Stormy Daniels filed a lawsuit against her former attorney and Michael Cohen on Wednesday — claiming the two “colluded” to protect President Donald Trump from the porn star’s allegations that they had an affair.
In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Daniels says her entertainment attorney, Keith Davidson, acted as a “puppet” for Trump — secretly texting with Cohen, Trump’s lawyer and fixer, while still representing her in a 2016 nondisclosure agreement about their alleged tryst a decade earlier.
“Mr. Davidson abdicated his role as an advocate and fiduciary of his client Ms. Clifford and instead elected to be a puppet for Mr. Cohen and Mr. Trump in order to advance their interests at the expense of Ms. Clifford,” the lawsuit alleges, using Daniels’ real name, Stephanie Clifford.
Cohen and Davidson arranged for Daniels to receive $130,000 in hush money ahead of the presidential election — but when InTouch magazine dusted off an unpublished interview about the fling in January, the two “hatched a plan” to put her on Fox News so she could deny the affair, the suit claims.
“I have her tentatively scheduled for Hannity tonight. Call me after your trial,” Cohen texted Davidson, according to transcripts included in court documents.
After some negotiation, Cohen called the interview off, texting back: “The wise men all believe the story is dying and don’t think it’s smart for her to do any interviews. Let her do her thing but no interviews at all with anyone.”
“100%” Davidson responded.
In March, Davidson then “secretly tipped off” Cohen to Daniels’ plan to file a suit invalidating the non-disclosure deal — and Cohen met with first lady Melania Trump at Mar-a-Lago to “get out in front” of the scandal, the suit alleges.
“Mr. Cohen did not disclose to Mrs. Trump that not only was Ms. Clifford far from being a liar, Mr. Cohen had begged her to appear on Mr. Hannity’s show weeks earlier. Nor did he disclose that the ‘wise men’, including Mr. Trump, had decided at the time to let the story ‘die,’” the suit states.
The court documents don’t substantiate the purpose of that meeting, but do include a text exchange where Davidson and Cohen arrange a call at the time, only for Cohen to delay by saying: “With flotus. Give me a minute.”
Since Daniels ditched Davidson for high-flying lawyer Michael Avenatti, they claim he has refused to provide them with the entirety of her client file, including texts and other correspondence about the “Good Will Humping” star’s case.
The suit is asking for at least $100,000 in damages from both Cohen and Davidson.
In a statement, Davidson called the suit “outrageously frivolous” and “yet another desperate attempt by Michael Avenatti to continue his ‘publicity tour’” — but said he’s happy because he also believes it waives his attorney-client privilege with Daniels.
“Thankfully, the truth can now finally come out to rebut the...