Stormy Daniels Got Physical Threats to Keep Quiet, Lawyer Says

(Bloomberg) -- The lawyer for Stormy Daniels said Friday the former porn star was physically threatened to keep quiet about her claims of an extra-marital affair with Donald Trump before he assumed the presidency.

Attorney Michael Avenatti declined to specify who threatened Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, during a round of media interviews, but he said she will provide proof in a CBS interview for “60 Minutes” scheduled to air later this month.

“I’m not alleging anything. I’m stating a fact. And the fact is that my client was physically threatened to stay silent about what she knew about Donald Trump," Avenatti said during an appearance on CNN Friday. "When people tune in on the 25th of March they are going to know she’s shooting straight here."

“She’s going to be able to provide very specific details,” he said.

Clifford sued Trump on March 6 to nullify a non-disclosure agreement she says she struck with his personal lawyer Michael Cohen in October 2016 -- shortly before the election -- to keep quiet about the alleged affair. She argues that the document is invalid because Trump didn’t sign it, even though she took the $130,000 offered in exchange for her silence.

Attorneys for the president’s business operation sought an order last month to stop Daniels from talking about her alleged affair, according to documents provided by her attorney.

To contact the reporter on this story: Terrence Dopp in Washington at tdopp@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Derek Wallbank at dwallbank@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, Joshua Gallu

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