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Stormy Daniels to officer in newly released video of her arrest: 'No one told me' about Ohio's no-touch law

Source: USA Today
July 19, 2018 at 11:56
(Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu, AP)
(Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu, AP)
Stormy Daniels is interviewed following her arrest at an Ohio strip club. Charges against her were later dropped.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When porn actress Stormy Daniels performs, she does her homework on what's allowed.

One state required a specific size of G-string. Done.

Ohio limits performers to topless shows. Fine.

So when Danielswas arrested last week at Sirens Gentlemen's Club in Columbus, she appeared to be at a loss. No one had told her about Ohio's prohibition against touching patrons, Daniels told Columbus police in body camera footage that The Cincinnati Enquirer obtained through a records request.

"Is this a sex offense?" Daniels asked, visibly upset. "They're going to take my daughter." 

► July 12: Charges dropped for Stormy Daniels after arrest at Ohio strip club
► July 10: Stormy Daniels strips near the White House
► July 4: Stormy Daniels' lawyer says he might run for president

"Boss lady!" yelled her security guard as police escorted Daniels into a van. "We've got you." 

Another Daniels employee was already calling her pitbull of a lawyer, Michael Avenatti.  

Inside the van, Daniels answered Columbus Detective Steve Rosser's questions calmly.

  • Had she had anything to drink? One shot of Fireball.
  • Had she performed in Ohio before? Too many times to count, including recently in Canton. 

Rosser explained why Daniels had been arrested:

"If you use any anatomical part of your body like your chest to put it upon people’s faces, that’s a misdemeanor of the first degree," he said. "We had a few detectives inside in the crowd, and three of those detectives that happened to.” 

Daniels whispered to Rosser: "They liked it."

“They may have. They may have," Rosser replied. Daniels laughed.

“Yeah, but no one told me," Daniels said of the Ohio law. 

► June 24: Stormy Daniels' interview with Michael Cohen prosecutors canceled
► June 19: Stormy Daniels brings Trump-inspired act to Memphis

Daniels told Rosser that she relied on clubs to detail local laws in her contract. No one in Columbus or at her earlier Canton performance had told Daniels that Ohio had a no-touch policy, she said. 

"So if someone doesn’t tell you that the speed limit is 55 but you’re doing 65, are you innocent?” Rosser asked

"No, but speed limits are marked," she said. 

► June 7: Stormy Daniels seeks the Truth with new branded perfume
► June 6: Stormy Daniels alleges old lawyer 'colluded' with Michael Cohen

Daniels was arrested and charged under the no-touch law. But the charges were dropped within hours because she wasn't a "regular" performer at the club.

Days later, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein dropped charges against two other women arrested that night. Klein said he doesn't plan to enforce the state's "legally problematic" law, which was passed in 2007.  

Columbus police are reviewing the motivations behind the undercover officers' actions following the arrests last week. That investigation is not yet complete.

Follow Jessie Balmert on Twitter: @jbalmert

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