Lawyer Denies 'Hush Money' Allegations in Trump Negotiations

Defining the Payment as "Consideration"

Keith Davidson, a lawyer who was part of the negotiations between former President Donald Trump and two women, has refuted claims that payments made to the women were "hush-money." Instead, he described them as "consideration." Davidson was involved in negotiating deals with Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels, and model Karen McDougal. He disagreed with Manhattan prosecutor Joshua Steinglass's terminology during a court appearance on May 2.

"Not Hush Money, but Consideration"

Davidson stated, "It wasn’t a ‘payout’ and it wasn’t ‘hush money.’ It was consideration in a civil settlement." When Steinglass asked if he would refer to the money paid to his client by Donald Trump as hush money, Davidson responded, "I would never use that word." He further clarified that he would call it a "Consideration," likening it to a contract where one pays for a service such as lawn mowing.

Understanding the Extortion Law

Emil Bove, an attorney for Trump, questioned Davidson about his knowledge of extortion law, particularly regarding previous instances where he solicited money to suppress potentially embarrassing stories. Bove suggested that by the time Davidson negotiated the payments for McDougal and Clifford, he would have been well-versed in how to avoid committing extortion. Davidson responded, "I had familiarized myself with the law."

Deal with Former Trump Attorney

Davidson also disclosed to Steinglass that he arranged the "consideration" deal with Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, just days before the 2016 election. However, he stated that Trump never signed the agreement.

Avenatti's Accusations from Prison

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' former attorney and a past adversary of Trump, accused Davidson of lying from prison. Avenatti claimed that Davidson had actually attempted to extort Trump. He tweeted, "Keith Davidson is lying. After I confronted her w/ her own text msgs, Daniels admitted to me in early 2019 that she & Davidson had extorted Trump in Oct. 2016 – it was a shakedown."

Trump Thanks Avenatti

Last month, Trump publicly expressed his gratitude to Avenatti "for revealing the truth about two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!" He was referring to the gag orders placed on him during his Manhattan trial.

What's Your Take?

This story certainly provides a lot to think about. What's your perspective on the allegations and counter-allegations? Do you think the payments were "hush money" or "consideration"? Share your thoughts with your friends and let's get a conversation started. And don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.