Judge Denies Stormy Daniels’s Request to Depose President Donald Trump

A California judge denied adult porn star Stormy Daniels’s request to have President Donald Trump questioned under oath.

The attorney for Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, immediately said he would refile the motion to depose Trump, adding that the judge’s denial was on “procedural grounds.”

“We expect this any day,” said the lawyer, Michael Avenatti.

Here is an order from the Ct denying our motion as premature on procedural grounds. We will refile the motion as soon as DT, MC, and EC, LLC file their motion to compel arbitration seeking to hide the facts from public view. We expect this any day. https://t.co/H85pmKdISK

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) March 29, 2018

Judge S. James Otero’s said Avenatti’s motion depose the president was “premature and must be denied” because it was filed before an anticipated filing by Trump and his personal lawyer in the case.

In his ruling, Judge Otero said Avenatti’s request is “untimely” because neither EC nor Trump as actually filed petitions asking for the case to be sent to arbitration.

Following the decision, Cohen’s attorney David Schwartz told CBS News Radio “He is not surprised at all” about the ruling and said “it was a premature motion.”

He calls it a “sound decision” and expects other decisions made by the judge to be “favorable to Mr. Trump”.
Schwartz says he expects the case to be kicked back to arbitration.