The Trump Organization was reportedly tied to the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels
- The Wall Street Journal tied the Trump Organization to the Stormy Daniels saga for the first time on Wednesday.
- A top Trump Organization lawyer was listed as counsel in an arbitration filing involving the Delaware company that President Donald Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen formed to make a $130,000 hush money payment to the porn star who claims she had an affair with Trump.
President Donald Trump's namesake company was reportedly tied to and the $130,000 hush payment made to a porn star prior to the 2016 presidential election to keep her quiet about an affair she claims she had with Trump, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal reported that documents marked "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL PROCEEDING" tied the Trump Organization to the payment, which was facilitated by Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen.
Trump Organization lawyer Jill A. Martin is listed as counsel in an arbitration filing for the Delaware company that Cohen used to make the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Cohen, whom NBC News reported last week used his Trump Organization email address in the episode, obtained a temporary restraining order against Clifford to prevent her from speaking about the alleged affair with Trump.
Clifford asked a judge to declare the non-disclosure agreement invalid.
Cohen has said the payment was a private transaction, adding that he acted alone in making it. The White House has sought to distance itself from the scandal. Trump's direct involvement in the agreement is unknown.
The Trump Organization said in a statement to The Journal that Martin helped facilitate the payment "in her individual capacity."
"The company has had no involvement in the matter," the statement said.
The controversy around the alleged affair heated back up last week when Clifford's lawyer filed a civil lawsuit against Trump arguing the non-disclosure agreement was invalid because Trump never signed it.
Asked during a press briefing last week whether Trump approved that payment, Sanders said "this case has already been won in arbitration," and that it was won "in the president's favor."
It was the first time the White House acknowledged the president was involved with Clifford in legal proceedings. Her lawyer denied that such a legal victory took place.
Meanwhile, Clifford has offered to return the $130,000 in exchange for the freedom to divulge new details about her alleged relationship with Trump.