Comey further confirm the wisdom of the President’s decision, which was plainly in the best interests of our nation.
This comes on the heels of Trump throwing Giuliani under the bus this morning saying the former NYC mayor "had just started, and he wasn’t totally familiar with everything.”
BREAKING: In new statement on the Stormy Daniels case, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani says, "My references to timing were not describing my understanding of the President’s knowledge, but instead, my understanding of these matters." pic.twitter.com/l3c3wUXUPb
.@KellyO : Giuliani is attempting to walk back previous comments on the timing of Michael Cohen's payment to Stormy Daniels and the potential impact on the election.
"He's trying to clean that up saying this was just about protecting the family." pic.twitter.com/wtqZmMDGou
The political world is all agog today as Donald Trump's newest legal eagle, former NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani, told Fox News' Sean Hannity last night that Trump did, indeed, repay his other lawyer Michael Cohen for the infamous $130K hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“It’s going to turn out to be perfectly legal; that money was not campaign money,” Giuliani, Trump’s new lead attorney regarding issues related to special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“Sorry, I’m giving you a fact now that you don’t know,” Giuliani continued, before saying that the payment was “funneled through a law firm, and then the president repaid it.”
The news directly contradicts Trump’s statements last month that he had no knowledge that Cohen had paid Daniels. Reporters aboard Air Force One had asked whether Trump knew about the payment, to which the president replied: “No.”
“You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen,” Trump said when pressed on the issue. “Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael.”
The Trumpster's Twitter account attempted to address the issue today. Although, I'm thinking a lawyer wrote these tweets as they don't have Trump's signature caps-lock yelling and errant air-quotes.
Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are.....
...very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair,......
...despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair. Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll in this transaction.
This is obvious, but still should be said: Giuliani’s reveal that Trump repaid Cohen $130,000 for hush money to Stormy Daniels renders the repeated denials to the American people from POTUS and his press secretary false and untrue.
4 possible felonies from Rudy Giuliani admission: 1. $130k payment to Stormy was in-kind coordinated contribution above limits 2. Cohen was a straw donor used to cover up true source of contribution 3. False statements on financial disclosures 4. False statements on banking forms https://t.co/KysAF3X4te
1/2. We predicted months ago that it would be proven that the American people had been lied to as to the $130k payment and what Mr. Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did in connection with it. Every American, regardless of their politics, should be outraged...
2/2. ...by what we have now learned. Mr. Trump stood on AF1 and blatantly lied. This followed the lies told by others close to him, including Mr. Cohen. This should never be acceptable in our America. We will not rest until justice is served. #basta
President Trump acknowledged Thursday for the first time that his longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen represented him in efforts to silence Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who has alleged a sexual encounter with Trump more than a decade ago.
Trump earlier this month denied any knowledge of the $130,000 payment to Daniels that was arranged by Cohen and is subject of a federal investigation, telling reporters: “I don’t know” about the payment or where Cohen got the money. And the White House repeatedly has insisted that Daniels’ allegations that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 were false.
But in an interview with Fox News on Thursday morning, Trump appeared to reveal that he had knowledge of Cohen’s payment to Daniels.
“Michael represents me, like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me,” Trump said. “And from what I’ve seen, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this.”
Daniels’s attorney, Michael Avenatti, weighed in a few minutes later on MSNBC and said that Trump had made a “hugely damaging admission.”
Trump just said on Fox & Friends of Cohen: “Michael would represent me, and represent me on some things. He represents me— like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me."
The legal troubles are growing & the stable genius reps himself. Which will take him down 1st?
A court filing shows Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen will assert 5th amendment rights in all proceedings of the ongoing Stormy Daniels case.
You'll recall in September of 2016 during the presidential campaign, Donald Trump told a campaign crowd in Iowa, "The mob takes the Fifth. If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?"
Michael Cohen said he will assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in the lawsuit by Stormy Daniels because of the ongoing criminal investigation against him.
No big deal, just the personal attorney for the President of the United States asserting his 5th amendment rights regarding a $130,000 payment, made days before the election, to an adult film star who says she had an affair with Trump pic.twitter.com/9JkLgZosdJ
In an appearance on ABC's The View today, Stormy Daniels and her lawyer Michael Avenatti revealed a “composite sketch” of the man who Daniels alleges threatened her if she didn't shut up about her alleged affair with Donald Trump a decade ago.
Avenatti also announced there is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the man’s identification. Folks with any information can send contact Avenatti at IDtheThug@gmail.com.
I want to say, regarding the clips below, Daniels handles herself with a lot of aplomb and confidence here.
Meghan McCain asks direct questions that easily could have elicited a more argumentative or defensive response from Daniels. But instead, she calmly let McCain make her statements and then answered with logic in a calm, reasonable demeanor.
