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Stormy Daniels, the woman at the center of former President Donald Trump's impending indictment, has been so inundated with threats and derogatory messages that she has increased her personal security.
Trump is facing indictment by a Manhattan grand jury over claims that he paid "hush money" to the adult film star, 44, in 2016 during his presidential campaign. Daniels—whose given name is Stephanie Clifford—was allegedly paid by Trump through his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to keep quiet about their supposed sexual relationship.
Despite the intense scrutiny around the case, Daniels has not shied away from using her social-media accounts. She has been promoting her merchandise line, which includes T-shirts that read "#Team Stormy."
Daniels has also retweeted a number of trolls who have posted derogatory comments about her on Twitter. She retweeted a user named Bob Brooks who wrote: "One thing is for sure, you've given plenty of rides in your lifetime," referring to her career in the porn industry.
Daniels clapped back in her retweet: "And I've got the AVN awards to prove it. What's your point?" The awards are run by the American trade magazine Adult Video News to recognize achievement in the porn industry.
While many of the people who reply to her Tweets or comment on her Instagram posts are supportive, a number have been leaving negative comments about her career, family, age and gender.
One person wrote: "You are getting older every day. Its starting to show. Some day you will be a old woman. Alone and frail. When you're gasping out those dying breaths I hope those AVN awards give you some comfort as you leave the world. Alone and remembered only by perverts."
Another added: "Wow an AVN, your mother must be proud."
Daniels' attorney said that the actress has been forced to increase the personal security for her and her family amid the growing threats.
Clark Brewster added that Daniels has been receiving "vitriolic messages" to her inbox, including many of which are very concerning, as reported by TMZ. Some of the messages include calling her a "degenerate prostitute" and an "extortionist who should be in prison."
Newsweek contacted Daniels by email and Cohen by Twitter for further comment.
The hateful messages come after Trump's new attorney also accused Daniels of trying to extort the president.
Joe Tacopina appeared on Fox News' Life, Liberty & Levin to attack Daniel's claims that she was paid $130,000 by Cohen. The lawyer accused her of being a "bad actor."
"There's no crime here," Tacopina said. "The only potential crime here, Mark, is that Donald Trump was an extortion victim. When someone says 'give me money, or I'm gonna tell a nasty story about you,' whether true or not, that's absolutely irrelevant to the equation, 'I'm gonna tell a story to the press, I'm gonna embarrass you to your family, unless you give me money.'"
Tacopina added: "That's extortion 101. How she's not being looked at as someone who was a bad actor is beyond me. But yet Donald Trump is the victim of extortion. For the first time in this country's history in a most novel, novel, untested legal theory, of prosecution is being subject to a grand jury investigation.
"It makes no sense on the law. It makes no sense on the facts," Tacopina said.
In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court to making an illegal payment to Daniels that Trump reimbursed him for. Cohen also testified the same in meetings with Manhattan prosecutors.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg must prove to the grand jury that Trump reimbursed Cohen and falsified business records to hide the payment. Bragg is also pursuing a potential violation of state election law.
The former U.S. president and his attorneys have denied culpability. They have argued the payments were legal and would have happened whether he was running for president or not.
While Trump said that his indictment was going to happen on Tuesday, some reports have suggested it may not happen until next week. The grand jury will be hearing from another witness on Wednesday.
If he is indicted, Trump will become the first U.S. president to be charged with a crime.
About the writer
Shannon Power is a Greek-Australian reporter, but now calls London home. They have worked as across three continents in print, ... Read more