A top Donald Trump donor and GOP official admitted to having an affair with a former Playboy model and giving her money — reportedly facilitated by President Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen — to terminate her pregnancy.



Elliott Broidy, the Republican National Committee's national deputy finance chair, told BuzzFeed News in a statement, "First, I would like to sincerely apologize to my wife and family for the hurt that I have caused. I acknowledge I had a consensual relationship with a Playboy Playmate.

"At the end of our relationship, this woman shared with me that she was pregnant. She alone decided that she did not want to continue with the pregnancy and I offered to help her financially during this difficult period. We have not spoken since that time," Broidy said.



Broidy has resigned from the RNC. Broidy is the chair and CEO of Broidy Capital Management and had previously as a national vice chair of the Trump Victory Campaign in 2016. Last year, he donated more than $160,000 to the RNC, the Journal reported.

Broidy admitted to the affair and pregnancy after the Wall Street Journal first reported Friday that in 2017 Cohen negotiated to pay $1.6 million to the former Playboy model on Broidy's behalf.

Last week, federal agents raided Cohen's house, hotel room, and office, prompting outrage from Trump who called it a "witch hunt" and a "disgraceful situation." On Friday, the government said in court documents that "Cohen is under criminal investigation" for "criminal conduct that largely centers on his personal business dealings."

Cohen has been in the news for negotiating a $130,000 hush agreement with adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.



In his statement, Broidy confirmed that Cohen reached out to him after being contacted by the Playboy model's lawyer — Keith Davidson, who also happens to be Stormy Daniel's former lawyer who negotiated her settlement with Cohen. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, is now suing Trump and Cohen to have the agreement tossed out.

"It is unfortunate that this personal matter between two consenting adults is the subject of national discussion just because of Michael Cohen’s involvement," Broidy said. "Mr. Cohen reached out to me after being contacted by this woman’s attorney, Keith Davidson. Although I had not previously hired Mr. Cohen, I retained Mr. Cohen after he informed me about his prior relationship with Mr. Davidson."



Cohen and Davidson did not respond to requests for comment.

The settlement prohibited the unidentified Playboy model from disclosing her relationship with Broidy. The money was to be paid to her over two years in quarterly settlements, with the first payment due on Dec. 1, sources told WSJ.

Daniels' current lawyer, Michael Avenatti, appeared to have knowledge of the settlement Cohen made on behalf Broidy.

In tweets Thursday night, Avenatti said, "In last 18 mos, Mr. Cohen negotiated yet another hush NDA, this time on behalf of a prominent GOP donor who had a relationship with a LA woman, impregnated her and then made sure she had an abortion. The deal provided for multiple payments across many months."