The Stormy Daniels story just got a lot more interesting.

[madaboutharry]

Michael Avenatti is playing the long game.

Avenatti just put out some information on Morning Joe, asserting that she was physically threatened, that now puts this case into an entirely different category. He was asserting that there may have been an actual crime committed.

Avenatti was asked "Was she threatened?"

Yes.

"Was she threatened with physical harm?"

Yes.

Avenatti had a chance to walk it back and he choose to reassert the claim.

I think what is so depressing about this entire story is that it is so believable. We all see that Trump behaves like a mob boss running a mob family. There is no "This is a crazy story." Rather, Stormy Daniels is seen as someone, a porn actress for crying out loud, with a credible story to tell.

[Chemisse]

1. It will be very interesting to hear the details of the threat.

Somehow I doubt she was told they would break her legs if she told. It must have been a death threat.

Pundits are saying this could bring down his presidency? I don't think so, but it could make a dent in that 37% who still support him.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. I sure hope there is evidence beyond just say-so, even if sworn in court. . . . . nt

[dawg day]

54. The woman who worked for him-- Barbara Res?

..said she was also threatened, for speaking out against Trump.

[unblock]

9. In her line of work there is a fate worse than death

They could have threatened to disfigure her. Something not easily fixed with surgery.

In any event, I agree it’s hard to see this specifically ending Donnie’s reign of error, unless he himself was caught on tape making the threat, which I would think is rather unlikely.

[Achilleaze]

19. Unforgiven (R)

The Clint Eastwood classic is initiated with just just a horror story.

Tied in with his treason, his habitual lying & his wholesale grifting, Dirty Donny, the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief, has earned a place in the lowest circle of Hell with his lifelong pattern of hateful assaults on women.

[Abu Pepe]

64. One of my fovorite movies

Dont like his politics but that movie is one of his masterpieces (directing). Maybe his finest, and that includes some pretty serious films. Eastwood is a right winger but he is an artist.

[Madam Mossfern]

20. I fear it won't

Those who remain 'faithful' to him will remain that way no matter what.
If the story does have an effect, it will be very minor.

[samplegirl]

52. Thats what I think

That 37% will stay loyal no matter what.

[Cha]

58. I know what you mean, Madam.. but then

what is trump and his team so afraid of?

Going to all kinds of lengths to stop it.

[Madam Mossfern]

59. Because they have to 'win'

It's all about winning, but they have no clue of what to do after that.
If they don't win, it's either because it wasn't fair or that Trump 'wanted it that way all along anyway.'

I frequent a message board where most of the posters are so-called Conservatives. I have never seen such
rude, vile , nasty people. They have a habit of twisting the truth to suit their egos. They will never admit
that maybe they made a bad choice in Trump. It's like being in an alternative universe.

[Cha]

60. I bet.. I couldn't stomach it.

Since they can't admit they made a mistake with trump.. that makes them no better than he is.. congratulations trump fans.

[olegramps]

40. If anyone thinks that they will be able to put this to bed are delusional.

What sells better than juicy sex, especially with a notorious porn star. How long will his wife stick it out?

[malaise]

2. Was she threatened in any way?

YES!

Was she threatened physical harm?
YES!

[mainstreetonce]

3. Mika speculating

Mika speculates that she and Joe have an idea who would make that kind of threat.

She did not say it, but I got the impression it may be a Trump family member.

[OnDoutside]

7. That wasn't the impression I got. It was more a person who has a track record of calling people to

make similar threats to them.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Who has such a track record in the tRump gang? Stone? Cohen? Ghouliani? Bodyguard? Jr?

[mainstreetonce]

12. You are probably right

It has to be someone very close though.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

22. I immediately thought Corey! Intense ex cop right?

Remember how he pushed the reporter at the convention? Loyal to a fault. I could see him being in charge of handling women issues

I am watching now..and I swear John just said the word Corey under his breath... playing it back to try and hear..

[ProudProgressiveNow]

4. Vid

Link to tweet

[Dennis Donovan]

10. They're replaying it now on MJ

[dchill]

5. Indeed.

Trump Jr's wife just filed for divorce. Just as an aside.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Off topic. That divorce seems over alienation (distance); NO abuse has been alleged. . . . . nt

[dchill]

18. Well, I SAID it was an aside...

I can't help how my mind works. I also don't believe any explanation for anything that is made by a Trump. Maybe that's just me.

