The attorney for Stormy Daniels said the adult film star “feels bad” that former President Trump has been charged in relation to the investigation into the hush-money payment made to her, but she wants him to also have to face “what the facts were.”
“The fact is that she feels bad that the guy has been charged,” he said. “But on the other hand, truly, she knew what the facts were, and she wants him to deal with the truth as well. So from that perspective, there’s a degree of feeling like the system is working,” Clark Brewster told USA Today in an interview.
The outlet reported that Daniels said a few weeks ago that she would “dance down the street” if Trump was indicted, but Brewster said her statement was “just a comment that she may have made to try to be funny or something.”
He said Daniels did not feel like dancing after she processed the charges being filed against Trump.
USA Today reported that Brewster said that Daniels had not heard about the indictment for about two hours after it was approved, and added that her first reaction to it was that she was surprised, even though it was expected.
Brewster said he and Daniels both felt that Thursday was a “sad day” but also vindicated by the indictment.
The Manhattan grand jury had been hearing evidence about a payment that former Trump attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an affair she allegedly had with Trump years prior.
Cohen pleaded guilty to several federal charges, including a campaign finance violation related to the payment, in 2018 and was sentenced to three years in prison. Cohen has said he made the payment at Trump’s direction and was reimbursed by Trump.
Trump has said he did reimburse Cohen but denied that the money was related to campaign funds and that he had an affair with Daniels.
“I think obviously the grand jury looked at a lot of documents and heard a lot of testimony and made a decision, and I have to respect that,” Brewster said. “But on behalf of Stormy and honestly myself, there’s no joy in seeing the man indicted.”
Trump and his top advisers were also reportedly surprised about the indictment being issued Thursday, which came just after the grand jury was reported to be about to take a scheduled hiatus until the end of April.