This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
Published on September 28, 2019, a US court has awarded adult film star Stormy Daniels $450,000 in a settlement with the city of Columbus, Ohio, over her arrest at a strip club in 2018.
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was arrested in July 2018 at the Sirens Gentlemen's Club on sexual misdemeanor charges, which were later dropped.
She filed a lawsuit in January 2019, alleging that her arrest was politically motivated and seeking damages for false arrest and false imprisonment in violation of her civil rights.
Although Daniels initially sought $2 million in damages, she settled the case for $450,000, stating that the settlement was about bringing awareness and effecting change, rather than the monetary value.
Her attorney, Clark Brewster, noted that the case was based on the fact that Daniels was targeted for who she was, rather than what she had done.
The settlement comes at a time when President Donald Trump is facing an impeachment inquiry over a scandal involving the president of Ukraine.
Other investigations into Trump's affairs, including a probe by New York prosecutors into illegal payoffs made by his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to buy the silence of Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, are also ongoing.