[Achilleaze]

21. Not really an aside. The divorce of Dirty Donny Junior goes directly to the overall picture

of republican "family values" as they are personified in the republican's First Family.

So mentioning the divorce is relevant and pertinent to a discussion of how Dirty Donny* Senior and his clan comport themselves in the world as role models for republican "family values." Frankly, they are deplorable. Generations of republican tykes will grow up with the firm impression that this is the WAY to get ahead in the world. Sick.

* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[dchill]

31. It's also about the timing.

[Ilsa]

28. Or the divorce could be a financial ploy to

divide and sequester some assets from escheat to the state due to financial crimes. I don't know if it will work, but that may be wwhy the divorce is happening.

[bucolic_frolic]

35. conveyance under guise of divorce

would be an interesting case

a fairly obvious if possible motive if even the general public can see it

[ProudLib72]

42. Can money be held in trust, closely monitored?

I don't want to read about her gifting the family $50 million in ten years.

[Ilsa]

43. I wonder if they will be told to put it into a children's trust which

a parent manages.

I wonder if there is a "lookback" period for fraudulent conveyance in money laundering convictions?

[Dave Starsky]

14. And this is exactly something that dumbfuck would do.

I actually would get more satisfaction seeing that greasy shitstain go to prison than his doddering dad.

[jaxind]

6. Wealthy Democrats

Ok...we certainly have plenty of extremely wealthy Democrats....you need to offer Stormy 24/7 protection! Please hire her 24/7 bodyguards!!

[Hortensis]

16. :) Not to worry. Her story's already out there.

And note that, even though there were months to act before she came forward, she's still very much alive and undisfigured.

By the way, Democrats are staying way away from this nasty political mess, and the last thing we want is to be associated with it in any way.

[IluvPitties]

15. I can't believe that piece of shit is president.

[7962]

17. I don't understand the fascination with this story. 90% of the people know they had an affair.

Other than the campaign legalities, theres nothing else really here. Sure, I'd bet she was threatened. Weren't the Roy Moore accusers also threatened? Aren't people in situations like this threatened all the time? Yes.
I doubt anyone related to the actual Trump circle would be stupid enough to be the one to do it. Then again, we're talking about trump.....

Why isnt the focus on those who say they were ASSAULTED by trump and not with someone who willingly did it repeatedly?

[Locrian]

23. I tend to agree...

that the assaults are much more heinous.

It's definitely a media frenzy - and in trump it's sorta a case of "live by the media sword, die by the media sword".
Plus, in this case there are claims of 'proof' in terms of pictures, audio, etc.

[7962]

30. So the REAL threat is that we may SEE proof!!!!! nt

[tavernier]

25. Sex has always fascinated people

much more so than taxes or budgets or the work of our government.

[flibbitygiblets]

38. Especially in 'Murica where Xtians try to control our sex lives

Meanwhile violence is A-OK! Hence the obsession with sex and abundance of guns. Thanks Christians!

[brush]

26. Her story could be the one that opens the flood gates. Her lawyer has said that six other...

women have contacted him with similar stories of NDAs.

How many women has trump paid off to keep quiet before the election?

Sounds like something that might interest Mueller.

[Chemisse]

27. I haven't understood it either.

It seemed pretty ho-hum to me, although there are legal problems that could result from it. I attributed it to the media's (ie - people's) delight with salacious sex stories.

But the idea that she was physically threatened makes it much more interesting to me.

[malthaussen]

37. I agree, but sex sells.

It tickles the prurient instincts of Joe Public -- ooooh, a PORN STAR!!! -- and thus encourages their voyeuristic tendencies. Rather like the alleged tape with the Russian prostitute -- the act itself really has no bearing on the suitability of someone for the office of President, it's the leverage that can be applied because of it that matters. Yet people still want to see The Tape (tm) so they can get their giggles.

-- Mal

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. It isn't the sex. It's the hush money.

Who wants to think about Trump having sex? But paying the other participant off not to talk about their liaison just before an election? That's the big story, not the sex.