Daniels did get a laugh when asked about Trump's denial that he knew anything about the $130,000 payment made to her: "I work in the adult business and I'm a better actor than he is."
The more I see of Daniels, the more and more I'm impressed.
Contrast her appearance on The View with Donald Trump's histrionic public pronouncements with 4th grade language skills, and you get the picture.
Watch the clips below from today's appearance.
Stormy Daniels' response to those who say she is profiting from the scandal: "There's a lot of publicity, but I didn't do it for that because this is not what I want to be known for." https://t.co/f8u2wc159Spic.twitter.com/RVksH2A9SE
NEW: Stormy Daniels and her attorney @MichaelAvenatti reveal a sketch of the man she says threatened her to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/21sZP5rELw
While Donald Trump angrily ranted the the FBI "broke into the office" of Michael Cohen, his personal attorney, Cohen's take on the events depict a different scene.
In his first comments since the raid, Cohen told CNN today the FBI agents "were extremely professional, courteous and respectful."
"I am unhappy to have my personal residence and office raided. But I will tell you that members of the FBI that conducted the search and seizure were all extremely professional, courteous and respectful. And I thanked them at the conclusion," Cohen said in a phone conversation on Tuesday with CNN.
Asked if he was worried, Cohen said; "I would be lying to you if I told that I am not. Do I need this in my life? No. Do I want to be involved in this? No."
The raid was "upsetting to say the least," he added.
He wants the investigation to be over and continues to say everything he did in regards to paying Stormy Daniels for the non-disclosure agreement was perfectly legal.
He said that he is very loyal to Trump but after what happened on Monday, he'd rethink how he handled the payments to Daniels because of the impact on his family.
Update: The Washington Post now says Michael Cohen is "under federal investigation for possible bank fraud, wire fraud and campaign finance violations, according to a person with knowledge of the case."
Whoa.
**************************
Breaking news right now as word comes that the FBI raided the office and home of Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, in connection to the ongoing Stormy Daniels/Trump scandal.
Cohen has admitted to paying Daniels $130,000 just days before the 2016 election as part of a non-disclosure agreement regarding an alleged affair Daniels had with Trump.
According to The New York Times, prosecutors executed the search after receiving a referral from Special Counsel Robert Mueller who is investigating possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russian interference during the election.
Today's search and seizure doesn't seem to be directly related to Mr. Mueller’s investigation. Experts say today's actions were the result of information Mueller had discovered and handed over to prosecutors in New York.
Mr. Cohen has stated in the past that he is cooperating with authorities regarding the Russian meddling and has turned over thousands of documents to congressional investigators.
The Times reports the $130K payment to Daniels is only one of several topics being investigated by the FBI in relation to Cohen. Also seized today were tax documents, emails and business records.
Included in today's search were communications between Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen.
The Times says review of those documents will require a special team of agents because conversations between lawyers and clients enjoy attorney/client privilege in most cases.
So Michael Cohen, the "Says Who" wiseguy lawyer, who knows where all the bodies are buried, and where all the porn stars were paid...
"Rosenstein, as the acting attorney general supervising Mueller’s work, has the responsibility of deciding whether to expand Mueller’s mandate to include the new topic or to refer it to a U.S. attorney’s office." https://t.co/vjJD7WaQpD
Obviously very big deal. Because:
- extremely unusual
- needed search warrant
- requires serious charges
- requires strong evidence
- judges are extra cautious with lawyers
- warrant covered several areas, not just one issue
- FBI wouldn't do unless surehttps://t.co/kP6kbIymms
It's my understanding that government doesn't raid the offices of any lawyer lightly. The layers of bureaucratic approval that a raid of THE SITTING PRESIDENT'S LAWYER must have gone through simply boggles my mind. https://t.co/WjjZm69BsZ
During Stormy Daniels' interview with 60 Minutes' Anderson Cooper, Daniels explained she did not come forward about her alleged affair with Donald Trump before the 2016 election because she was threatened in person in a parking lot.
“Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.” the person who threatened Daniels allegedly said. “That’s a beautiful little girl. It’d be a shame if something happened to her mom.”
Now, her lawyer Michael Avenatti says he will have a "major announcement" about that person's identity.
Avenatti tweeted this morning, "Expect a major announcement in the coming days regarding our efforts to identify the thug who threatened Ms. Clifford in Las Vegas in 2011 to “leave Trump alone” while making reference to her little girl. You can run but you can’t hide. #thugsearch #seriousconsequences #basta"
Expect a major announcement in the coming days regarding our efforts to identify the thug who threatened Ms. Clifford in Las Vegas in 2011 to “leave Trump alone” while making reference to her little girl. You can run but you can’t hide. #thugsearch#seriousconsequences#basta
