Stormy Daniels in new lawsuit: Previous attorney became Trump, Cohen ‘puppet’

Adult-film star Stormy Daniels filed a new lawsuit on Wednesday claiming her former lawyer cooperated with President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, while still representing her in a nondisclosure agreement she signed in 2016 to stay silent about an alleged 2006 affair she had with Trump.

NBC News reported that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleged in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles that Keith Davidson “hatched a plan” with Cohen to get her to falsely deny the affair in a Fox News interview earlier this year after reports surfaced about the agreement and alleged affair.

Daniels further claims that Davidson broke attorney-client confidentiality by alerting Cohen of her plans to hire her current attorney Michael Avenatti and share her story.

{mosads}

“Mr. Davidson abdicated his role as an advocate and fiduciary of his client Ms. Clifford and instead elected to be a puppet for Mr. Cohen and Mr. Trump in order to advance their interests at the expense of Ms. Clifford,” the lawsuit states. 

The lawsuit cites text messages Davidson and Cohen exchanged in January after an “In Touch” Magazine interview resurfaced in which Daniels described the alleged affair. 

After initially scheduling Daniels to appear on Fox News’s “Hannity,” Cohen texted Davidson that “the wise men all believe the story is dying and don’t think it’s smart for her to do any interviews.”

Davidson responded, “100%.” Cohen then said “Thanks pal,” according to the lawsuit.

NBC reported that Daniels’s legal team viewed the “wise men” moniker as a reference that Cohen had consulted with Trump about the television appearance.

Davidson and attorneys for Cohen did not respond to NBC’s requests for comment.

Daniels and Avenatti have remained in the spotlight in the months since it was first reported that Cohen paid her $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement related to her alleged affair with Trump.

Daniels is suing to be released from her nondisclosure agreement. She and her lawyer have argued the agreement is void because Trump never signed it.

Trump initially denied he knew of the payment, but acknowledged last month that he paid Cohen a monthly retainer that was then used to pay Daniels.

The White House has denied the affair took place.

Daniels also has filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump after the president called a sketch of a man Daniels said threatened her a “con job.”

Cohen, meanwhile, is wrapped up in legal matters of his own. He is reportedly under investigation for bank fraud and campaign finance law violations after the FBI raided his home and office in April. 

Davidson is reportedly cooperating with prosecutors in that case. 

Davidson also previously represented former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also alleged she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago. McDougal said she is considering whether to take legal action against Davidson for his representation in that case.