Is Trump trying to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels again before the election? – First publication

Former US President Donald Trump is back in the spotlight amid claims he is trying to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

A report has come out MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, alleging that Trump’s legal team recently tried to strike a deal with Daniels, offering to reduce the amount she owed Trump in a defamation lawsuit if she agreed to keep quiet about her past and refrain from making “defamatory or derogatory statements”.

This follows a similar hush money scandal in 2016, which led to Trump’s conviction earlier this year.

Maddow’s investigation into the matter revealed calls, emails and documents that point to yet another attempt by Trump to ensure Daniels’ silence. Maddow stated during her Wednesday evening broadcast, “Twenty days before this election, we can report that she is once again trying to pay Stormy Daniels to shut up.”

In 2016, Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to prevent her from going public with claims of an affair that allegedly took place in 2006. That hush money was at the center of the trial of Trump in New York earlier this year, where he faced off. 34 offenses for falsifying business records.

Trump was found guilty in May 2024, making him the first US president to be convicted of a crime. Now, with his sentencing scheduled for Nov. 26, just weeks after the upcoming election, new reports suggest that Trump’s legal team has reached out to Daniels again in a last-ditch effort to avoid further media attention.

Was the new offer another hush money deal?

The latest attempt, according to Maddow, involved a letter from Trump’s lawyers in July 2024. They proposed a $620,000 settlement in connection with the defamation case Daniels lost to Trump in 2018. Trump’s team, however , attached conditions to the offer.

Daniels was required to sign an agreement that she would not make any public or private statements about her past interactions with Trump or any comments that could be considered defamatory or disparaging.

The letter said: “We do not agree that a payment of $620,000 would be full satisfaction of the three judgments. However, we may agree to settle these matters for $620,000, provided your client agrees in writing not to make any public or private statements related to with any alleged past interactions with President Trump, or defamatory or disparaging statements about him, his businesses, and/or his suitability as a presidential candidate.”

Maddow explained that Trump’s legal team had found a way to “launder the new hush money payment” by disguising it as a legal trial. That way, they could reduce Daniels’ debt by more than $30,000 if he agreed to keep quiet.

An audio recording of a call between Daniels and his attorney reveals his attorney saying, “They want to cut some kind of deal where they shut you up.”

Follow Firstpost’s coverage of the 2024 US Presidential Election

Daniels, however, declined the offer. Instead, he settled the case for $627,500 without agreeing to any nondisclosure terms. Maddow testified how the Trump campaign tried to mask the deal as a financial deal while ultimately trying to smear Daniels.

What are the legal implications of this development?

While Trump’s attempt to settle the case does not appear illegal per se, the timing and nature of the offer raise ethical questions. Trump’s previous conviction stemmed from how he concealed the 2016 hush money payments by falsifying business records.

Although this new offer has not yet been the subject of a formal investigation, experts question whether Trump’s actions will count against his conviction in the earlier case.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which led the prosecution in Trump’s previous trial, declined to comment on whether this latest attempt to silence Daniels will have legal ramifications.

However, legal analysts have noted that Judge Juan Merchan may consider Trump’s latest behavior when sentencing Trump for his 34 felonies. Under New York law, the judge could take into account Trump’s lack of remorse, especially if that new information is included in a deposition report.

If convicted on all charges, Trump could face up to four years in prison on each count, though any sentences are likely to run concurrently. While Trump’s legal woes continue to mount, his campaign appears to have taken no steps to mitigate the damage.

How has Trump’s team responded?

In response to the Maddow report, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung claimed the documents Maddow obtained were part of an illegal overseas hacking attack. Cheung alleged, without evidence, that “the alleged documents were obtained as part of an illegal foreign hacking attack against President Trump and his team.”

He further stated, “We are working with authorities to determine the legal ramifications for those who are likely to commit federal crimes by publishing and using material stolen by adversaries of the terrorist regime.”

Look:

Breaking: Donald Trump is trying to make a NEW deal to keep Stormy Daniels quiet. 20 days before the 2024 election and Trump is trying to buy his silence AGAIN and wants a new NDA. Rachel Maddow has the new phone calls and emails. pic.twitter.com/Ed7wnQvgPl

— Chris Borkowski (@cborkowski) October 17, 2024

These claims of foreign interference echo previous allegations of hacking involving Iranian nationals dating back to the Trump campaign. In September 2024, US authorities charged three members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with hacking the Trump campaign in an attempt to disrupt the election.

However, Maddow herself made it clear that the information was legally obtained from Daniels’ legal team and had nothing to do with foreign hackers.

what next

As the 2024 election approaches, this new revelation could hurt Trump’s chances among undecided voters.

Also see:

With his ongoing legal battles and efforts to silence Daniels once again in the public eye, Trump’s stance with swing voters may take another hit.

With contributions from agencies