In an incendiary new lawsuit filed Tuesday, Stephanie Clifford—the adult film actress known as Stormy Daniels and who allegedly had an “intimate” relationship with Donald Trump a decade ago—claimed that the “Hush Agreement” she signed about their affair was moot and that she was now free to discuss it.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and first reported by NBC News, claims the nondisclosure agreement Daniels and Cohen signed on Oct. 28, 2016—less than a month before the presidential election—was not binding because Trump himself did not sign it.
“Despite having detailed knowledge of the Hush Agreement and its terms,” the suit alleges, “Mr. Trump purposely did not sign the agreement so he could later, if need be, publicly disavow any knowledge of that Hush Agreement and Ms. Clifford.”
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Daniels alleges in the suit that she intended to make her story public in the days after the publication of Trump’s infamous remarks in an Access Hollywood tape. When Trump found out her plan, the suit says, he and Cohen “aggressively sought to silence” her, with Cohen—referred to in the suit as “Trump’s fixer”—forming a new shell company to pay her on his boss’ behalf.
“It was widely understood at all times that unless all of the parties signed the documents required, the Hush Agreement, together with all of its terms and conditions, was null and void,” the suit alleges.
The suit includes a copy of the NDA that Daniels and Cohen signed, as well as a copy of a side agreement showing that she is referred to in the NDA as Peggy Peterson and Trump is referred to in it as David Dennison in order to keep their actual names out of that document.
Daniels, the NDA states, "came into possession of certain 'Confidential Information' pertaining to DD," including "certain still images and/or text messages which were authored by or related to DD."
Trump spokesman John Barron didn’t return a request for comment Tuesday evening.
