Stormy Daniels, a porn star who says she had an affair with Donald Trump, has spoken with prosecutors investigating the former US president’s role in a payment for her silence about the sexual liaison before the 2016 election.
Mr Trump, who has denied having the affair, is seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2024. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has given him a chance to testify before the grand jury probing the payment, a sign prosecutors may be close to bringing charges against him.
“Stormy responded to questions and has agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed,” Clark Brewster, Ms Daniels’ lawyer, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
In a tweet, Ms Daniels thanked Brewster “for helping me in our continuing fight for truth and justice”.
A spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to comment.
Susan Necheles, a lawyer for Mr Trump, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ms Daniels’ talks with prosecutors.
Mr Trump has denied the affair ever happened and has called Bragg’s probe a politically-motivated witch hunt.
Joseph Tacopina, another Trump lawyer, said earlier this week Mr Trump did not plan to appear before the grand jury, but that a decision had not yet been made.
The investigation centres on a $US130,000 ($196,300) payment Ms Daniels – whose real name is Stephanie Clifford – received in October 2016 from Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer.
Mr Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign finance violations tied to his arranging hush payments to Ms Daniels and another woman, among other crimes. He has said Mr Trump directed him to make the payment.
Mr Cohen testified before the grand jury on Monday and again on Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Lanny Davis.
Grand jury proceedings are not public.
– AAP
