‘Stormy’ deal void, Cohen’s firm says

The company created by President Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen sought Friday to void the nondisclosure agreement at issue in a lawsuit filed by Stormy Daniels, the adultfilm actress who was paid to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump ahead of the 2016 election.

The move by Essential Consultants seeks to avoid further litigation over the nondisclosure agreement, which was negotiated by Cohen on Trump’s behalf.

A lawyer for the company, Brent Blakely, stated in a legal filing that he “seeks the rescission of the Confidential Settlement Agreement dated October 28, 2016.”

The filing included a promise signed by Cohen not to sue Daniels over claims that she breached the contract. Cohen also reserved the right to seek reimbursement from Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, for the $130,000 she was paid.

“Today Essential Consultants LLC and Michael Cohen have effectively put an end to the lawsuits filed against them by Stephanie Clifford aka Stormy Daniels,” Blakely said in an emailed statement.

Michael Avenatti, Daniels’s lawyer, said the filing will have no effect without buy-in from Trump.

“This is going nowhere,” Avenatti said in an interview. “Trump hasn’t offered anything. He would have to agree for the NDA to be void.”

Avenatti said Blakely’s strategy is designed to protect Trump and Cohen from being deposed in the case, which could reveal more unflattering information about payments to women.