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Judge orders Stormy Daniels to reimburse Trump's legal fees | Judge orders Stormy Daniels to reimburse Trump's legal fees |
(35 minutes later) | |
A US judge has ordered porn actress Stormy Daniels to reimburse President Donald Trump's legal fees after her defamation case was thrown out. | |
Ms Daniels, who says she had sex with Mr Trump in 2006, sued him after he mocked her claim that a stranger had threatened her to keep quiet. | Ms Daniels, who says she had sex with Mr Trump in 2006, sued him after he mocked her claim that a stranger had threatened her to keep quiet. |
On Tuesday, a judge ordered her to pay over $293,052.33 (£234,000) - roughly 75% of Mr Trump's legal fees. | |
A lawyer for Mr Trump celebrated the ruling as a "total victory". | A lawyer for Mr Trump celebrated the ruling as a "total victory". |
In Tuesday's ruling, Los Angeles Judge James Otero declined to impose the "significant additional sanctions" requested by the US president's legal team against Ms Daniels. | |
Mr Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, had earlier requested that Ms Daniels be forced to pay almost $800,000 after her lawsuit was dismissed in October. | |
He said on Tuesday that the penalty includes $1,000 for having filed a "meritless" case. | |
"The court's order," Mr Harder said, "along with the court's prior order dismissing Stormy Daniels' defamation case against the President, together constitute a total victory for the President, and a total defeat for Stormy Daniels in this case." | |
Ms Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said in a tweet that the ruling "will never hold up on appeal". | Ms Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said in a tweet that the ruling "will never hold up on appeal". |
Mr Avenatti is representing Ms Daniels in another lawsuit against Mr Trump and his former attorney Michael Cohen. | |
The adult film actress is seeking to void a nondisclosure agreement about her alleged affair with the president. | |
What was the defamation case about? | |
Ms Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, said last April that she had been threatened by a man in a car park to keep quiet about the alleged affair. | Ms Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, said last April that she had been threatened by a man in a car park to keep quiet about the alleged affair. |
She shared a sketch of the man who she claimed had threatened her and her child. | She shared a sketch of the man who she claimed had threatened her and her child. |
Mr Trump retweeted the image, calling it a "total con job", and describing the image as being of a "non-existent man". | Mr Trump retweeted the image, calling it a "total con job", and describing the image as being of a "non-existent man". |
She sued arguing that the president's tweet was defamatory as it accused Ms Daniels of "committing a serious crime" - namely, falsely accusing a person of threatening her. | |
But in October, the judge ruled that Mr Trump's tweet was protected under the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech. | But in October, the judge ruled that Mr Trump's tweet was protected under the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech. |
The judge said Mr Trump's tweet was merely a "hyperbolic statement" against a political antagonist. | |
After that initial court victory, Mr Trump promptly took to Twitter, saying his legal team could now "go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer". | After that initial court victory, Mr Trump promptly took to Twitter, saying his legal team could now "go after Horseface and her 3rd rate lawyer". |
Who is else is involved? | Who is else is involved? |
Mr Trump's former personal attorney, Mr Cohen, will be sentenced in New York on Wednesday for paying Ms Daniels $130,000 to keep the alleged liaison private. | |
According to prosecutors, Mr Cohen was directed to make the payment to Ms Daniels - and to another woman - by Mr Trump. | According to prosecutors, Mr Cohen was directed to make the payment to Ms Daniels - and to another woman - by Mr Trump. |
Mr Trump has acknowledged the payment was made, describing it only this week as "a simple private transaction", though he denies having a sexual relationship with her. | Mr Trump has acknowledged the payment was made, describing it only this week as "a simple private transaction", though he denies having a sexual relationship with her. |
Mr Cohen has admitted the payment, which was not reported to election officials, was a violation of campaign finance laws. | |
Memo reveals Cohen's help on Russia probe | Memo reveals Cohen's help on Russia probe |