President had previously denied knowing about it
In an ethics disclosure released yesterday, President Donald Trump has acknowledged for the first time that he repaid more than $100,000 to former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who paid porn star Stormy Daniels to hush up her claims of an affair.
The disclosure comes at a time when Trump had previously denied knowing of the $130,000 payment to Daniels. His disclosure now suggests Trump repaid Cohen last year.
Signed by Trump and released by the US Office of Government Ethics, the disclosure also drew comment from watchdog groups and a senior Democratic lawmaker about possible violations of campaign finance law.
Trump’s acknowledgment that he reimbursed Cohen puts the president “at the middle of all of the campaign finance violations,” said Paul S. Ryan, head of litigation at Common Cause, adding: “He knowingly and willfully caused his campaign to not disclose this expenditure, and that’s a criminal violation.”
Cohen has acknowledged paying Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Also, Rudy Giuliani, recently named Trump’s personal attorney, has said Trump reimbursed Cohen for the original $130,000 payment, which was made shortly before Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election.
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