Stormy Daniels’ attorney said Wednesday his client would pay back the $130,000 that President Trump’s lawyer paid her as part of a non-disclosure agreement, but only if Trump’s team agrees the NDA is no longer in effect.
“I’ll tell you what,” Michael Avenatti told NBC host Megyn Kelly. “I will make the offer right now, if the president and Mr. Cohen agree that the agreement is null and void, we are done. We’ll deliver the money today.”
Daniels’ side says Trump lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 as part of the agreement to stay quiet about her relationship with Trump.
[Stormy Daniels’ lawyer: There’s ‘no question’ Trump knew about payoff to porn star]
Avenatti said he and Daniels had already made this offer, but indicated it was refused by Trump’s team. He repeated that Daniels believes the agreement is null and void because Trump never signed it. When Kelly asked why Daniels hasn’t returned the $130,000 she was paid not to talk about the relationship, Avenatti said he has tried that route.
“We offered to return the money two weeks ago,” Avenatti said, without further explanation.
“It’s not fair for her to keep the $130,000 while she’s already been on 60 Minutes telling about the whole affair. Right?” Kelly asked.
“I think what’s not fair is for her to constantly be called a liar by Mr. Cohen and others, put under their thumb, intimidated, and not be provided an opportunity to tell her story,” he said.
Avenatti also claimed Daniels is still fighting because she is a “principled woman” who is concerned Trump violated campaign finance law with that November 2016 payoff. But Kelly dismissed that argument.
“She’s so principled that 11 days before the election, she had information about the possible next president having an extramarital affair with an adult film actress, and she shut up about it in exchange for just over $100 grand?” Kelly asked.
“She wants the truth to be known to the American people,” Avenatti insisted.
