Stormy will speak: Trump-linked porn star 'to tell her story'

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A porn star linked to US President Donald Trump will "tell her story," her manager has said, after the president's personal lawyer confirmed he had made a private payment of 130,000 US dollars to the adult film actress shortly before the 2016 presidential election.

Gina Rodriguez, Stormy Daniels’ manager, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen violated a nondisclosure agreement by publicly acknowledging the payment and that Daniels believes she can now talk about it publicly.

“Everything is off now, and Stormy is going to tell her story,” Rodriguez said.

President Donald Trump participates in a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, February 14, 2018. /VCG Photo

Cohen confirmed on Tuesday evening that he paid 130,000 US dollars of his own money to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The lawyer said he was working alone and that it was not a campaign expense.

“Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” Cohen said in a statement issued on Tuesday night.

Daniels was quoted as saying in a 2011 interview with In Touch Weekly that she had an affair with Trump after they met at a Lake Tahoe golf tournament in 2006, a year after his marriage to his third wife, Melania

Lawyers for Trump have denied an affair with Daniels took place.

The Wall Street Journal first reported in January that Cohen had paid 130,000 US dollars to Daniels in 2016.

Michael Cohen, personal attorney for US President Donald Trump, talks to reporters as he departs after meeting with Senate Intelligence Committee staff on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, September 19, 2017. /Reuters Photo

In his most detailed account yet of what happened, Cohen said in his statement that the payment was a “private transaction.” He did not explain why he made the payment or say whether Trump was aware of it. The White House referred questions about the payment to Cohen.

Key questions

- Why did Cohen make the payment?

- Where did the money come from?

- Did Trump know about the payment?

- Did the payment violate campaign finance laws?

- How much detail will Daniels now speak in?

- Is there more to the story still to come out?

Cohen’s statement was in response to a complaint filed at the Federal Election Commission by the Common Cause watchdog group.

Common Cause argued in its complaint that the payment amounts to a campaign contribution well in excess of the 2,700 US dollars limit to the amount any individual can give.

“The complaint alleges that I somehow violated campaign finance laws by facilitating an excess, in-kind contribution. The allegations in the complaint are factually unsupported and without legal merit, and my counsel has submitted a response to the FEC,” Cohen said.

“Just because something isn’t true doesn’t mean that it can’t cause you harm or damage. I will always protect Mr. Trump,” Cohen added.

Common Cause said on Wednesday that the timing and circumstances of the payment “make it appear that the hush money was paid to Daniels in an effort to influence the election.” It called on the FEC to conduct a full investigation.

The FEC confirmed it received Common Cause’s complaint and declined to comment on the case.

(With inputs from agencies)