MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reported in on host Chris Hayes’ show Wednesday night to break news of a new scheme by Donald Trump’s lawyers to get adult film star Stormy Daniels to stay quiet about her alleged sexual encounter with the Republican nominee for president.
Daniels still owed Trump more than half a million dollars in legal fees stemming from her failed defamation case against the convicted felon in 2018. According to Maddow, the negotiations on the exact amount owed by Daniels seems to have created a new opportunity for Trump’s minions to try and attempt to quiet the adult film star once again.
Maddow explains:
So the way this goes is, ‘Hey, we think she owes $650,000.’
‘Okay, we'll take $620,000, if she also signs an NDA.’
‘No, to the NDA.’
‘Okay, fine. I've spoken to Trump. Then it's going to be $635,000.’ Stormy‘s attorney tells us, they finally settled on $627,500, which is what Stormy paid.
Daniels says she believes she is being quieted regardless by something of an invisible hand. “Since Miss Daniels refused to sign this new NDA for Trump, she tells us that she believes her social media and online presence has been sort of mysteriously torpedoed,” Maddow said. “I can tell you that at least one club promoting one of her recent stand-up comedy shows has expressed similar concerns, and we are looking into it now using a lot of different tactics and techniques, talking to a lot of different sources. We may have more reporting on that part of it in the days ahead.”
Maddow explained that all her information for the story came directly from documents provided by and interviews with Stormy Daniels’ lawyer. When she went to Trump and his lawyers for comment, Newsweek reported that “Trump's spokesman Steven Cheung told MSNBC the ‘purported documents were attained as part of an illegal foreign hacking attack against President Trump and his team.’"
Maddow saw this as simply a distraction. MSNBC also reached out to the New York District Attorney’s office about the case and they had no comment. Trump himself has denied any sexual involvement with Daniels.
We will stay tuned!
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payments he made to Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election. His sentencing has been delayed until after the 2024 election.
Ready to volunteer for this election? Our friends at Sister District do an excellent job mobilizing folks to support Democrats in strategic places. Click to join Sister District's National Phonebank and make calls to voters in crucial states.