Stormy Daniels: ‘This isn’t what I want to be known for’

Stormy Daniels is pushing back on critics who call her allegations of an affair with President Trump a “publicity stunt.”
“Yes, there’s a lot of publicity, but I didn’t do it for that,” the adult-film star said Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” her first live national TV interview. “This isn’t what I want to be known for. As a matter of fact, I hid for quite awhile.”
“And it’s overwhelming and intimidating and downright scary a lot of times,” added Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
{mosads}Daniels is suing the president for defamation over his and attorney Michael Cohen’s denial of the alleged relationship, which she says occurred in 2006.
Cohen has admitted to paying Daniels $130,000 as part of a 2016 nondisclosure agreement made weeks before the presidential election.
Daniels attended a Monday hearing for Cohen following a raid last week by the FBI on his office, home and hotel room.
The raid, which came in part from a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, reportedly sought documents related to Cohen’s payments both to Daniels and to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who also says she had an affair with Trump.
The Washington Post reported last week that Cohen is under criminal investigation for possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations.
“It seems like a publicity stunt, on some level,” said “View” co-host Meghan McCain to Daniels, noting the adult-film actress has embarked on a nationwide stripping tour in recent weeks. “I think yesterday, because you didn’t have anything to do with the case, it seemed like you were just trying to get attention — which I understand that you’re being sued by our president, but it does seem like you’re benefitting a lot.”
“Yes, I’ve gotten more bookings than usual, but I’m doing the job I’ve been doing for the last almost 20 years,” Daniels replied.
“I’ve had to hire bodyguards. So I’m making more money, but I’m spending so much more.”
“This is not a publicity stunt,” Daniels’s lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told “The View” co-hosts. “I mean, this is serious business. There’s a lot at stake here.”
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