Stormy Daniels files new lawsuit against Trump’s lawyer

Washington, June 7 (IANS) Porn star Stormy Daniels has filed a new lawsuit against Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as well as her former attorney, Keith Davidson, saying the two men "colluded" and "acted in concert" to "manipulate" her and to benefit the US President.

The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California on Wednesday, is the latest in Daniels' continuing onslaught against Cohen, led by her Los Angeles-based lawyer, Michael Avenatti -- and all rooted in the adult film star's alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, reports CNN.

Wednesday's lawsuit alleges that in January when Davidson was still representing Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, "Cohen immediately colluded with Davidson in an attempt to use and manipulate Clifford in a manner designed to benefit Cohen and Trump".

The men sprung into action, the lawsuit alleges, when they became aware of the forthcoming publication of an In Touch magazine article that would detail Daniels' descriptions of her alleged affair with Trump.

The lawsuit also includes alleged text messages exchanged between Cohen and Davidson that appear to show communications between January and March.

"These text messages show that the prior denials by Trump and Cohen relating to what Trump knew and about the honesty of my client were absolute lies," Avenatti told CNN on Wednesday.

"There was a significant cover-up here as part of an attempt to deceive the American people and Mrs. Trump and we intend on getting to the bottom of it."

Avenatti said he was trying to get his hands on more text messages.

"This new lawsuit filed by Stephanie Clifford aka Stormy Daniels has no merit whatsoever as to my client, Michael Cohen. It appears to be yet another publicity stunt, and nothing more. We look forward to defeating the lawsuit in court," said Brent Blakely, Cohen's attorney.

Dave Wedge, a spokesman for Davidson, also slammed the new lawsuit.

"This outrageously frivolous lawsuit is yet another desperate attempt by Michael Avenatti to continue his 'publicity tour', as well as divert attention from the recent allegations against him relating to bankruptcy proceedings and the failure to withhold millions of federal employee taxes," Wedge added.