Report: Michael Cohen’s Efforts to Silence Stormy Daniels Began in 2011

President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, reportedly began as early as 2011 his efforts to silence porn star Stormy Daniels from going public about an alleged affair with Trump—five years before he arranged for a $130,000 payment to Daniels.

According to The Washington Post, Cohen appeared to threaten an agent, Gina Rodriguez, who had “arranged for Daniels to earn $15,000 by telling her story to a celebrity publication.” Cohen allegedly relayed a message to Rodriguez’s ex-husband, Randy Spears, via phone: “You tell Gina that if she ever wants to work in this town again, she’ll call me immediately.”

Spears said he felt like Cohen was “trying to bully” him and Rodriguez, adding of his ex-wife: “She ranted and raved, like ‘How dare he?’”

The revelation comes as Daniels is slated to speak publicly about the alleged affair in a 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper later this month. Lawyers involved in enforcing the non-disclosure agreement that Cohen orchestrated said on Friday that they are seeking $20 million from Daniels in violations of the agreement. Daniels herself has sued Trump, alleging that he never signed the non-disclosure agreement, therefore rendering it null and void.