# Trump sued by Stormy Daniels over hush payment **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 7, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163 "2018-03-07T02:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 33
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/641 "2018-05-03T12:29:44Z")
HOLY SHIT, RUDYG IS ON FOX & FRIENDS AND JUST MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PAYMENT WAS MADE SPECIFICALLY TO INFLUENCE THE ELECTION! > ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/642 "2018-05-03T12:39:26Z")
as expected Trump said it was not campaign money [https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/03/politics/trump-stormy-daniels-payment/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/03/politics/trump-stormy-daniels-payment/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/643 "2018-05-03T12:46:33Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > HOLY SHIT, RUDYG IS ON FOX & FRIENDS AND JUST MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PAYMENT WAS MADE SPECIFICALLY TO INFLUENCE THE ELECTION! > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/992017296808992768?s=19) Love one of the responses: Michael Cohen: “I’m arguably the dumbest lawyer in America.” Rudy Giuliani: “Hold my beer." ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/644 "2018-05-03T12:57:52Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > what law is Trump breaking by paying her off via a lawyer? Assuming he used personal money ,not campaign money. But the problem is I am not sure how he can prove which money he used ,maybe he can show the account it came from . I realize that Cohen might have broken the law here but that’s a different issue . As I understand it, he would have to disclose the expenditure. If it can be proven that it was a campaign expense and not a “personal expense”. Not a slam dunk, but certainly possible. Now, that’s not something that is like to send him to Sing Sing, but it’s something. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/645 "2018-05-03T13:10:56Z")
it’s funny how many times he has changed his story on this. First he knew nothing about it, then he knew Cohen paid her , and now he admits she was paid with his money. I wonder what the story will be next week. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/646 "2018-05-03T13:12:05Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > As I understand it, he would have to disclose the expenditure. If it can be proven that it was a campaign expense and not a “personal expense”. Not a slam dunk, but certainly possible. If it goes the same way as the John Edwards trial (which did not go well for the prosecution), it will hinge on the [meaning of “the.”](http://law.okcu.edu/?p=23516) > [@](#): > > According to ABC News, Edwards’ attorneys are expected to argue the meaning of “the purpose,” suggesting that in order to obtain a conviction, the only reason for using the money would have been to finance Edwards’ presidential campaign. The prosecution, however, would like the court to interpret that phrase as meaning “a purpose,” so the money obtained would not need to have been used on just Edwards’ campaign in order for Edwards to be found guilty. Trump would presumably argue that he had perfectly legitimate non-campaign reasons for making the payment, therefore the campaign wasn’t _the_ purpose of the payment. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/647 "2018-05-03T13:17:58Z")
We come full circle. Clinton argued the definition of “is”, Trump may argue what is meant by “the”. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/648 "2018-05-03T13:18:18Z")
The Edwards case was a bit different, that money paid to his mistress came from a wealthy member of the Mellon family, Bunny Mellon. Trivia: Ms. Mellon was 97 when she made those payments, she lived to be 103. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/649 "2018-05-03T13:25:01Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > it’s funny how many times he has changed his story on this. First he knew nothing about it, then he knew Cohen paid her , and now he admits she was paid with his money. I wonder what the story will be next week. What he’s saying now is that he reimbursed Cohen for the money Cohen paid her. So, yeah, it was his money but indirectly. I can’t see how all this shit that Giuliani is putting out there is helping. Unless they WANT this story to hog the news air time. There’s a blurb from _Fox and Friends_ where they’re interviewing hm and even they seem confused/incredulous. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/650 "2018-05-03T13:49:27Z")
Kelly Anne Conway’s husband just [tweeted](https://twitter.com/gtconway3d) out the FEC rules on gifts meant to influence the election. They must have an interesting relationship. Also, any time you use the word “funnel” regarding funds, as Giuliani did, then it’s shady as hell. Nobody has ever “funneled” money for non-shady purposes. That word is expressly used for shady, or at least shady adjacent, money movement. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/651 "2018-05-03T14:17:17Z")
