Stormy Daniels Contradicts Trump’s Denial of Hush Money After Sexual Affairs
NEW YORK — One of the women who claims to have accepted hush money from former President Donald Trump took harsh aim at him during her testimony in his New York trial Tuesday.
She told about a 2006 sexual encounter with him that directly contradicts his denials of extramarital affairs, paying women money to buy their silence and falsifying business records to cover them up.
Former adult film actress Stormy Daniels discussed a private meeting she had with Trump in his Lake Tahoe, Nevada, hotel room. She said she went there for an interview about the possibility of appearing on his popular reality television show, “The Apprentice.”
“I had my clothes and shoes off,” she testified. “I removed my bra. We were in missionary position.”
Trump later called Daniels to say officials at the NBC television network would not allow her onto “The Apprentice,” she said.
Trump is on trial for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, allegedly to cover up payments for nondisclosure agreements with Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Daniels says she was paid $130,000. She kept $96,000 while the rest went to her attorney, she said.
McDougal has said she received $150,000 in exchange for agreeing not to discuss a 10-month affair with Trump.
Daniels said in a television interview that associates of Trump told her that if she violated the nondisclosure agreement, they could make her life “hell.”
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied sexual encounters with the women.
During one televised discussion of the allegations, Trump said, “I have no idea who these women are.”
He added, “The stories are total fiction.”
His attorneys are trying to portray him as a wealthy victim of extortion attempts by people who would not hesitate to lie to get money.
Testimony from Daniels and other prosecution witnesses this week tell a far different story. It has included copies of checks signed by Trump and statements from his business associates saying the money was intended as hush money for Daniels and McDougal.
Daniels responded to suspicions she was trying to extort Trump by testifying, “My motivation wasn’t money. It was to get the story out.”
Trump’s attorneys asked the judge for a mistrial, saying sexual details Daniels gave about her alleged relationship with Trump served only to embarrass the former president. In addition, the graphic details could sway the jury against Trump, the attorney said.
Judge Juan Merchan denied their request, saying, “I don’t believe we’re at a point where a mistrial is warranted.” He also instructed the jury not to consider any erotic evidence in determining Trump’s guilt or innocence on charges of falsifying business records.
Even without evidence of sexual relations, Daniels’ testimony indicates Trump’s denials of knowing her were untrue.
She quoted him saying, “You remind me of my daughter” during their meeting at the Lake Tahoe hotel.
During the same conversation, she said they discussed his wife Melania.
“He showed me a few pictures … and I said, ‘Oh what about your wife?'” Daniels said.
She said he replied, “Oh, don’t worry about that, we don’t sleep in the same room.”
The defense team tried to show during a heated cross-examination that Daniels was trying to get revenge against Trump after he ridiculed her on television and in his tweets.
“Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” defense attorney Susan Necheles asked.
“Yes,” Daniels replied.
She also said that if he is convicted, she would like for him to go to jail.
As he left the courthouse, Trump apparently referred to the cross-examination when he called the day’s testimony, “just a disaster for the [district attorney].”
He said he would prefer to be campaigning for president but, “We’re stuck in this trial, which everyone knows is a hoax.”
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