Stormy Daniels' arrest may have been a set-up


That surprise sting that ended in Stormy Daniels' arrest may not have been a surprise after all.
Emails between Columbus, Ohio, police detectives suggest the adult performer's arrest was planned days before her July 12 performance, a whistleblower has revealed to a local paper, the Fayette Advocate. A lead detective in the supposed human trafficking sting sent emails to herself containing details about Daniels' Columbus performance days in advance, and sent more questionable emails after Daniels' arrest.
Daniels claims she had an affair with President Trump in 2006, and she has since become a fierce opponent of the president. She's been touring the country to perform at adult clubs and was arrested July 12 after apparently touching undercover agents disguised as club-goers, which is against Ohio law. The charges were dropped after it was revealed Daniels didn't quite break the law, and the Columbus police chief admitted the arrest was a "mistake."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But the "mistake" was more like a set-up, the whistleblower claimed to the Advocate. Lead detective Shana Keckley emailed details of Daniels' performance from her personal to her work accounts, per the obtained records. That included pictures of Daniels with Trump and a map to the adult club she'd be appearing at. The morning after Daniels' arrest, Keckley emailed an officer to say she got the "elements" necessary to put Daniels and jail and seemed to congratulate herself on the operation.
Michael Avenatti, Daniels' outspoken attorney, claimed the sting was a political set-up immediately following the arrest. There doesn't appear to be evidence of political motivation in the whistleblower's emails. Read more at the Fayette Advocate.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floods
Speed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star program
speed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central US
Speed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslides
Speed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
-
Death toll rises in LA fires as wind lull allows progress
Speed Read At least 24 people have died and 100,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders
-
Biden cancels Italy trip as raging LA fires spread
Speed Read The majority of the fires remain 0% contained
-
Fast-spreading Los Angeles wildfires spark panic
Speed Read About 30,000 people were under an evacuation order as the inferno spread