Stormy Daniels, the adult film star, made headlines this week, particularly on Tuesday, when former President Donald Trump was formally processed and arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse on 34 charges stemming from allegedly improper hush money payments to Daniels and another woman during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Yet, in an odd twist of fate, Daniels’ name — officially Stephanie Clifford — was again in the headlines on Tuesday when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against her and ordered her to reimburse Trump for $121,972.56 in legal expenses.
According to the 9th Circuit’s decision: Attorney’s fees in the sum of $121,972.56 are ordered in favor of appellee Donald J. Trump and against appellant Stephanie Clifford under the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 27.009(a)(1).
According to the court statement, to defend the former president against Stormy Daniels’ unsuccessful case, lawyers from Harder LLP and Dhillon Law Group spent money on legal fees, to which Trump is entitled to recover his fees.
Harmeet Dhillon, an RNC Committeewoman and freedom-loving lawyer who is part of President Trump’s legal team, applauded the 9th Circuit’s ruling and highlighted that her firm has already earned more than $500,000 in similar judgments for Trump in the “meritless action” begun by Stormy Daniels.
Daniels was previously forced to pay Trump $500,000 in legal expenses after her lawsuit against the former president went downhill, much like Daniels’ former attorney Michael Avenatti’s career. The legal expenses Daniels has been ordered to pay Trump are, ironically, significantly more than the supposedly illicit hush money payment she allegedly received t it in 2016.
Trump’s attorney, Harmeet Dhillon of the Dhillon Law Group, tweeted: Congratulations to President Trump on this last attorney fee win in his favor this morning.
Screenshot: Twitter: Harmeet K. Dhillon
The award came only hours after former President Trump pleaded not guilty in New York City Court to 34 charges of falsifying company records in the first degree. The accusations stemmed from a year-long investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg into the hush money payment.
A six-figure payment was allegedly made to Daniels and Karen McDougal; in both cases, sexual encounters were claimed with Trump before he became a politician. Trump has rejected these claims and any impropriety regarding money and, on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to all counts.