Longtime Trump Attorney Confirms He Paid Stormy Daniels $130K from His Own Account

The New York Times reports that Michael Cohen, a longtime personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, claims to have paid $130,000 from a personal bank account to an adult film star with whom President Donald Trump allegedly had an affair.

Cohen contends that the payment to Stephanie Clifford, a porn star who goes by the name Stormy Daniels, was legal. 

“Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” Cohen said in a statement to the Times. “The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone."

Cohen reportedly refused to tell the Times whether Trump knew about the payment or why he sent the money.

While a statement denying the affair was released in Clifford's name, Clifford has refused to directly confirm the signature is authentic in her public remarks.