[jberryhill]

62. The story about the payment has been out for some time now

So that’s not new with this suit / media event.

[brush]

24. The more they try to stop her the more credible her story becomes. She must have some real dirt.

[Frustratedlady]

29. I can't imagine Trump would threaten her. He can't even fire his staff face to face.

He's a little weenie. He'd send someone else to do the job.

[mainstreetonce]

32. Whoever threatened her

Must have a very direct link to Trump.

It can't be someone Trump denies having a close tie to.

[FakeNoose]

33. Something's fishy

If Stormy Daniels really was threatened with some kind of harm, why wasn't that her story all along? Certainly a #metoo story against the POTUS would have played better in Peoria than the claim about the "NDA was never never signed so it's not valid."

I plan to watch 60 Minutes and see if they are running the original story, or the new updated version. We know Donald Trump must be really worred by now. Let's see what happens.

[fescuerescue]

44. If a crime occurred

even a rock solid NDA wouldn't protect him.

You can't sign away your rights to be free from crime, and prosecution would be done by the DA, not Stormy. The DA could simply subpeona her testimony as technically, the case would be Trump vs State of wherever and Stormy would be a witness.

NDA would be a footnote to criminal case.

So...yea. I'm with you on this.

[FakeNoose]

47. It's possible she received the threat recently (like this week)

If the threat was just made, then it makes sense that the lawyer is only telling us now. But if the threat was made before the money was paid, or when it was paid, then I'm back to my original statement - that it should have been their story all along.

The lawyer wasn't giving many details this morning, so obvious there's more to follow.

[Skittles]

49. she plays up whatever she thinks will get her the most money

maybe Trump finally has met his match

[NoMoreRepugs]

34. Stormy Daniels affair. Of course it matters.

It matters because to the deplorables it's titillating enough to keep them interested. Longer they follow it the greater the chance to peel off a couple of percent of that base who have a come to Jesus moment and realize their hero really is a lying shitstain.

At least that's my fervent hope.

[Ligyron]

36. The fact that there are several women with similar claims will serve to keep DT's sexual

escapades front and center in the public's eye for the foreseeable future. Sure, it will die down to a certain extent with Stormy but if we keep getting fresh faces popping up, the media will for sure focus on it.

I just wonder what kind of proof Stormy can provide that she was threatened; whether physically or otherwise? If it's just "she said he said" IDK...

[flibbitygiblets]

39. Now the Republicans have their own Bill Clinton

At least Bill Clinton could also actually, you know, GOVERN. But hey, you R's went all batshit crazy over a consensual affair.

I hope the irony BURNS.

[not fooled]

41. Someone from donnie's crime circle?

Or an unhinged deplorable (I know, I know--that's redundant).

There are so many candidate threateners among the dumpsters.

How horrific that this lowlife thug is in the White House.

[Blue_Tires]

45. Personally, I'm getting tired of the teasing

If she has something to burn Donnie to the point where Articles of Impeachment are being drafted, then she needs to show her cards...

[Skittles]

50. would have been nice if she had done it before the election

it's all about money; there's nothing redeeming about this gal

[jberryhill]

55. Its remarkable this is not more obvious

[Skittles]

56. I dislike that people are acting like she is some kind of hero

she is a grifter, just like the man she fucked and shook down for money

[jberryhill]

61. It would be interesting to know the current settlement figure on each side

[Blue_Tires]

63. +1

[kskiska]

46. Just saw Barbara Res, Trump's former construction manager on CNN

She said that others relating to the Trump Organization had been threatened over the years, but Trump didn't do it directly.

[raven mad]

48. I'd love it if our now-favorite porn star, Ms. Stormy Daniels

takes down a sitting pResident!

?1517420858

[dawg day]

53. Michael Cohen has threatened journalists...

I wonder if it was him... or that Schiller bodyguard guy.

Creeps, both of them.

Go, Stormy! It would be SO ironic if Trump was brought down by her.

Then again, Melania might be about ready to go public with her feelings about all this.

[Cha]

57. It is quite believable.. and trump team wouldn't

be threatening physical violence if Stormy didn't have more on him than all the other women, who came forward with their sexual predatory accounts.

'Course this time it was while melania was pregnant.

Thank you for the report from Michael Avenatti, Madaboutharrry.