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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 4 december 2018

COURT FINES ing: "A sketch years later
Continued from Front about a nonexistent man.
He didn't indicate how he A total con job, playing the
felt about the requested Fake News Media for Fools
penalties, but had ques- (but they know it)!"
tioned whether attorneys' Otero ruled in October that
fees alone would serve as Trump's statement was "rhe-
a deterrent. torical hyperbole" against
Harder had not put a dollar a political adversary and
figure on sanctions he was was protected speech un-
seeking before the hear- der the First Amendment.
ing and Daniels' attorney Although the lawsuit didn't
Michael Avenatti objected get far before Otero tossed
vehemently, calling it "ab- it, he said it was a "one of a
surd and outrageous." kind" case that demanded
"You can't just pick a num- a fair bit of legal work.
ber out of thin air in an ef- "Given a case of this mag-
fort to put my client under nitude, you have to err on
Donald Trump's thumb and the side of being thorough,"
intimidate her," Avenatti Otero said.
said. Daniels has appealed
Daniels, whose real name is Otero's decision and Av-
Stephanie Clifford, alleges enatti said Monday he ex-
she had a one-night affair pects to prevail at a higher
with Trump in 2006. She sued court.
him earlier this year seeking Avenatti, who has posi-
to break a non-disclosure tioned himself as a Trump
agreement she signed foe and is considering a run In this Oct. 11, 2018, file photo, adult film actress Stormy Daniels arrives for the opening of the adult
days before the 2016 elec- for president in 2020, also entertainment fair "Venus," in Berlin.
tion about the tryst as part said he will be seeking at- Associated Press
of a $130,000 hush money torney's fees against Trump
settlement. Trump has de- in the ongoing hush money legal history," Harder wrote hen's lawyer briefly traded Avenatti was arrested last
nied the affair, but essen- case and he anticipates in court papers. Daniels accusations Monday in the month on suspicion of do-
tially acknowledged the being awarded a figure "not only brought a merit- hallway of a Santa Monica mestic violence.
payment to Daniels. that "dwarfs exponentially" less claim for defamation courthouse. Prosecutors declined bring-
Despite the deal to stay what Trump is seeking in the against the sitting presi- Standing nose-to-nose with ing felony charges against
quiet, Daniels spoke out defamation case, possibly dent of the United States, attorney Brent Blakely, Av- Avenatti. They are investi-
publicly and alleged that exceeding $2 million. but she also has engaged, enatti told him he repre- gating whether he should
five years after the af- Trump's lead attorney said along with her attorney, in sented a felon. Blakely shot face a misdemeanor
fair she was threatened the fees and unspecified massive national publicity." back that Avenatti is a fel- charge for allegations he
to keep quiet by a man monetary sanctions were In a related case in which on. Avenatti said he's never roughed up a girlfriend. Av-
she did not recognize in a earned because of the ex- Daniels has alleged that her been convicted of a crime. enatti has denied wrong-
Las Vegas parking lot. She traordinary nature of the former lawyer, Keith David- Cohen has pleaded guilty doing. The Cohen and Da-
also released a composite defamation case and be- son, colluded with Trump's to several felonies and ad- vidson lawsuit in Los Ange-
sketch of the mystery man. cause of Avenatti's games- former personal lawyer Mi- mitted funneling money to les County Superior Court
She sued Trump for defa- manship. chael Cohen to have her Daniels to keep her quiet has been put on hold,
mation after he responded "This action is virtually un- publicly deny the affair with about an affair she has said though a hearing is sched-
to the allegation by tweet- precedented in American Trump, Avenatti and Co- she had with Trump. uled May 22.q