The supporters of Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who played a pivotal role in the conviction of Donald Trump on 34 felony charges, have rallied behind her, raising more than $900,000.
This fund is intended to assist her in relocating to a secure residence and offsetting her legal expenses, following her testimony in the criminal trial that led to Trump's conviction.
According to The Guardian, the funds were collected through an online GoFundMe campaign initiated by Dwayne Crawford, a friend and former manager of Daniels. Crawford recently appeared on MSNBC, where he detailed the barrage of online harassment and threats directed at Daniels and her family by Trump's supporters, as he vies for a second term in office.
Crawford, the campaign's organizer, stated on the campaign page, "Its become unsafe for her family and her pets. Stormy needs help to relocate her family to somewhere they can feel safe and live on their terms. She needs assistance to be able to continue to pay the mounting fees so that Trump doesnt just win because his pocketbook seems endless.
The campaign, aptly named 'I Stand with Stormy Daniels,' has garnered more than $940,000 from approximately 17,600 donors as of last Friday. This follows Daniels' instrumental role in Trump's conviction in late May for falsifying business records.
Daniels, legally known as Stephanie Clifford, alleged that she had an extramarital affair with Trump a decade before his 2016 presidential victory. She was paid $130,000 to remain silent about the encounter, a payment that was falsely recorded as legal expenses. This information was crucial in securing a conviction against Trump in a New York state courthouse.
However, Trump's prospects improved on Monday when the US Supreme Court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution related to their actions in office. This ruling could significantly aid Trump as he battles pending criminal charges for improperly retaining classified records and attempting to subvert the 2020 election results.
This Supreme Court decision led New York judge Juan Merchan to postpone Trump's sentencing in the case involving Daniels. Originally scheduled for July 11, the sentencing has been tentatively moved to September 18, following a request from Trump's legal team for a delay in light of the immunity decision.
Daniels, caught in the crossfire, revealed on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show that she had received numerous Facebook messages threatening her family, including her young daughter. "Ive lost mostly my peace, mostly my daughters privacy, and time time Ill never get back with her," Daniels lamented, referring to her testimony against Trump.
Daniels also disclosed that she owes $500,000 in attorney fees from a civil defamation lawsuit she filed against Trump in 2018, a sum she cannot afford.
Despite the backlash, Daniels has received support from various quarters, including writer E Jean Carroll, who successfully sued Trump over allegations of rape and defamation, winning nearly $90m in civil penalties. However, Daniels' former attorney Michael Avenatti, currently imprisoned for defrauding her and other clients, criticized her fundraising campaign, dismissing it as a "GoFundMe grift."
Crawford, undeterred by the criticism, stated that he was motivated to support Daniels after witnessing the parts of her story that often get overlooked. He emphasized, If we allow Stormy, after choosing to stand up to the president of these United States, to lose her life, her liberty or her happiness, then we have failed at the very foundational core of what this nation was built upon.
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