LEGAL/MICHAEL COHEN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “A federal judge expressed skepticism on Friday [7-27-18] at a request for a gag order from the former personal lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump against the lawyer for adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who is suing the president. At a hearing in Los Angeles, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero said he was reluctant to curtail the free speech rights of Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti. He did not issue a ruling, saying he would continue to consider the request. Daniels, whose allegation of a sexual encounter with Trump made her a household name, is suing Trump to void a non-disclosure agreement under which Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 not to discuss her alleged relationship with Trump in 2006 and 2007…Cohen’s lawyer, Brent Blakely, asked Otero to prohibit Avenatti from speaking publicly about the case, saying potential jurors could be influenced by hearing Avenatti’s public criticism of Cohen.”
–Alex Dobuzinskis, “U.S. judge skeptical of bid for gag order on Stormy Daniels’ lawyer,” Reuters, July 27, 2018 8:51 am