Steve Forbes shared some thoughts about the reports that former adult film actress Stormy Daniels used a copy of Forbes magazine to spank Donald Trump during a year-long sexual relationship she said began in 2006.
“The magazine has many multiple purposes,” Forbes told TheWrap on Thursday. “It’s an unusual way to get investment advice.”
Daniels, a one-time U.S. Senate prospect in Louisiana, made headlines after the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 in October 2016 to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter.
Daniels, who previously denied claims of an extramarital affair with Trump, offers lurid details about a relationship with the future president in a lengthy interview published this week by InTouch (the interview was conducted in 2011, before she reportedly signed a nondisclosure agreement).
Forbes addressed one of the more sordid details of the story in a brief interview while attending a launch party in New York City for James O’Keefe’s new book, “American Pravda.”
The 70-year-old multimillionaire, who still serves as Editor-in-Chief of the iconic magazine that bears his name, also said he was a tremendous fan of O’Keefe, who has gained a reputation as a conservative provocateur who has sometimes used misleading and highly edited undercover recordings to discredit liberal organizations.
“I think he’s done amazing work and he gets criticized but he’s exposed some pretty ugly things,” said Forbes, “When you do a lot of things you’re always going to get criticized. But his overall approach of trying to find out bad things going on, like Planned Parenthood, that’s for the good.”
In 2008, O’Keefe posed as a donor and secretly recorded a Planned Parenthood employee admitting that the organization would accept race-based donations. The sting, one of his earliest projects, was denounced by Planned Parenthood.
“We believe the individuals behind this are doing this not out of motivation to protect teens but, in fact, to discredit Planned Parenthood,” Kathy Kneer, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood International said at the time. “They went in with an objective to manipulate our staff, and they did succeed in manipulating our staff.”
(O’Keefe had no connection to a better-publicized 2015 sting operation by the anti-abortion group the Center for Medical Progress, which purported to show Planned Parenthood employees attempting to sell the remains of human fetuses. CMP’s highly edited videos sparked a national outcry, leading to calls for defunding Planed Parenthood as well as civil and criminal cases against the two SMP employees.)
“Steve was sharing his personal thoughts,” a magazine spokesperson told TheWrap.
Forbes told TheWrap he was unaware of O’Keefe’s attempted sting last fall of Washington Post reporters in which an operative for his nonprofit, Project Veritas, falsely told the paper that Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore had engaged in sexual misconduct with her as a young girl.
The attempted sting was widely viewed as an effort to discredit the Washington Post’s credible reporting on accusations against Moore, who was ultimately defeated in a special election lat month.
O’Keefe declined to address the ethics or newsworthiness of the Washington Post sting during a public Q&A session at the Mandarin Oriental. In the past O’Keefe has been responsible for undercover projects against the New York Times, Twitter and the community advocacy organization ACORN. The provocateur was sued and ultimately paid a $100,000 settlement to an ACORN employee in 2013 after secretly recording him in his sting.
Forbes was joined in the Mandarin Oriental by other Veritas fans, including Fox News contributor Monica Crowley, former Breitbart tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos, Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, pro-Trump journalist and Twitter activist Mike Cernovich and Shakespeare in the Park crasher Laura Loomer.
Here's Everyone Donald Trump Insulted on Twitter in 2017 (Photos)
From fellow politicians to Oscar winners and musicians, President Donald Trump casts a wide net in his internet insultery.
Getty Images
Rahm Emanuel
On Jan. 2, Trump tweeted, "Chicago murder rate is record setting - 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If Mayor can't do it he must ask for Federal help!"
The swipe at Emanuel allowed Trump to take a shot both at an elected Democratic Mayor, and his predecessor (for whom Rahm served as Chief of Staff.)
hoklife.com
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
On May 9, Trump tweeted, "Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp"
The Senate Minority leader has become a frequent critic of — and thus a frequent target for — Trump
Office of Sen. Schumer
Arnold Schwarzenegger
On Feb. 3, Trump tweeted, "Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as Governor of California and even worse on the Apprentice...but at least he tried hard!
The terminator has had some tough words for Trump and so the president hit back where it hurts — Schwarzenegger's ratings for "The Apprentice" (which he briefly hosted).
Getty Images
Meryl Streep
On Jan. 9, Trump tweeted, "Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes.
Streep had some choice words for Trump during her speech at the Golden Globes and the president noticed.
