The second ex-Playboy model named in the case against Donald Trump has posted her first cheeky tweet since the former president’s historic arrest this week.
Karen McDougal, who was once Playmate of the Year and Playmate of the 90s, was allegedly paid hush money before the 2016 presidential election.
Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records relating to payments to two women to buy silence on their sexual encounters with him.
The other adult film actor in the case is Stormy Daniels whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
On Friday (AEDT) Ms Daniels gave an exclusive interview to journalist Piers Morgan, which was postponed from last Saturday.
Ms Daniels revealed she would “absolutely” take the stand if she was asked to testify, but she did not want Mr Trump to go to jail.
“The king’s been dethroned. He is no longer untouchable. And nobody should be untouchable,” she told Morgan.
“It doesn’t matter what your job description is, whether you are the president. You should be held responsible for your actions.”
Karen McDougal’s alleged affair
In 2018, Ms McDougal told CNN she had an affair with Mr Trump which began in 2006, a year after he married his third wife Melania.
Ms McDougal said she slept with Mr Trump “many dozens of times” in various locations such as his private golf club in New Jersey and Trump Tower in New York.
Prosecutors said the former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, had offered to look out for negative stories during Mr Trump’s campaign.
Its parent company American Media Inc paid Ms McDougal $US150,000 to buy the rights to her story, but then kept it secret.
Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen says he co-ordinated with Mr Trump on payments to Ms Daniels and Ms McDougal.
Mr Trump has denied having sexual relationships with either woman but has acknowledged reimbursing Mr Cohen for his payment to Ms Daniels.
Cheeky tweet
Ms McDougal has largely stayed out of the headlines, but after Mr Trump’s unprecedented arrest this week she posted on Twitter.
The 52-year-actress shared photos of herself grinning and having fun at a ski resort, apparently in Colorado.
In one image she is flashing a peace sign and wearing a blue jumper emblazoned with the American flag.
“I’ve been out and about enjoying Gods (sic) country,” Ms McDougal tweeted.
“I hope I didn’t miss anything.”
Tweet from @karenmcdougal98
The post appears to suggest that while Ms McDougal was basking in the outdoors, Mr Trump was facing the inside of a New York courtroom.
Prosecutors in Manhattan accused Mr Trump, the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges, of trying to conceal a violation of election laws during his successful 2016 campaign.
Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a “catch-and-kill” scheme to suppress negative news stories about him ahead of the election.
Taken together, the charges carry a maximum of 136 years in prison under New York law, but any prison sentence following a guilty verdict would almost certainly be far less than that. Mr Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.
It is against New York state law to make a false entry in a company’s records.
While falsification of business records on its own is a misdemeanour, meaning it is punishable by a sentence of less than one year, it is considered a felony punishable by up to four years in prison if it is done to conceal or further other crimes.
In this case, Mr Bragg said those other crimes include alleged election law violations.
Mr Trump may argue that his former lawyer Mr Cohen acted on his own when paying Ms Daniels.
He may also argue that the purpose of silencing Ms Daniels and Ms McDougal was to spare him and his family the embarrassment of public attention to alleged extramarital affairs, not to help his campaign.
While Mr Cohen testified in 2018 that Mr Trump directed him to pay Ms Daniels, Mr Trump has repeatedly called Mr Cohen a “liar”.
He could attempt to undermine Mr Cohen’s credibility by pointing out that he has admitted to perjuring himself before Congress.
In an interview with Reuters in December 2018, Mr Trump said the payment to Ms Daniels “wasn’t a campaign contribution” and “there was no violation based on what we did”.
Joseph Tacopina, a lawyer for Mr Trump, has argued in television interviews that Mr Trump was a victim of extortion by Ms Daniels.
