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Trump's alleged mistress Stormy Daniels has been arrested

While President Trump is in Belgium for the NATO Summit, his alleged former mistress Stormy Daniels is behind bars.

Michael Avenatti, lawyer for the adult film actress and exotic dancer, broke the news that his famous client had been arrested Wednesday night.

President Trump’s alleged mistress Stormy Daniels was arrested on Wednesday night. Source: Getty
President Trump’s alleged mistress Stormy Daniels was arrested on Wednesday night. Source: Getty

Avenatti claimed in a series of tweets that Daniels was busted for “allegedly allowing a customer to touch her while on stage in a non-sexual manner” during her performance at the Sirens club in Columbus, Ohio. He intends to fight the charges.

The news has prompted a flurry of Trump jokes, as well as questions as to why Daniels — who is suing the president over claims that she was paid to keep silent about their alleged 2006 affair — would be arrested if she was the one who was touched. While exact details of the performance have yet to be released, the answer may lie with a decade-old Ohio state law, the Community Defense Act.

In October 2007, the state introduced legislation that cracked down on exotic dancing clubs and other adult entertainment businesses. In addition to restricting the hours in which such businesses can operate — nude dancing is prohibited after midnight, for instance — the law banned touching between patrons and dancers, whether they be nude or seminude. Dancers’ family members are excluded from the ban.

Under the law, it is a first-degree misdemeanour — punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail — to touch a dancer’s genitals, bottom, or breasts.

Stormy Daniels was reportedly arrested July 11. Source: Getty
Stormy Daniels was reportedly arrested July 11. Source: Getty

Any other physical contact is considered a fourth-degree misdemeanour, which comes with a $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail. Those charges would seemingly apply to the patron accused of touching Daniels, rather than her as the dancer.

According to a report by the Columbus Dispatch last fall, instances of violations of the law are rare, with the local Franklin County Sheriff’s Office telling the paper at the time that it had never been cited within their jurisdiction.

But that’s no longer the case. As NBC News reports, the Franklin’s County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Daniels has been charged with three misdemeanour sex offenses. Avenatti has responded that Daniels will enter a plea of “not guilty.”

He also confirmed that Daniels would not appear for her Thursday night performance at Sirens.

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