Stormy Daniels, the porn actress who is embroiled in a legal dispute with President Donald Trump, has been arrested at a Columbus, Ohio strip club.
According to her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, Daniels—real name Stephanie Clifford—allowed some patrons to touch her in a “non-sexual” way while she was performing.
Ohio has a law called the Community Defense Act, passed 11 years ago at the behest of religious conservatives, that makes it illegal to touch a nude or semi-nude dancer in a club, unless—interestingly enough—you’re a member of the dancer’s immediate family.
Avenatti told the Associated Press that the incident, at the Sirens club, was “a complete set up.” Daniels most likely faces a misdemeanor charge.
“It’s absurd that law enforcement resources are being spent to conduct a sting operation related to customers touching performers in a strip club in a non-sexual manner,” he said.
Avenatti, who has become a public figure himself due to Daniels’ legal tussle with Trump, vented on Twitter after the arrest.
She was arrested for allegedly allowing a customer to touch her while on stage in a non sexual manner! Are you kidding me? They are devoting law enforcement resources to sting operations for this? There has to be higher priorities!!! #SetUp#Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
We expect her to be released on bail shortly. We also expect that she will be charged with a misdemeanor for allowing “touching.” We will vehemently contest all charges. #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Daniels claims she had sex with Trump shortly after the birth of Barron, his child with now-First Lady Melania Trump. She says Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her off shortly before the 2016 election to keep quiet about the affair.
She also said a man threatened her in 2011, in order to stop her going public about the affair. Trump subsequently dismissed the claim as fraudulent, leading Daniels to sue him for libel.
All charges against Daniels were dropped, Avenatti later said.