Sanders Corrects CNN Reporter: 'You Actually Don't Know Much About Me'
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders upbraided a CNN correspondent who suggested the Trump official was “blindsided” by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s remarks about payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, $130,000 in October 2016 as part of a non-disclosure agreement concerning an alleged sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006.
In February, Cohen released a statement saying he used “personal funds” for the payment and that neither the Trump campaign, nor the Trump Organization had reimbursed him. Cohen did not address whether Trump himself had.
Last month, special counsel Robert Mueller referred Cohen for criminal investigation. An area of potential criminal liability would be the Clifford payment, which arguably was to benefit Trump’s campaign (as it occurred weeks before the Nov. 2016 election), and if determined to be a contribution far exceeded legal limit. There is no limit to what candidates themselves can contribute to their own campaigns.
During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” on Wednesday night, Giuliani — who recently joined the president’s private legal team — stated that Trump made the payment to Clifford himself through Cohen. Giuliani added that Trump did not know the details of the payment until within the last two weeks, but had Cohen on a retainer fee of $35,000 a month to handle personal legal matters.
CNN political analyst April Ryan asked Sanders on Thursday if Giuliani “did harm to the president” by what he said.
.@PressSec to reporter April Ryan: "With all due respect, you actually don't know much about me." pic.twitter.com/xXz1w91pyo
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 3, 2018
“I don’t believe so,” answered Sanders.
“Why didn’t he talk to the White House press office about his impacting, stellar statements about what was happening?” Ryan followed up.
Sanders explained that Trump’s outside legal counsel and the White House press office do not coordinate by the very nature of the work each does.
“You said yourself you were blindsided,” insisted the CNN personality.
“I actually didn’t use that term,” Sanders retorted.
“Well, I said it, but you were blindsided,” Ryan said.
Then Sanders ended the interchange: “With all due respect, you actually don’t know much about me in terms of what I feel and what I don’t.”
Trump tweeted about the matter on Thursday confirming that he had Cohen on retainer as his personal attorney.
Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
…very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair,……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2018
He tweeted that non-disclosure agreements, like the one Cohen entered into with Clifford on Trump’s behalf, are “very common among celebrities and people of wealth” and said the purpose was “to stop the false and extortionist accusations by her about an affair.”
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