Wasn’t Rudy Giuliani’s job supposed to be about the Russia investigation? He was brought on board the President’s leaky ship of lawyers to deal with a potential Trump interview with Robert Mueller. But last night, there was Rudy confirming on Sean Hannity Trump’s payoff to the porn star Stormy Daniels. We didn’t see that one coming. After denying he knew of the payment, Trump is now acknowledging it and trying to explain it away and “clarify.” Good luck with that.
Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
…very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair,……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
…despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair. Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll in this transaction.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
And if you thought Giuliani would be put out to pasture after interview with Hannity, think again. He joined Fox & Friends today to double down.
#RudyGiuliani: "The President had been hurt personally – not politically, personally, so much, and @FLOTUS, by some of the false allegations, that one more false allegation, 6 years old, I think, he was trying to help the family." pic.twitter.com/xZzE1MVct7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 3, 2018
So, was this a planned Trump tactic or a Rudy blunder that the White House trying to clean up? Regardless, their “nothing to see here” strategy isn’t playing so well the morning after.
Giuliani defended the payment made to Daniels this morning on Fox & Friends, saying it had to happen because otherwise the story would have broken right before the election. He's explicitly tying the payment to the campaign. Again, a Trump lawyer opened his mouth & made it worse.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) May 3, 2018
Giuliani insists Cohen payment wasn’t a campaign contribution, then explains why it actually was https://t.co/DpkzD2kM6e
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 3, 2018
1/2. We predicted months ago that it would be proven that the American people had been lied to as to the $130k payment and what Mr. Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did in connection with it. Every American, regardless of their politics, should be outraged…
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 3, 2018
2/2. …by what we have now learned. Mr. Trump stood on AF1 and blatantly lied. This followed the lies told by others close to him, including Mr. Cohen. This should never be acceptable in our America. We will not rest until justice is served. #basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) May 3, 2018
"Every American regardless of their political persuasion … should be disgusted by what has happened in connection with the lies that you have been told over the last three months about this payment." – Michael Avenatti, attorney for Stormy Daniels https://t.co/BvizMdqjtL pic.twitter.com/E2Qlbpa9kr
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) May 3, 2018
This is obvious, but still should be said: Giuliani’s reveal that Trump repaid Cohen $130,000 for hush money to Stormy Daniels renders the repeated denials to the American people from POTUS and his press secretary false and untrue.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) May 3, 2018
