Why sex scandal storm could topple Trump
DONALD Trump today faces one of the biggest crises of his presidency as multiple claims about alleged affairs while married to Melania threaten to engulf the White House.
The US President was said to be “spooked” by a TV interview due to be broadcast last night with former porn star Stormy Daniels.
Political experts said that the growing storm over the President’s alleged affair with Miss Daniels, which came after former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal said she had a 10-month relationship with Mr Trump, could be a “potential hazard to his ability to remain in office”.
Dr James D Boys, an associate professor of international political studies at Richmond University in London, said the scandal could cost the Republicans the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections in November.
Dangers
Dr Boys said: “The impact of allegations made by former Playboy model Karen McDougal and by Stormy Daniels extends far beyond any moral verdict on the character of Donald Trump and poses a potential hazard to his ability to remain in office.
“The allegations present the White House with dangers on two fronts: their political repercussions on the upcoming mid-term elections and the legal danger they pose due to the ongoing investigation led by Robert Mueller.”
Former FBI chief Mueller is leading an inquiry into Russian interference in the US election and whether there were any links between Donald Trump’s election campaign and the Kremlin.
Dr Boys said Miss Daniels and her lawyers claim that they have proof of the relationship and say that Mr Trump’s team covered up $130,000 (£92,000) in hush money he paid her days before the 2016 election.
If the money came from the Trump campaign it could be a breach of
campaign finance laws which would be a major problem for the President. The payment has become the subject of complaints to the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission.
The prime-time interview with Miss Daniels, 39, real name Stephanie Clifford, was due to be aired last night on the CBS show 60 Minutes.
Mr Trump was due to be back in Washington by that time, meaning that he would be apart from First Lady Melania Trump when the programme aired. She is remaining in Mar-a-Lago, their Florida estate, with their 12-year-old son Barron.
Ahead of the broadcast, Miss Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti tweeted a picture of a DVD suggesting it was proof of the affair.
He wrote: “If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” how many words is this worth?”
In another tweet, he wrote: “Note: (a) not all of our evidence will be mentioned/displayed tonight – that would be foolish; (b) we are not sure what CBS will include but we know a lot from the full interview will have to be cut because of the time allowed; (c) tonight is not the end – it’s the beginning.”
The interview is likely to include details about Miss Daniels’ relationship with Mr Trump, which allegedly happened in 2006, a year after he married Melania.
But it will also go into the alleged cover-up by Michael Cohen, one of Mr Trump’s long-time lawyers.
Mr Cohen has acknowledged forming a Delaware shell company to pay Miss Daniels the $130,000.
He claims he was acting as a concerned friend to Mr Trump, who he said had no connection to the money, a story Miss Daniels disputes.
Miss Daniels has sued to break their agreement.
Mr Trump’s lawyers have responded by saying she has already breached the agreement at least 20 times and that she is liable for $20million.
In an interview over the weekend Miss Daniels said: “Being in the adult industry I’ve developed a thick skin and maybe a little bit of a dark sense of humour. But nothing could truly prepare someone for this.”
The interview with Miss Daniels was due to air just days after Miss McDougal told CNN that during her affair with Mr Trump they loved each other.
Miss McDougal, 47, apologised to Mrs Trump for sleeping with her husband between 2006 and 2007, after they were married.
She has sued Mr Trump to break free of a confidentiality agreement she signed months before the 2016 election for which she was paid $150,000 and now regrets.
Lawyers for Mr Trump have insisted the affairs did not happen and that the President did not know about any monies paid.
Yesterday Mr Trump did not address any of the women but did comment on reports he was struggling to find a lawyer to represent him in the investigation into collusion by his campaign team and Russia.
Mr Trump tweeted that many lawyers wanted to represent him because “fame and fortune will never be turned down by a lawyer”.