Trump rocked by sex scandal on eve of vote
DONALD TRUMP’S presidential campaign was last night rocked by claims he cheated on his wife with a Playboy model – who was then paid $150,000 ‘hush money’.
It was alleged that Trump had a 10-month affair with Karen McDougal, a former Playmate of the Year, months after marrying his third wife Melania in 2005.
With just three days to go before the election, The Wall Street Journal reported that Ms McDougal was set to go public about the alleged relationship this summer but was paid off by the tabloid the National Enquirer, which has openly supported Trump.
Republicans are furious at the timing of the claim, which has surfaced as the candidates launch a final blizzard of campaigning in battleground states before Tuesday’s election.
Mr Trump’s spokeswoman issued a swift denial, calling it ‘totally untrue’.
The latest poll for the Los Angeles Times puts Mr Trump more than five points ahead of rival Democratic nominee Hil- lary Clinton. Another – CNN’s poll of polls – showed the pair in a dead heat.
Both candidates are engaged in an 11th-hour race across swing states such as Florida and Ohio in an attempt to galvanise voters. Yesterday, after arriving in Wilmington, North Carolina, Melania offered her husband support, saying: ‘I have known this man, Donald Trump, for 18 years. He’s giving and loving. Donald will make America great again.’
Outwardly at least, Mr Trump appeared unperturbed by the claims. Earlier in the day, with typical ebullience, he carried a baby onto the stage at a rally in Florida after spotting ‘the future construction worker’ in the audience.
In its report, the Wall Street Journal said that a contract exists between American Media Inc, owners of the National Enquirer, and Ms McDougal, for ‘all rights to her alleged affair with a married man’. She was also promised a fitness column in the magazine. But no story appeared, nor any column.
American Media Inc last night denied ‘paying off’ Ms McDougal. ‘AMI has not paid people to kill damaging stories about Mr Trump,’ the company said in a statement.
Ms McDougal split from her husband Jim Grdina in 2006, the same year as the alleged affair. Ms McDougal, 45, taught at a kindergarten before modelling. After Playboy she became a fitness model.
With 80% of Americans saying they are more disgusted than excited by the election, it was unclear how damaging the allegations might prove. The 16-month campaign has been called the nastiest ever.
The day before the affair allegation emerged, Mr Trump aired a political advert linking Ms Clinton to congressman Anthony Weiner, who sent naked pictures of himself to underage girls. She returned fire by portraying her opponent as nuclear-obsessed Dr Strangelove, as portrayed by Peter Sellers in the 1964 film.
One poll put Trump five points ahead