Adult-film star Stormy Daniels has filed a defamation suit against President Trump in addition to her ongoing one against his personal attorney, Michael Cohen.
Daniels’s lawyer, Michael Avenatti, tweeted Monday that his client has filed the lawsuit for Trump’s “irresponsible and defamatory statements” about Daniels, whom Cohen paid $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement weeks before the 2016 election.
The complaint alleges that Trump’s tweets mocking Daniels over a forensic sketch of a man she says threatened her to keep quiet about her claims of an affair with the president amount to defamation because they accuse her of fabricating the alleged crime, which would itself be illegal.
Moments ago, we filed this lawsuit against Mr. Trump for his recent irresponsible and defamatory statements about my client @stormydaniels. He is well aware of what transpired and his complicity. We fully intend on bringing it to light. #buckleup #bastahttps://t.co/ZuBjI1EY9z
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 30, 2018
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is seeking damages in excess of $75,000, claiming that in posting the tweets, Trump knew that Daniels “would be subjected to threats of violence, economic harm, and reputational damage.”