Stormy Daniels is turning into a crowdfunding star, having raised well over $100,000 since she opened a donations page to finance her legal battle against Donald Trump on Wednesday.
However, questions are now being asked about how much she is intending to raise, and what will happen if pledges exceed her legal bills.
TMZ says Michael Avenatti, lawyer for the woman whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, declined to say what the final bill might be in a telephone call, but said the adult-film star would donate extra cash to charity, even though there’s no mention of that on the crowdfunding post. (TMZ is very pro-Trump, by the way.)
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The website’s FAQs says that all money raised is transferred “directly to your lawyer.”
The donation log on the page shows the vast majority of the total cash pile has come from small donations of $25, $10, and even $5.
One donor’s comment, typical of many that provide interesting insights into grassroots opposition to Trump, reads, “I never thought as a 51-year-old-woman I’d be giving money to a porn star. Yet, here I am. Go get him, honey.”
Clifford is seeking to raise legal fees to fight a “hush agreement” she signed in 2016, which barred her from speaking about her alleged affair with President Trump.
Clifford launched the CrowdJustice 30-day campaign Wednesday morning.
“I am attempting to speak honestly and openly to the American people about my relationship with now President Donald Trump, as well as the intimidation and tactics that he, together with his attorney Michael Cohen, have used to silence me,” the appeal says.
“In order to tell my story, I have had to file a public lawsuit in Los Angeles, California, in an effort to void a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that Mr. Trump never signed and yet is trying to use to intimidate me.
“Rather than agree that the NDA is invalid, thus allowing me to talk, Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have instead attempted to hide the facts from the public using a bogus arbitration proceeding and have threatened me with millions of dollars in damages ($1M each time I speak out) if I tell the truth about what happened.
“I recently made an offer to return the $130,000 I was previously paid if it was agreed that I could simply tell the truth publicly. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen did not even bother to respond.
“I need funds to pay for: attorneys’ fees; out-of-pocket costs associated with the lawsuit, arbitration, and my right to speak openly; security expenses; and damages that may be awarded against me if I speak out and ultimately lose to Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen.
“I am more fortunate than many, many people in this country. And for that I am grateful. But unfortunately, I do not have the vast resources to fight Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen alone. Thank you for supporting me.”
