The recent decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dealt yet another setback to the troubled actress in the long-running legal dispute between former president Donald Trump and the adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Following a defamation lawsuit that was brought about by a tweet the former president sent out in 2018, the court has ordered Daniels to pay an additional $121,000 in attorney fees to Trump. This judgment is sure to shock the progressive media.
When Trump tweeted that the sketch of the man who had reportedly threatened Daniels and her daughter was a “con job” that was “about a nonexistent individual,” Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti launched a lawsuit against Trump for defamation.
Despite Avenatti’s best efforts, a federal judge in California concluded that Daniels’ lawsuit was effectively dismissed because the tweet was deemed to be “rhetorical hyperbole” and was therefore protected by the First Amendment’s rights to free expression and public dialogue.
The judge then granted the former president legal fees, which at first totaled more than $500,000. Daniels is currently dealing with a significant financial load as a result of her unsuccessful legal struggle, thanks to the $121,000 extra price.
But, the question of why Daniels brought this action in the first place still stands. Was it just a publicity stunt to help her career, or was there something more sinister going on?
It is no secret that Daniels, whose actual name is Stephanie Clifford, has been an outspoken opponent of Trump ever since she came up with claims of an intimate relationship they had in 2006. She may have had a strong case against Trump for defamation, but it is obvious that she filed the complaint for reasons other than pure altruism.
In fact, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that Daniels’ lawsuit was nothing more than an attempt, fueled by politics, to harm Trump’s standing with the public. The reality is that Daniels’ legal campaign was eventually unsuccessful, despite the fact that many in the mainstream media were ready to support her.
It’s vital to realize that Daniels has run afoul of the law before. She was detained in 2019 on suspicion of domestic abuse against her ex-husband, and she has also been charged with breaching a non-disclosure agreement on her alleged liaison with Trump.
Hence, despite the fact that many people may see Daniels as a sympathetic character seeking justice against a strong guy, the truth is that she is a flawed person who has used her connection to Trump for personal advantage. Yet as the most recent court decision demonstrates, her strategies have ultimately only made things worse for herself.
The Stormy Daniels case ultimately serves as a warning about the risks of taking legal action out of self-interest. While the legal system may provide a route to justice, it’s crucial to keep in mind that justice isn’t always synonymous with vengeance or self-interest. And as Daniels has discovered the hard way, pursuing such aspirations sometimes comes at a very costly price.