Dotard: “How do I get the news I had my bodyguard break into my Doctors office and rob him off TV?” RudyG: “Hold my beer.” ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/652 "2018-05-03T14:43:46Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Trump would presumably argue that he had perfectly legitimate non-campaign reasons for making the payment, therefore the campaign wasn’t _the_ purpose of the payment. Giuliani this morning: “Imagine if that came out on Oct. 15, 2016 in the middle of the last debate with Hillary Clinton.” Sounds like it was for the campaign to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/653 "2018-05-03T16:10:52Z")
LOL- only the best incompetents. Guiliani is saying “Yes, Trump did reimburse Cohen, but via his monthly retainer of $35,000; not specifically. And not through campaign funds! That never happened”… Which immediately sent every person interested to inspect Trump’s campaign expenditures. As far as I can tell, the only people who think Trump used campaign funds to pay Daniels off were internet gossipers. I don’t think any news agency reported on/about that. But whatever you do, don’t go look at the Trump campaign’s FEC filings for the week of October 17 through 27, 2016 to see if there were any odd payments that equalled $130,000. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/654 "2018-05-03T16:16:38Z")
Rudy to Mueller: Stay away from Ivanka.[But Jared is disposable.](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/385989-giuliani-on-kushner-men-like-him-are-disposable) Mueller to Rudy: Oh, really? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/655 "2018-05-03T16:20:11Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Dotard: “How do I get the news I had my bodyguard break into my Doctors office and rob him off TV?” > > RudyG: “Hold my beer.” I just had to explain to my neighbors in cubeville why I was laughing out loud. They laughed, too. Nice one. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/656 "2018-05-03T16:36:44Z")
Maggie Haberman, White House reporter for the _New York Times_, [tweeted](https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/992074573192589312): > [@](#): > > WH had no idea Rudy was going to say what he said last night. Neither did a number of people around Trump. This is a car being driven by Trump and Rudy and the rest are all locked in their seats > > \ > > One person close to Trump said NYT story a few months back that Trump feels emboldened is correct - he also feels more threatened right now. So he is getting someone to do the stuff he considers important, like talking on TV and getting ahead of details Is there anyone – Hannity, Limbaugh, _anyone at all_ – who thinks Giuliani’s statements were helpful to Trump? And while we’re all focused on the sex-with-Stormy part, let’s not forget that Giuliani also made an offhanded remark that Trump fired Comey because Comey wouldn’t state publicly that Trump wasn’t under investigation. Heckuva job, Rudy! ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/657 "2018-05-03T16:48:13Z")
I caught a bit of the beginning of Fox & Friends this morning, and, of course, they were talking about this. (I didn’t see Rudy on there.) They were trying to make this whole thing seem like an ordinary business arrangement – the sort of thing that happens to celebrities every day. That seems to be Trump’s line this morning, too. My favorite part is how the names have changed. For months, the harlot at the center of this has been “Stormy Daniels”, sex worker. Stormy just sounds like a porn name (since, after all, it IS a porn name). This morning, the idiots on Fox & Friends stopped calling her Stormy. Today, she is Stephanie Clifford, a party to a perfectly ordinary business transaction. Please. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/658 "2018-05-03T16:49:54Z")
Mothers I Would Love to Forget. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/659 "2018-05-03T17:07:17Z")
NBC is reporting that investigators had tapped Cohen’s phones in the weeks before the raid on his home and office. Trump called Cohen at least once shortly after the raid, raising the likelihood that at least one conversation between them was captured on tape. > **[Feds monitored Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's phones](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/feds-tapped-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-s-phones-n871011)** > > It is not clear how long the monitoring of phone calls has been authorized. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163/660 "2018-05-03T17:15:45Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > NBC is reporting that investigators had tapped Cohen’s phones in the weeks before the raid on his home and office. Trump called Cohen at least once shortly after the raid, raising the likelihood that at least one conversation between them was captured on tape. > > [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/feds-tapped-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-s-phones-n871011](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/feds-tapped-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-s-phones-n871011) Gotta run check my oven. Seems like that goose is almost cooked. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163.md?page=32) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-sued-by-stormy-daniels-over-hush-payment/810163.md?page=34)