The Mercury News Weekend

Judge rejects trial demand in Stormy Daniels case

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Aporn starwho said she had an affair with President Donald Trump and is suing so she can discuss the alleged relationsh­ip can’t have a jury trial or question the president under oath because the request is premature, a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled Thursday.

Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, had been seeking to invalidate the nondisclos­ure agreement she signed days before the 2016 presidenti­al election and offered to return the $130,000 she was paid to “set the record straight.”

Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ attorney, asked Wednesday for a jury trial and sought sworn testimony from Trump and his personal law- yer, Michael Cohen, about the payment that was made toDaniels aspart of thenondisc­losure agreement.

Trump’s attorneys filed documents in federal court in Los Angeles this month seeking to compel private arbitratio­n in the case and argued that Daniels could owe about $20 million for violating the agreement.

Daniels argues the agreement is legally invalid because it was only signed by Daniels and Cohen, but was not signed by Trump.

She’s said she had sex with Trump once in 2006 and their relationsh­ip and continued for about a year. Trump married his current wife, Melania Trump, in 2005, and their son, Barron, was born in 2006.

The White House has said Trump denies having an affair.

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