Stormy Daniels offers to pay back $130,000 for freedom to speak

Credit: Joe Raedle

Credit: Joe Raedle

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels said in a letter Monday that she is willing to return the $130,000 payment she received last autumn from President Donald Trump's attorney so she can speak freely about an alleged sexual encounter and release any photographs, videos and text messages, NBC News reported.

Cohen and the White House have denied any sexual encounter between the president and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Clifford's attorney, Michael Avenatti, sent Cohen a letter offering to wire $130,000 by Friday to an account designated by the president, NBC News reported. In exchange, the settlement agreement between Clifford, Trump and Cohen's company would be "deemed null and void in their entirety."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said last week that "arbitration was won in the president's favor" in the case, an admission that the nondisclosure exists, CNN reported.

“This has never been about the money," Avenatti, told NBC News. “It has always been about Ms. Clifford being allowed to tell the truth. The American people should be permitted to judge for themselves who is shooting straight with them and who is misleading them. Our offer seeks to allow this to happen."

In a lawsuit filed last week, Clifford said she had “an intimate relationship” with Trump in 2006 and 2007. She claims the nondisclosure agreement executed several weeks before the 2016 presidential election was void because Trump never signed it, NBC News reported.

According to Clifford's letter, the offer to return the money will expire Tuesday at noon, NBC News reported. Avenatti said the offer is not a publicity stunt.

"I certainly hope they accept it," Avenatti told NBC News. "It is more than fair."

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