Michael Cohen. Photo: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
President Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, told the New York Times that he personally paid $130,000 Stormy Daniels (real name Stephanie Clifford), the porn star who had claimed to have had an affair with Trump.
"Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly ... The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone.”— Cohen's statement to the New York Times
Why it matters: The payment was made during the campaign, and the F.E.C. looked into a complaint that it constituted a possible campaign finance violation. Cohen claims it had nothing to do with the campaign.