That case began after special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is leading the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, passed along information to the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan about dealings between Pecker and Trump and his longtime lawyer Michael Cohen. Cohen said Trump ordered him to arrange hush money payments to two women — the porn star Stormy Daniels and the former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal — who said they had affairs with him years ago. The payments were made during Trump’s presidential campaign.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 09, 2019 02:30 UTC