Another Trump Organization attorney linked to Stormy Daniels litigation
Court documents obtained by CBS News indicate a lawyer for the Trump Organization is linked to the shell company attorney Michael Cohen created to pay $130,000 to Stephanie Clifford. Clifford, an adult film actress who goes by the stage name Stormy Daniels, has filed a lawsuit to break a confidentiality agreement about an alleged affair she had with President Trump in 2006 and 2007.
Jill Martin, who listed the Trump Organization as her employer on her LinkedIn page, is referenced in the documents as the counsel for Essential Consultants (EC LLC), with an address at the Trump golf club in Los Angeles. The documents were given to CBS News by Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti.
The court documents signed by Martin were part of confidential arbitration proceedings filed on Feb. 22, 2018. The documents say the claimant EC LLC is not required to notify Peggy Peterson -- an alias used for Clifford -- of court proceedings of a temporary restraining order preventing her from speaking.
The documents were first reported by CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
In a statement to the Associated Press late Wednesday, the Trump Organization said the Martin had worked on the filing in her "individual capacity" and the company "has had no involvement in the matter."
Cohen has claimed he paid Clifford $130,000 in the final days of the 2016 campaign out of his own pocket. He said the Trump campaign and Mr. Trump did not know about the payment, although it has later been revealed he used his Trump Organization email to set up the payment. A Wall Street Journal report alleged Cohen grumbled that he never got repaid.
Clifford filed a lawsuit last week to nullify the 2016 agreement, saying Cohen broke the agreement by speaking about it first. Earlier this week, Clifford said she would repay Cohen the $130,000 in exchange for breaking her silence.
The White House has denied any alleged affair between Clifford and Mr. Trump.
A "60 Minutes" interview with Clifford is in the works, CBS News president David Rhodes confirmed Tuesday. Rhodes said the segment will air soon, despite reports of legal threats from Mr. Trump's lawyer.
