Michael Cohen Demands Refund from Stormy Daniels for Hush Money Payment
Former Trump lawyer wants Daniels to repay the $130,000 she was paid
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President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen has demanded that Stormy Daniels pays back the $130,000 in hush money she received from him.
The company set up by Cohen, Essential Consultants, offered Friday to rescind Stormy Daniels' hush-money agreement and drop the planned lawsuit for $20 million against the porn actress for allegedly violating the terms of the deal.
An attorney for Cohen's firm said Daniels must repay the $130k she received as part of the nondisclosure agreement she signed a few days before the 2016 presidential election, according to a letter included in a Friday night court filing.
The adult star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which the president denies, and was suing to invalidate the nondisclosure contract.
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According to Fox News, Essential Consultants agreed to rescind Daniels' agreement and back off its plan to fight her in private arbitration.
It would also drop its plan to sue Daniels for more than $20 million for violating the agreement by discussing her alleged relationship with Trump, Essential Consultants attorney Brent Blakely said in the letter to her lawyer.
The company was set up by Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty in federal court last month to campaign-finance violations and other charges.
Cohen told the judge that he and Trump had arranged the payment of hush money to Daniels and a former Playboy model to influence the election.
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Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, has vowed to compel Trump to provide testimony under oath in the case, but Friday night's development could hinder that if a judge dismisses Daniels' case.
Avenatti told The Associated Press that Friday's development is "a stunt by Michael Cohen trying to fix it so that Donald Trump is not deposed."
Avenatti said he did not have to accept the offer and would not settle the case without deposing Trump.
He believes the court should invalidate the agreement because it violated campaign finance laws, he said.
Daniels is also suing Trump and Cohen for defamation.
