A government watchdog group has filed complaints with the Department of Justice and Federal Election Commission, arguing the Trump campaign violated federal election law when it reportedly paid an ex-adult film star to remain silent about an alleged affair she had with President Trump.
Common Cause said in its complaints that Trump’s presidential campaign failed to report an in-kind contribution when it paid Stephanie Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, $130,000 one month before the presidential election to keep her from publicly discussing a sexual encounter with Trump that occurred in 2006.
The organization also asked the Justice Department and FEC to determine whether the $130,000 payment was made by the Trump Organization, or another corporation or person. If either an individual or corporation made the payment, Common Cause said this would constitute an illegal in-kind contribution to the campaign.
“The American people expect and deserve transparency when it comes to money spent to influence elections and those requirements are not optional no matter how embarrassing the reason behind the expense,” Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause, said in a statement.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week Michael Cohen, a lawyer for Trump, arranged the $130,000 payment to Clifford in October 2016 while they were negotiating a nondisclosure agreement.
Clifford privately told others of her encounter with Trump, which allegedly occurred after the two met in Lake Tahoe in 2006. He and first lade Melania Trump married in 2005.
Clifford told InTouch magazine in a 2011 interview, published last week, she felt bad that Trump had cheated on Melania, who had recently given birth to their son, Barron.
