Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, said he now represents three more women who had sexual relationships before the 2016 presidential election with president Donald Trump. One of these women became pregnant by Trump.
The women who got in touch with him months ago all affirmed they were "paid hush money (to keep them quiet) prior to the 2016 election." Avenatti said he has evidence the women had sex with Trump.
He also said he was "not at liberty to share" the evidence because he had no permission from his clients to do so. Avenatti called on Trump and his former ex-personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to come forward and disclose information about the women and their relationships with Trump.
"Last time I checked they weren't just handing out checks to anyone whether they had a relationship or not," said Avenatti.
Avenatti declined to identify the women or how much they were allegedly paid. He did claim, however, that Trump's representatives paid money to his clients in 2015 and 2016. Trump became a presidential a candidate in 2016.
Avenatti said one of the payments was coursed through tabloid media company American Media Inc., publisher of the National Enquirer. The other two came from "Trump through Cohen." The CEO of American Media is David Pecker, one of Trump's closest friends. Pecker calls Trump a "personal friend."
Pecker bought the rights to former Playboy model Karen McDougal story in order to prevent the story's publication. McDougal was Playboy Playmate of the Year in 1998. In the end, AMI rejected McDougal's story.
Avenatti's exposé follows the release last week of an audio recording made by Cohen in which Trump and Cohen discuss a payment to McDougal. The recording was made two months before the 2016 election without Trump's knowledge.
Last February, the New Yorker said it had in its possession an eight-page, handwritten document of the affair written by McDougal. In the document, McDougal said her first date with Trump took place in a private bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
"We talked for a couple hours -- then, it was 'on'! We got naked and had sex. After we got dressed to leave and he offered me money. I looked at him and felt sad and said, 'No thanks -- I'm not that girl. I slept with you because I like you -- not for money.' He told me, 'You are special.'"
McDougal ended their affair in April 2007 but didn't come forward with the story until nearly a decade later. McDougal kept the affair secret but decided to reveal her story in 2016 at the prodding of a friend.
