LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A Los Angeles federal judge today rejected a request by President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer for an emergency gag order to stop the attorney for adult film actress Stormy Daniels from insulting him and talking about the case in media appearances.
In a written order, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero said that Michael Cohen had not provided evidence that he would suffer ``irreparable injury'' if a restraining order was not issued immediately against Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti.On Thursday evening, Cohen filed his bid for a restraining order against Avenatti, asking that he be stopped from giving interviews about Cohen and Daniels' lawsuit. Daniels -- whose real name is Stephanie Clifford -- is suing Trump and Cohen, as well as the shell company Essential Consultants, seeking to nullify a 2016 non-disclosure agreement that attempted to prevent her from speaking out about her alleged affair with Trump.
Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her silence. Daniels is hoping to invalidate the non-disclosure agreement she signed before the 2016 presidential election because, she argues, Trump never signed it. Through White House officials, Trump has denied the affair, although Cohen has admitted paying Daniels $130,000 as part of the agreement. He initially said he used his own money to pay Daniels and was not reimbursed by Trump.
However, Trump -- who initially publicly denied knowledge of the payment -- subsequently conceded that Cohen was reimbursed. The lawsuit also accuses Cohen of defamation over comments he made about Daniels' truthfulness. Daniels filed a separate defamation suit against Trump in New York, alleging the president libeled her by saying she lied about a man she said threatened her to force her to keep quiet about her alleged relationship with Trump.
Otero has scheduled a motions hearing in the case for June 21.