Sunday’s “60 Minutes” featuring an interview with adult film star Stormy Daniels was the most-watched episode of the show in a decade, bringing in more than 21 million views.
But the biggest takeaway for former prosecutor Jonna Spilbor was that Daniels poses no real legal threat to the president.
“There’s nothing that Donald Trump has done that’s been illegal in terms of his dealings with her...This is really [just] an embarrassment, and it’s a way for Stormy Daniels to profit off a consensual encounter,” said Spilbor.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Cliffords, claims she had a consensual affair with the president back in 2006.
In the interview, she said she was threatened into silence in 2011 after she initially sold her story to Bauer Publishing.
“[She] cannot back up any of her claims,” said Spilbor. “If she was truly threatened, she should have gone to the police.”
She also provided the salacious details of their time together, including spanking Trump with a Forbes magazine.
During the 2016 presidential election Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer at the time, paid Daniels $130,000 in hush money and made her sign a non-disclosure agreement.
She’s now suing to invalidate the NDA, since Trump himself never signed on the dotted line.
Daniels interview aired days after CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper caught up with Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, who also claims to have had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-former-prosecutor-jonna-spilbor-says-stormy-daniels-doesnt-have-a-case-against-president-trump).
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018.
A new platform is inviting politically progressive consumers to vote with their wallets. The Progressive Shopper platform is designed to educate left-leaning shoppers about political donations made by their favorite brands.
All eyes were focused on Google CEO Sundar Pichai when he testified in front of Congress on Tuesday. But stealing the spotlight was a face in the background ー the Monopoly Man, resurfacing to troll corporate America once again. According to Ian Madrigal, the D.C. attorney behind the viral persona, the mustachioed figure is the ultimate symbol of corporate malfeasance.
Amazon's HQ2 decision was among the greatest "PR scams" in history, according to the state senator that represents the New York district that will be home to one-half of the new split headquarters. Michael Gianaris, the Democratic state senator from New York's 12th district, which includes Long Island City, told Cheddar that the state badly misplayed its hand in giving Amazon billions in incentives to build an outpost in the booming Queens waterfront neighborhood.
Sensing the shifting political winds, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is reportedly planning to introduce a "green new deal" that would legalize recreational pot as part of the inaugural speech he will deliver from Ellis Island on New Year's Day.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.
Gene Munster isn't worried about Apple. The managing partner of Loup Ventures and venture capitalist told Cheddar Tuesday that the tit-for-tat with Qualcomm over iPhone sales in China is insignificant for Apple's long-term value.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018.
Boris McGiver didn't need to research his journalist character on "House of Cards" ー he simply had to read the scripts.
"The writing was and remains so good," McGiver said Monday of the show, which was the first of Netflix's ($NFLX) binge-watchable programming when it premiered in 2013 and is now wrapping up after six seasons.
As Cheddar reflects on 2018, we are profiling the most innovative, flamboyant, and often-controversial entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who delivered the year's most memorable moments in business. Cheddar's Class Clown Award Goes to Elon Musk.
