By Aaron Miller
Michael Cohen(pictured) and Stormy Daniels both milked huge benefits from the hush money payment of £300,000 paid to the porn actress to keep Donald Trump’s sexual escapades quiet.
Both parties eventually betrayed their paymaster for reasons believed to have been necessary.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Daniels, who could have rode away to the sunset with the life changing sum, chose to keep the money and expose Mr Trump.
In the process, demand for her own gigs rose exponentially, with platforms everywhere being open to her.
Her own double exploitation of earning such huge cash under the pretence of a deal she would subsequently break, has rarely ever been considered by those who seized the opportunity of Stormy Daniel’s fame to celebrate her.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Her revelations cast the spotlight on several illegal activities the former president undertook in order to conceal his otherwise prohibited act. It is part of why he is before a judge today, and has multiple other cases pending.
The story begins in 2006 when Donald Trump- an at the time real estate mogul and reality TV star, allegedly had an affair with Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
Fast forward to the 2016 presidential election, and this tryst was threatening to resurface and derail Trump’s campaign. Enter Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer, who orchestrated a $130,000 payment to Daniels to secure her silence.
Dubious Dealings and Double-Crosses
Both Cohen and Daniels found ways to profit from this hush money scandal, but their gains came at a high cost—and with a twist of irony.
Michael Cohen, once fiercely loyal to Trump, facilitated the payment to Daniels, falsely recording it as a legal expense. This act of subterfuge was designed to keep the affair out of the public eye just weeks before the election.
For his part, Cohen received reimbursements and additional bonuses from the Trump Organization, netting him a tidy sum for his complicity.
However, Cohen’s fortunes took a dramatic turn when he was convicted of multiple crimes, including campaign finance violations related to the payment, tax evasion, and lying to Congress.
He was sentenced to three years in prison, during which he penned a tell-all book, Disloyal, profiting further from his proximity to power and scandal.
Stormy Daniels, on the other hand, also found a way to turn the hush money saga to her advantage.
Stormy Daniels pocketed $300,000 hush money but betrayed corrupt deal
Despite signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in exchange for the payment, Daniels later spoke out, claiming the NDA was invalid because Trump had never signed it.
Her decision to break her silence thrust her into the national spotlight, leading to lucrative book deals, media appearances, and increased demand for her performances.
Her memoir, Full Disclosure, became a bestseller, and she leveraged her newfound fame to advocate for adult film industry rights and against abuse and exploitation.
Betrayal and Whistleblowing
In a twist worthy of Shakespearean drama, both Cohen and Daniels betrayed Trump by speaking out against him. Cohen turned on his former boss, testifying before Congress and cooperating with federal investigators, painting a damning picture of Trump’s conduct.
Daniels, defying the hush money agreement, became a whistleblower of sorts, exposing the affair and Trump’s efforts to keep it under wraps. From a public interest perspective, her revelations provided a critical lens into the character and actions of a sitting president.
The motivations behind their betrayals were complex. Cohen, facing legal jeopardy and personal ruin, sought redemption and revenge against Trump, whom he felt had abandoned him. Daniels, motivated by a mix of financial gain and a desire to control her own narrative, exposed the lengths to which Trump had gone to suppress damaging information.
Playing the System
This scandal also sheds light on Trump’s attempts to manipulate public perception. Besides the hush money payments, Trump allegedly tried to fraudulently present false opinion polls to bolster his campaign.
Cohen testified before Congress that Trump directed him to lie about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow during the 2016 campaign and that he was aware of Roger Stone’s communications with WikiLeaks about the release of hacked Democratic emails.
These actions suggest a pattern of deceit and manipulation aimed at preserving Trump’s public image and electoral prospects.
Donald Trump’s legal team yesterday rested their case in the sixth week of his historic hush-money trial in New York.
The jury has been sent home, and the lawyers are now discussing a range of complex legal issues with the judge.
.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar