Washington - A law firm representing
US President Donald Trump and the corporation that paid porn
actress Stormy Daniels $130 000 in what she called hush money
over an alleged affair with Trump said in a court filing that it
was seeking at least $20 million in damages for multiple
violations of a nondisclosure agreement.
In a filing with the US District Court for the Central
District of California made public on Friday, the Blakely Law
Group also asked for a lawsuit by Daniels that seeks to nullify
the agreement to be moved to a federal district court from a
county court.
Brent Blakely, who filed the action on behalf of Essential
Consultants LLC and Trump, did not reply to a request for
comment.
Under the nondisclosure agreement, Daniels, whose legal name
is Stephanie Clifford, could be subjected to a $1 million
penalty each time the deal was broken.
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Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Trump that
began in 2006 and lasted several months.
Michael Cohen, a private lawyer for Trump, has said he paid
Daniels $130 000 of his own money during the 2016 presidential
election campaign. Cohen has not explained why he made the
payment and has not said if Trump was aware of it.
Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents Daniels, said on
Friday, "This is simply more of the same bullying tactics from
the president and Mr. Cohen. They are now attempting to remove
this case in order to increase their chances that the matter
will ultimately be decided in private arbitration, behind closed
doors, outside of public view and scrutiny.
"To put it simply - they want to hide the truth from the
American people. We will oppose this effort at every turn."
Avenatti has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles claiming Trump
never signed the nondisclosure agreement, rendering it null and
void.
"The fact that a sitting president is pursuing over $20
million in bogus 'damages' against a private citizen, who is
only trying to tell the public what really happened, is truly
remarkable," Avenatti said.
In a letter to Cohen on Monday, Daniels offered to return
the $130 000 to an account designated by Trump so she could be
released from the agreement, which she signed in October 2016.
Cohen ignored the offer.
Earlier on Friday, Avenatti told MSNBC and CNN that Daniels
had been physically threatened and warned to remain silent about
her relationship with Trump.
Avenatti would not provide details about the threat. He said
Clifford would elaborate on it during a CBS "60 Minutes"
interview due to be broadcast on March 25.
He told Reuters on Friday that six women had been in touch
with his law firm to describe relationships with Trump, and that
two had signed nondisclosure agreements.