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A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 12 december 2018

California judge orders porn star to pay Trump legal fees

CHRISTOPHER WEBER against a “repeat filer of Avenatti also said he will
Associated Press frivolous defamation cas- be seeking attorney’s fees
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Porn es.” against Trump in the on-
star Stormy Daniels must Otero previously noted that going hush money case
pay President Donald fees by Harder’s firm — as and he anticipates be-
Trump nearly $293,000 for high as $840 an hour — ing awarded a figure that
his attorneys’ fees and an- were reasonable but the “dwarfs exponentially”
other $1,000 in sanctions 580 hours spent on the case what Trump is seeking in
after her defamation suit appeared to be excessive. the defamation case, pos-
against him was dismissed, Daniels alleges she had a sibly exceeding $2 million.
a federal judge in Los An- one-night affair. Trump’s lead attorney pre-
geles ordered Tuesday. She sued him earlier this viously said the fees and
Trump’s attorney, Charles year seeking to break a unspecified monetary
Harder, had requested non-disclosure agreement sanctions were earned be-
nearly $390,000 in fees, but she signed days before the cause of the extraordinary
Judge S. James Otero cut 2016 election about the nature of the defamation
the amount by 25 percent. tryst as part of a $130,000 case and because of Av-
He also wanted a nearly hush money settlement. enatti’s gamesmanship.
equal amount in sanctions, Trump has denied the af- “This action is virtually un-
but only received $1,000. fair, but essentially ac- precedented in American
In this Oct. 11, 2018, file photo, adult film actress Stormy Daniels Attorney Michael Avenatti, knowledged the payment legal history,” Harder wrote
arrives for the opening of the adult entertainment fair “Venus”
in Berlin. who represents Daniels, to Daniels. in court papers.
Associated Press tweeted the order “will Despite the deal to stay Daniels “not only brought a
never hold up on appeal.” quiet, Daniels spoke out meritless claim for defama-
Daniels alleges she had an publicly and alleged that tion against the sitting presi-
affair with Trump in 2006 five years after the affair dent of the United States,
and was paid $130,000 she was threatened to but she also has engaged,
as part of a nondisclosure keep quiet by a man she along with her attorney, in
agreement days before did not recognize in a Las massive national publicity.”
the 2016 presidential elec- Vegas parking lot. In a related case in which
tion. She also released a com- Daniels has alleged that
She sued him after he dis- posite sketch of the mys- her former lawyer, Keith
missed her claims of being tery man. Davidson, colluded with
threatened to keep quiet She sued Trump for defa- Trump’s former personal
about the tryst as a “total mation after he responded lawyer Michael Cohen to
con job.” to her allegation by tweet- have her publicly deny the
The judge threw out that ing: affair with Trump.
case in October. “A sketch years later about Cohen has pleaded guilty
Daniels, whose real name is a nonexistent man. A total to several felonies and ad-
Stephanie Clifford, still has con job, playing the Fake mitted funneling money to
a case pending in Los An- News Media for Fools (but Daniels to keep her quiet
geles challenging a non- they know it)!” about an affair she has said
disclosure agreement she Otero ruled in October she had with Trump.
signed with Trump’s then- that Trump’s statement Avenatti was arrested last
lawyer Michael Cohen to was “rhetorical hyperbole” month on suspicion of do-
prevent her from discussing against a political adver- mestic violence.
the alleged affair. sary and was protected Prosecutors declined bring-
“If Stormy has to pay $300k speech under the First ing felony charges against
to Trump in the defama- Amendment. Avenatti.
tion case (which will never Although the lawsuit didn’t They are investigating
hold up on appeal) and get far before Otero tossed whether he should face a
Trump has to pay Stormy it, he said it was a misdemeanor charge for
$1,500,000 in the NDA case “one of a kind” case that allegations he roughed up
(net $1,200,000 to Stormy), demanded a fair bit of le- a girlfriend.
how is this a Trump win?” gal work. Avenatti has denied
Avenatti tweeted. Daniels has appealed wrongdoing.
Harder defended a near- Otero’s decision and Av- The Cohen and David-
ly $390,000 legal bill and enatti said Monday he ex- son lawsuit in Los Angeles
asked for an equal amount pects to prevail at a higher County Superior Court is on
in sanctions as a deterrent court. hold until May.q