President Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen may have violated federal campaign laws by paying adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump more than a decade ago, according to national security lawyer Bradley Moss.
The comments from Moss come after Trump said he was not familiar with the 2016 nondisclosure agreement signed by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and said he didn’t know anything about the $130,000 payment.
“You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday.
After the comments, Moss advised Cohen to call his lawyer.
“So if we assume Trump is telling the truth, that means he didn’t reimburse Cohen… which means Cohen very well may have violated campaign finance laws…,” Moss tweeted on Thursday.
So if we assume Trump is telling the truth, that means he didn’t reimburse Cohen… which means Cohen very well may have violated campaign finance laws… https://t.co/X5yT9zWtiw
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) April 5, 2018
Moss told Law&Crime that the payment could be viewed as an in-kind donation — one that goes beyond the lawful limitations permitting individuals to give no more than $2,700 to a federal candidate.
Moss also said the situation was the “John Edwards prosecution on steroids,” a reference to the former Democratic vice presidential candidate who was accused of breaking campaign finance regulations after allegedly concealing an affair by using the campaign funds.
Ultimately, Edwards was found not guilty on one count and the jury did not determine a verdict on other counts. The case was eventually dismissed.
Daniels’ legal team has also accused Cohen of violating campaign finance laws.
Earlier this year, Daniels filed a lawsuit arguing that the nondisclosure agreement she signed should be nullified because it lacked Trump’s signature. And late last month, she amended the lawsuit, arguing that Cohen’s payment violated campaign finance laws because it was an in-kind campaign donation and it was never reported.
Common Cause, a government watchdog organization, also asserted the payment broke federal law in complaints filed to the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department late last month.
Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti, claimed Trump’s comments aboard Air Force One bolstered Daniels’ case.
“The president’s comments on Air Force One are serious for him, serious for Michael Cohen,” Avenatti told MSNBC host Ari Melber shortly after sending the tweet. “How can you have an agreement when one party claims that they don’t know anything about the agreement?”
“Our case just got a whole lot better,” he added.
The White House has said Trump rejects accusations he was ever sexually involved with Daniels.
