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File photo. Markus Schreiber/PA

Judge orders Stormy Daniels to pay Donald Trump nearly $300,000 in legal fees

Daniels in her dismissed suit had accused Trump of defamation for characterising as a “total con job” her claims of a presidential affair.

A US FEDERAL judge in California has ordered porn star Stormy Daniels to pay Donald Trump nearly $300,000 for filing a defamation suit against the president that was dismissed.

US District Judge S. James Otero said Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, must pay Trump $293,000 to cover the president’s lawyer fees and costs plus $1,000 in sanctions for filing the lawsuit.

Daniels in her dismissed suit had accused Trump of defamation for characterising as a “total con job” her claims of a presidential affair.

Otero, however, ruled that the language Trump used in his tweet was “rhetorical hyperbole” and therefore protected under the First Amendment.

Trump’s attorney Charles Harder hailed the ruling, along with an earlier one dismissing Daniels’s defamation case, as a “total victory for the president, and a total defeat for Stormy Daniels in this case”.

Daniels has also sued Trump over a non-disclosure agreement. The judge has not dismissed that case.

Daniels’s attorney Michael Avenatti said in a tweet after the latest ruling that his client planned to appeal and will likely never have to pay a dime.

“Charles Harder and Trump deserve each other because they are both dishonest,” he wrote.

If Stormy has to pay 300k to Trump in the defamation case (which will never hold up on appeal) and Trump has to pay Stormy $1,500,000 in the NDA case (net $1,200,000 to Stormy), how is this a Trump win?

© – AFP 2018

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    Mute jacquoranda
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:16 AM

    Hilarious that the people who donated to her fund as they hate Trump so much will now have their cash handed over to him to pay his legal fees.

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    Mute Dave Thomas
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:34 AM

    @jacquoranda: read the last paragraph one more time and slowly.

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Dec 12th 2018, 11:00 AM

    @jacquoranda: love it

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    Mute jacquoranda
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:09 PM

    @Dave Thomas: The one that starts with “If…”. Yeah, I read it.

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    Mute Dave Thomas
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:30 PM

    @jacquoranda: exactly…. So you probably shouldn’t be celebrating quite so soon.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:46 PM

    @jacquoranda: this will be about an hours worth of book sales

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:50 PM

    @jacquoranda: He probably needs it more than her..

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    Mute Will
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:56 PM

    @Dave Thomas: You mean the words of Michael Avenatti, Stormy’s sleazy lawyer? Hardly a reliable source.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:45 PM

    @Dave Thomas: You mean the last paragraph where HER attorney is quoted? well he would say and claim all that, wouldn’t he. its called saving face and that there will be round 2.

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    Mute Anthony Whelan
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:21 AM

    A big bill for the #believe her shower. Karma

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    Mute Mark
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:34 AM

    @Anthony Whelan: not if she wins the defamation case. I’ve no race in this race just pointing that out.

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:41 AM

    @Anthony Whelan: I don’t think you know what Karma is, or what #ibelieveher is about

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    Mute Mark
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:47 AM

    @Mark: I also have no horse in this horse… *sigh

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    Mute Mark
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:48 AM

    @Karen Wellington: maybe he believes her shower? I’d wanna ask trump’s golden shower a few questions myself

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    Mute Dublinguy2013
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:36 PM

    @Anthony Whelan: how is it Karma? Also, you’re message tells me you’re single as no woman would go near you with that attitude.

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:52 PM

    @Anthony Whelan: did you even read the article?

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    Mute Anthony Whelan
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:20 PM

    @Dublinguy2013: lol lol lol says something without a name. And yes I’m in a very happy male and female relationship. Hope those words don’t upset ya

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    Mute PC Principal
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:47 AM

    She’ll be lying on her back for a few years to foot that bill!

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:54 AM

    @PC Principal: or she’ll take it out of the $1,500,000 that he’s already paid her, and she’s still up $1,200,000

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    Mute Jimmy Boots
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    Dec 12th 2018, 11:01 AM

    @Karen Wellington: think you need to read that bit again…

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    Mute Karen Wellington
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    Dec 12th 2018, 11:09 AM

    @Jimmy Boots: sorry, you’re right I have my tense [N] all wrong

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    Mute Cheeky Bums
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:18 PM

    @PC Principal: Back to work for Stormy… Ugh.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:47 PM

    @Cheeky Bums: yeah, that book ain’t going to sell itself

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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:54 PM

    @anthony o cathain: you can call people a lot of names, but you cannot, under any circumstances, use that word.

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    Mute Mike Conway
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:29 AM

    This is brilliant.

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    Mute Conor Noonan
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:14 AM

    Sloppy daniel’s

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    Mute Before it's too late
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:13 AM

    Insert crying with laughter emoji.

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    Mute anthony o cathain
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:00 PM

    @Before it’s too late: bigot u

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    Mute LJones
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:25 PM

    Maybe a few more appearances fees on The Late Late Show might help with her dilemma!

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    Mute anthony o cathain
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:59 PM

    @LJones: missyogynist. yas

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    Mute Cheapy Ryan
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:11 AM

    Charles Harder.
    Oh dear.

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    Mute Peter Brophy
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:08 AM

    What a mess

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    Mute Genius 80s+
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:18 AM

    @Peter Brophy: That’s what he said.

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:23 AM

    Crazy cost lawyer

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    Mute Pat Butler
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    Dec 12th 2018, 11:38 AM

    That’s the spirit

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    Mute Paul Freeman
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:55 PM

    Won’t take her long to earn that on her back.

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    Mute Paul G
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:59 PM

    In fairness, he’s going to need every cent to pay his legal fees when Mueller knocks on his door.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Dec 12th 2018, 12:18 PM

    A total victory? She was ordered to pay less than half of Trump’s lawyers recommendation.

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    Mute Will
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:01 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: That’s because Trump’s lawyers asked for the bill to be doubled for some spurious reason. It was never going to happen.
    Daniels now says that Avenatti filed proceedings against Trump in her name without her permission.
    This and a number of other investigations of gross misconduct could be about to land Avenatti in serious trouble.

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    Mute Paul Cooper
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    Dec 12th 2018, 2:00 PM

    Well that went tits up

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    Mute anthony o cathain
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:04 PM

    Daniels a person of integrity and courage. Unlike the idiots and missyogynists posting here

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    Mute Will
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    Dec 12th 2018, 1:07 PM

    @anthony o cathain: Guys, will someone please pay poor Anthony some attention. He’s starving to death here.

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    Mute Richard Mccarthy
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    Dec 12th 2018, 10:08 AM

    Ok gotcha

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