by Stormy Daniels has said she doesn’t believe Donald Trump deserves to spend time in jail for the $130,000 in cash paid to him in the days leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
The adult film star opened up about the former president’s arrest and indictment on a staggering 34 counts in Manhattan in a new interview with Piers Morgan.
In an excerpt from the interview, which was due to air in full on TalkTV later Thursday, she said she thought Mr Trump should potentially face jail time for the other investigations surrounding him – but not for the matter concerning her.
“Specific to my case, I don’t think his crimes against me warrant incarceration,” she said.
“I feel like the other things he’s done if he’s found guilty, absolutely, because our biggest issue is if these allegations against him – or anything else that we don’t we don’t know – whether he is convicted or whether the evidence suggests he is and is not [go to jail] it basically goes, it opens the door for other people to think they can get away with doing this and worse.
Ms Daniels also said she would ‘absolutely’ testify against the former president if asked to do so – saying it is something she wants to do.
“It’s intimidating, but I can’t wait to be there because I have nothing to hide,” she said.
“I’m the only one who told the truth.”
Ms Daniels added that ‘they can’t shame me any more’ by taking the stand, as she suggested that if prosecutors didn’t ask her to give evidence she would be offended as to why.
“I feel like if they don’t, it makes it seem like they know something about me that makes me untrustworthy or unreliable,” she said.
“Having them call me and put me on the stand legitimizes my story and who I am – and if they don’t it almost feels like they’re hiding me and people will automatically assume – I would – ‘oh she must not be a good witness.
Ms Daniels first spoke in 2018 about an alleged sexual encounter with Mr Trump in 2006 in a hotel room in Nevada.
Stormy Daniels talks to Piers Morgan about the case
(Uncensored Piers Morgan, TalkTV)
Since then, she has found herself at the center of Mr Trump’s legal challenges.
In a historic day for America on Tuesday, the one-term president was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business documents to cover up illegal activities related to his 2016 presidential campaign.
The ‘catch and kill’ campaign reportedly involved Mr Trump and his then-lawyer Michael Cohen, who allegedly made silent payments in the 2016 race to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals on stories. alleged affairs he had with women.
Three specific alleged deals and silent payments were mentioned in the charging documents – the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels, a $150,000 payment to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed he had information that Mr Trump fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump.
Mr. Trump “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that concealed information harmful to the voting public in the 2016 presidential election,” according to the charging documents.
Each of the 34 criminal charges relate to an individual entry in the Trump Organization’s business records. Mr. Trump surrendered to authorities in Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon and was formally arrested on criminal charges.
He then appeared in court for his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan – the same judge who convicted the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer last year.
Cutting a sullen figure, he defiantly pleaded not guilty to all charges.
After flying to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the former president launched into a speech denouncing the criminal charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge – in a move that could risk him to be placed under the gag.
