How Stormy Daniels Raised More Than $1 Million to Help Pay Legal Bills of Trump's Defamation Suit
Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels have been embroiled in multiple lawsuits filed by each of them related to their alleged sexual encounter in 2006. While the former president was declared a convicted felon in the Hush Money trial, the adult star's 2018 defamation lawsuit against Trump was dismissed. Consequently, she owed the seven-figure to Trump, and here's how she arranged it.
Daniel's former manager and friend Dwayne Crawford organized the GoFundMe fundraiser and in merely a two-weeks time, Daniels managed to raise over $1 million with the help of only 20,000 contributions from her supporters, as per Daily Mail. Apparently, Daniels, originally, Stephanie Gregory Clifford, owes Trump $600,000 in legal fees related to her failed defamation suit.
On her GoFundMe page, Daniels said, "For over 6 years, I have been fighting to speak the truth...and paying the price for it. Part of this battle resulted in attorney fees being automatically awarded after being denied my day in court." The lawsuit was filed in 2018 after the now-45-year-old released a sketch of a man she said threatened her in Las Vegas in 2011. As per the adult star, the man told her "to leave Trump alone."
A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)! https://t.co/9Is7mHBFda
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018
Predictably, Trump denied Daniels' allegations and responded to her claims on X, formerly Twitter, calling them a "total con job" and adding that the man in question was "nonexistent." A few weeks after his rebuke, she sued him in federal court. However, in October 2018, US District Judge S. James Otero dismissed the case saying Trump's statement "hyperbolic statement" and was protected by the First Amendment.
In my experience, there is nothing better in litigation than having a completely unhinged, undisciplined opponent who is prone to shooting himself in the foot. Always leads to BIGLY problems…like new claims (i.e. defamation). LOL. #xmas #hanukkah #basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 18, 2018
However, she tried to appeal the suit saying her lawyer Michael Avenatti filed the suit "without my permission and against my wishes," but the Judge ruled against her and made her pay the legal fees. But it seems that her supporters and allies are more than willing to lend financial assistance to her and in return, Daniels acknowledged that.
I really can't believe the outpouring of support and donations received in less than a week! The money did not come from a few wealthy contributors, outspoken celebrities, political activists or organizations. Instead, it was from thousands of "regular" people giving what they…
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) July 7, 2024
"I have been given the greatest gift because those attorney fees are NOT coming from me! Complete strangers have generously come together in a powerful stance and donated to cover it instead," wrote Daniels on X. Meanwhile, she also added that once the payment that he owed is paid, she'll use the remaining amount to relocate her family to a safe place amid multiple death threats.
Such an honor to meet this amazing icon! https://t.co/KGykx1EXXh
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) July 4, 2024
As part of the defamation suit, a commissioner for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that Trump's attorneys "reasonably spent" more than 183 hours on an appeal of the case. Harmeet Dillon, one of the attorneys in the case, said, "Daniels has been ordered to pay more than $600,000 in Trump’s legal fees," as per AP News.
This decision in California came about the same time when Trump became the only ex-president to be charged with a crime.
