Stormy Daniels arrested at strip club, lawyer slams ‘setup’

WASHINGTON: Adult film star Stormy Daniels, who is locked in a court battle with President Donald Trump over their alleged affair, was arrested late Wednesday while performing at a strip club after allegedly “fondling” patrons, police said.

In what her lawyer dubbed a “politically motivated” set-up, Daniels was arrested without incident at the Sirens club in Columbus, Ohio after officers accused her of knowingly touching club patrons “in a specified anatomical area.”

According to an incident report published online by a local news outlet, two police detectives and an officer approached Daniels, who was topless and wearing a G-string, onstage after she was seen “using her bare breasts to smack the patrons” and “fondling the breasts of the female patrons.”

Daniels allegedly began holding her breasts against one female detective’s face, before then “forcing” the face of a male officer into her chest and “smacking his face with her bare breasts.” She performed the same acts on a male officer after “fondling” his buttock and chest. Ohio’s Community Defense Act prohibits touching a nude or semi-nude dancer in a club, besides members of the dancer’s immediate family.

Another officer in the back of the club went to get backup before arresting Daniels, who was released on bond early Thursday. “We will vehemently contest all charges,” her lawyer Michael Avenatti tweeted, saying Daniels would plead not guilty to three misdemeanor charges. “This was a setup & politically motivated. It reeks of desperation. We will fight all bogus charges,” Avenatti said. “They are devoting law enforcement resources to sting operations for this? There has to be higher priorities!!!” Daniels’ arraignment is scheduled for Friday at Ohio’s Franklin County Municipal Court. She canceled a Thursday night performance in Columbus.