Advertisement

Stormy Daniels settles with Columbus, Ohio, for strip club arrest

By Danielle Haynes
Stormy Daniels accused the officers of being politically motivated when they arrested her. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Stormy Daniels accused the officers of being politically motivated when they arrested her. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Adult film star Stormy Daniels settled her lawsuit with the city of Columbus, Ohio, on Friday for $450,000, city officials announced.

The agreement came after a mediation session earlier in the day. She sought $2 million.

Advertisement

Daniels, born Stephanie Clifford, 40, sued the Columbus Police Department after officers arrested her and two other women July 11, 2018, at the Siren's Gentleman's Club for allegedly allowing a patron to touch her. The charges were dismissed because as a guest performer of the club, the Ohio law didn't apply to her.

Daniels' lawsuit says her arrest was politically motivated months after going public with allegations she had an affair with President Donald Trump before the 2016 election. She said the affair happened while Trump was married to Melania Trump.

President Trump denies an affair took place.

"All parties agree that a settlement of $450,000 was fair, given the facts and circumstances involved," Meredith Tucker, a spokeswoman for City Attorney Zach Klein, told the Columbus Dispatch.

The two other women arrested also settled with the city in January for a combined $150,000.

Advertisement

In August, the police department filed departmental charges against five officers involved in the arrests. Last week, interim police Chief Thomas Quinlan recommended two officers, Whitney Lancaster and Steve Rosser, be fired.

The departmental charges said both improperly arrested Daniels and failed to submit accurate timecards. Lancaster also allegedly failed to follow proper investigatory procedure and failed to stop a potential narcotics transaction while Rosser improperly interviewed Daniels, failed to document the investigation and lied to internal affairs about the nature of the operation.

Latest Headlines