Stormy Daniels arrested in Ohio
NEW YORK—
US porn actress Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with President Donald Trump in 2006, was arrested in a strip club on Wednesday in what her lawyer said was a setup. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has pending lawsuits to get out of a nondisclosure agreement with Trump, said lawyer Michael Avenatti.
NEW YORK— US porn actress Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with President Donald Trump in 2006, was arrested in a strip club on Wednesday in what her lawyer said was a setup.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was arrested in a Columbus, Ohio, club for allowing a customer to touch her in a nonsexual manner while on stage, lawyer Michael Avenatti said on Twitter.
An Ohio law known as the Community Defense Act prohibits anyone who isn’t a family member to touch a nude or seminude dancer.
A Columbus police spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. A person who answered the phone at the strip club declined to comment.
Avenatti said Daniels was arrested during a sting operation.
“This was a setup and politically motivated. It reeks of desperation. We will fight all bogus charges,” Avenatti said on Twitter.
“They are devoting law enforcement resources to sting operations for this? There has to be higher priorities!!!,” he added.
Avenatti said in a later tweet that he expected Daniels to be released on bail “shortly” and charged with a misdemeanor for “touching.”
“We will vehemently contest all charges,” he said.
Daniels has said she had sex with Trump in 2006 and that Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 to keep the encounter secret shortly before the presidential election.
Cohen has admitted making the payment and Trump himself said last May that Daniels was paid to stop “false and extortionist accusations” she made about a sexual encounter with him but Trump forcefully denied the affair.
Daniels has filed two lawsuits against Trump, one to get out of a nondisclosure agreement she had signed ahead of the November presidential election in exchange for the $130,000, and another for defamation.