Porn star Stormy Daniels says she ‘would love’ to testify against Trump at Manhattan grand jury
Stormy Daniels says she “would love nothing more” than to take another shot at Donald Trump.
Daniels, the porn star who says she had a one-night stand with Trump more than a decade ago, declared Monday that she’s ready, willing and eager to testify at a Manhattan grand jury that is criminally investigating the former president.
But so far, Daniels said on CNN, prosecutors have not called to ask her to appear at the grand jury and detail the hush money payment she received from Trump’s then-personal lawyer Michael Cohen to keep her quiet shortly before the 2016 election.
That $130,000 payment, along with another hush money payment to Playboy model Karen McDougal, are being eyed, among other things, by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in its probe of Trump.
DA Cyrus Vance Jr.’s team of prosecutors is using the grand jury to obtain testimony from witnesses in the case. The grand jury also has the power to issue indictments if it determines there was criminal conduct.
“I would tell them everything I know. I would tell them that I was approached,” Daniels said on CNN.
“I would tell them that I have evidence that the money came from an account set up by Donald Trump or at the direction of Donald Trump,” she said.
Daniels said that her lawyer Clark Brewster “has been in contact” with prosecutors, and he has been “very forthcoming with my willingness to participate.”
The adult film actress also said she has had meetings with prosecutors “about other issues.”
“I have not been called to testify yet, but I’ve been very forthcoming since the beginning of all this that I would love nothing more than my day in court and to give a deposition and to provide whatever evidence that they need from me,” Daniels said.
“You know, I have all the original forms and e-mails and wire transcripts and all of that stuff, and I’m happy to turn it over to the — anybody who needs it, honestly.”
Trump, has denied having sex with either Daniels or McDougal, who has said she had an extended affair with him.
Both women have said their contact with Trump occurred during his marriage to Melania Trump.
Despite his denial, Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, reimbursed Cohen for his payment to Daniels. One question for the DA’s probe is how the Trump Organization accounted for the reimbursement to Cohen.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to multiple crimes, including to campaign finance violations related to facilitating the payments to Daniels and to McDougal, who was paid $150,000 by the Trump-friendly publisher of The National Enquirer, a supermarket tabloid. Cohen has said he paid Daniels at Trump’s behest.
Cohen has been cooperating with the Manhattan DA’s investigation.
Records revealed last week show that the Federal Election Commission that the company that purchased the Enquirer’s publisher agreed to pay more than $187,500 for the deal with McDougal, which violated a law barring corporations making so-called in-kind contributions to federal campaigns.
But the FEC has refused to sanction Trump for either the payments to McDougal or to Daniels.
“Trump masterminded this whole thing, and so far he’s walked,” Common Cause vice president of policy and litigation Paul Ryan said last week. Common Cause filed the complaint that led to the FEC action.
“Everyone who carried out his dirty work here, Cohen and AMI, paid penalties and did prison time,” Ryan said.
Hours before Daniels spoke to CNN, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, refused to answer questions by NBC News about whether he is cooperating with the Manhattan DA’s office or if he feels pressure from either prosecutors or Trump in connection with the investigation.
Prosecutors in recent months have focused on Weisselberg and his two adult sons in their probe. One of Weisselberg’s sons works for the Trump Organization, while the other works for a lender that has made loans to the company.
“No comment,” Weisselberg repeatedly said outside of his Manhattan residence.
ABC News reported late last week that the Trump Organization’s long-time controller, Jeffrey McConney, has testified before the grand jury. McConney, who is a senior vice president in the company, is the first employee of the Trump Organization to testify before that panel.
