Stormy Daniels’ lawyers argue for timely payments

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A judge should grant attorney fees to lawyers who represented porn actress Stormy Daniels in a lawsuit against Ohio’s capital city before competing claims on Daniels’ $450,000 settlement are dealt with, including a claim by President Donald Trump, Daniels’ lawyers argued in a court filing.

A federal judge last year said Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, must pay Trump nearly $293,000 for his attorneys’ fees and another $1,000 in sanctions after her defamation suit against him was dismissed.

Columbus agreed this year to pay Daniels $450,000 over her arrest at a strip club in 2018. In response, lawyers for Trump filed a motion in the court handling Daniels’ settlement with the city of Columbus noting that Daniels owes the president $293,052.

Daniels’ lawyers said competing claims for settlement dollars don’t have an interest “superior to” their own, according to the filing. A claim for $2 million was also made by Michael Avenatti, a lawyer who has previously represented Daniels, but that claim was later withdrawn, according to Monday’s filing.

Daniels’ lawyers didn’t say how much their fees would be.

Fox Nation host McHenry claims harassment by Tyrus

NEW YORK (AP) — The host of a Fox Nation streaming service program sued Fox News and her former co-host Tuesday, alleging he sent her sexually explicit text messages as he harassed her.

The Manhattan federal court lawsuit claimed Fox News retaliated against Britt McHenry after she complained by shunning her and excluding her from company events and shows. It seeks unspecified damages.

In a written statement, Fox News said, “McHenry’s allegations have been fully investigated and we are confident our actions will be deemed entirely appropriate in litigation.”

Fox News added: “We expect all of her claims to be dismissed.”

The lawsuit alleged that McHenry for months in 2018 was “crudely sexually harassed” by her co-host, former professional wrestler George Murdoch, also known as Tyrus, as they both worked on “Un-PC.” Murdoch was subsequently given his own Fox Nation program, “Nuff Said.”

The lawsuit said McHenry, of Arlington, Virginia, suffered humiliation, emotional anguish, derailment of her career and significant loss of economic opportunities.