Adult film star Stormy Daniels is launching an online fundraiser campaign to cover the legal costs of breaking free of the confidentiality agreement she made with Donald Trump’s attorney before the 2016 election, reports The Washington Post. Daniels accepted $130,000 from Michael Cohen, Trump’s attorney, 12 days before the election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual relationship she had with Trump over a decade ago, which started soon after Melania Trump had given birth to their son. Now, that once-secret deal is part of the public record. Daniels filed a lawsuit last week in Los Angeles Superior Court against the president.
“I am attempting to speak honestly and openly to the American people about my relationship with now President Donald Trump and the intimidation and tactics used against me,” Daniels says on her new fundraising website, which became active Wednesday morning, reports The Post. However, she writes, she does not have the vast resources to fight Trump and Cohen alone. She says the money will go towards “attorneys’ fees, out-of-pocket costs, arbitration, security expenses and damages that may be awarded against me if I speak out and ultimately lose to Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen.” Cohen initially ignored reports about the affair, but later said he “facilitated” the $130,000 payment to Daniels using his own home equity line of credit. Daniels’ deal with Cohen called for private arbitration to settle any disputes and a penalty of $1 million each time the agreement is violated. Cohen has suggested he will pursue those penalties.
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