Stormy Daniels: Photo courtesy of the Denver PostAs the US presidential elections approach, former President Donald Trump’s bid for a second term continues to face a threat from the hush money case.
On Monday, Trump will become the first president to face criminal charges after leaving office. He is accused of manipulating business records in New York, and also to conceal crucial information about his use of campaign funds.
Hush Money the Biggest threat to Trump’s Presidential Bid
Trump’s behavior in relation to Stormy Daniels has damaged his reputation, and it might end up being the single case that shutters his chances of becoming the 47th president.
The hush money allegation was still an issue during Trump’s tenure as the 45th president. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) brought up the matter in 2018, and the media has since kept it alive.
The widely read publication disclosed that Trump had paid out $130,000 to a porn star through Michael Cohen who was his lawyer. In its exposition, the WSJ indicated that the porn star had received the money in October 2016, a month to the Presidential elections.
Stormy Daniels has since collaborated the story, and it is clear that Trump made the payment through Cohen to try and shield his own identity.
Cohen also ended up owning up to his role in the cover-up, and spent sometime in jail for taking part in acts of financial fraud and tax evasion.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, also pointed out that Trump made her sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). She was, therefore, prevented from ever speaking about her sexual affair with Trump. That NDA has since been rendered ineffective.
As Monday, April 15th approaches, supporters and opponents of Donald J. Trump are eagerly waiting to hear how the Trump hush-money case progresses. Both Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen are willing to testify.
On March 25th 2024, the presiding judge insisted the case must continue in April as scheduled, despite opposition from the Trump’s legal team. Therefore, it is very likely Judge Juan M. Merchan will have the team of jurors ready by the close of business tomorrow.
Donald Trump’s Other Sexual Accusations
Stormy Daniels is not the only sex-related case Donald Trump has faced. There have been as many as 26 women alleging sexual exploitation by Trump since 1970.
However, only a handful of them have made their accusations formally in court. One of them is Ivana Marie Trump, a Czech-American who was once married to Trump. Others are Jill Harth, J. Carroll, Zervos, A. Johnson, and a Jane Doe.
In addition to filing a sexual harassment case against Trump in court, Jean Carrol went ahead to give details of the incident in her memoirs. She released her book in 2019 and won her case in 2023.
The court awarded Carrol damages worth $5 million and ordered Trump to pay her the amount.
However, in that case where the incident took place in a clothes store in 1996, the jury settled on the charge of sexual abuse although many had found Trump guilty of actual rape. The jury was also categorical that Donald Trump had defamed Carrol.
The store where Trump was found to have sexually abused Jean
Carrol is Bergdorf Goodman, a department store frequented by the
Manhattan affluent.
Meanwhile, Stormy Daniels has not shied from discussing her encounters with the former president. 5 years ago, Daniels appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and gave details of the first time she met Donald Trump.