A Fox News editor quashed a story during the 2016 presidential election that would have revealed then-nominee Donald Trump’s affair with and payoff to adult-film star Stormy Daniels, the New Yorker reported Monday.
In an investigation exploring Mr. Trump’s relationship with Fox News, the magazine reported that former FoxNews.com reporter Diana Falzone had been working on the story since March and confirmed the story through Ms. Daniels’ manager and ex-husband about several calls to Mr. Trump.
She also found emails and seen the contract between Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen and Ms. Daniels’ attorney detailing hush money in return for a nondisclosure agreement being signed.
This story never saw the light under Ms. Falzone, however. According to colleagues of Ms. Falzone, she was told by the head of FoxNews.com, Ken LaCorte, “Good reporting, kiddo. But Rupert [Murdoch] wants Donald Trump to win. So just let it go.”
Mr. LaCorte denies telling Ms. Falzone any of this, despite one of her colleagues confirming they heard this account.
Fox News would later be sued by Ms. Falzone and reached a settlement that included a nondisclosure agreement.
The Wall Street Journal would report in January 2018 that Cohen had arranged a $130,000 payment to keep Ms. Daniels quiet about the reported affair weeks before the 2016 election. Cohen would later plead guilty to campaign finance violations for this payment and another made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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