The ‘hush money’ payment to assure silence from Stormy Daniels rather than exposing the former president’s affair with her prior to his first election; and all other factors attached to his winning in 2016 (thanks to the Electoral College) was litigated*.
Stormy Daniels told Rachel Maddow in an interview in early July that her testimony at Trump’s trial resulted in harassments and threats and she had to: “shut down my life.” Her mailbox was destroyed, her animals injured and both she and her daughter are afraid to go outside. She has received death threats that were graphic, detailed, and brazen.
Many others who have testified against our former president have faced similar treatment from his followers in his “den” of MAGAcolytes. Indeed, many “supporters” of the Liar-in-Chief disagree with him but say nothing for fear of retribution—similar to that of Stormy Daniels. They show public support, hoping to be rewarded if he is re-elected.
We have four months ahead of extremely unusual and dangerous days as we approach our November elections.**
*Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to Daniels. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18.
**Do not confuse the title of my op-ed with the biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel, Chapter 6).
Daniel is cast into a den of lions by King Darius because he refused to bow down to him or to any person. The lions did not harm him. Wait, I think we might see at least one parallel here with Stormy Daniels who refused to ‘bow down’ to Trump. Contrary to the biblical story; however, Trump’s MAGAcolytes did much harm to her and to her family.