NBC
Rep. John Lewis
On Jan. 14, Trump tweeted, "Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart..."
The Congressman vowed to boycott Trump's inauguration, infuriating the newly elected president.
Getty Images
Chelsea Manning
On Jan. 26, Trump tweeted, "Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!"
Trump, it seems, was not a fan of President Obama's decision to commute Manning's sentence.
United States Army
Sen. Richard Blumenthal
On Feb. 9, Trump tweeted, "Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie), now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?"
Blumenthal is a near constant presence on MSNBC criticizing Trump — so this counterpunch was pretty much inevitable.
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Mark Cuban
On Feb. 12, Trump tweeted, "I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn't interested in taking all of his calls. He's not smart enough to run for president!"
Cuban, a fellow billionaire and Hillary Clinton ally has made a point of getting under Trump's skin throughout 2017.
Getty Images
DNC Chairman Thomas Perez
On Feb. 25, Trump tweeted, "Congratulations to Thomas Perez, who has just been named Chairman of the DNC. I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party!
"Does anybody really believe that a reporter, who nobody ever heard of, "went to his mailbox" and found my tax returns? @NBCNews FAKE NEWS!"
Johnston — who got a rare subtweet from Trump — appeared on MSNBC with Rachel Maddow to discuss a portion of the president's 2005 tax return.
NBC News
Snoop Dogg
On March 15, Trump tweeted, "Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!"
The President apparently didn't care for a music video Snoop made in which the rapper seemingly shoots a fake Donald Trump.
Getty Images
Freedom Caucus Representatives
On March 30, Trump tweeted, "If @RepMarkMeadows, @Jim_Jordan and @Raul_Labrador would get on board we would have both great healthcare and massive tax cuts & reform."
As negotiations over the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare dragged on, Trump often trained his ire at the recalcitrant Republican Freedom Caucus.
Getty Images
Chuck Todd
On April 1, Trump tweeted, "When will Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd and @NBCNews start talking about the Obama SURVEILLANCE SCANDAL and stop with the Fake Trump/Russia story?"
Todd told TheWrap he has no idea why Trump calls him Sleepy Eyes and says the president doesn't remember either.
NBC
Jon Ossoff
On April 18, Trump tweeted, "Democrat Jon Ossoff would be a disaster in Congress. VERY weak on crime and illegal immigration, bad for jobs and wants higher taxes. Say NO."
Trump campaigned hard for Ossoff's rival in Georgia's special congressional election, Republican Karen Handel (she won).
Getty Images
James Comey
On May 10, Trump tweeted, "James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI."
Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May and has been angry at him ever since.
Getty Images
Kathy Griffin
On May 31, Trump tweeted, "Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!"
Griffin took enormous incoming fire after a photo of her holding a model of Donald Trump's severed head went viral for all the wrong reasons.
Getty Images
"Crooked" Hillary Clinton
Trump has mocked Hillary plenty of times, but recently on November 18, Trump tweeted, "Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can’t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!"
Not much explanation needed here. Trump bested "Crooked" Hillary in 2016 and seems intent on reminding us for ever and ever and ever.
Getty Images
Sadiq Khan
On June 5, Trump tweeted, "Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his "no reason to be alarmed" statement. MSM is working hard to sell it!"
When terrorism strikes London, the city's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, often finds himself in Trump's crosshairs.
"A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes...gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection. Totally illegal!"
Lynch took a widely-criticized social meeting with Bill Clinton at an airport during the 2016 campaign and Trump has been complaining about it ever since.
Getty Images
Joe Scarborough and Mika "Bleeding Face" Brzezinski
"I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came o Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"
Widely considered one of Trump's nastiest burns, the president was likely incensed by something the pair said on "Morning Joe."
MSNBC
Jeff Sessions
On July 25, Trump tweeted, "Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!"
Trump went through a rough patch with his Attorney General and has long been cranky about Session's decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe.
"Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!"
Murkowski helped kill Trump's dream to repeal Obamacare and the president wanted to let her know how upset he was. But don't worry -- she voted in favor of the tax cut bill just a few months later.
"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists. and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!"
Graham has occasionally lightly criticized Trump and the president doesn't appreciate it
"Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!"
Flake has become the president toughest GOP critic in the Senate and Trump has not shied from giving it right back. Guess who voted for Trump's tax bill a few months later.
"John McCain never had any intention of voting for this Bill, which his Governor loves. He campaigned on Repeal & Replace. Let Arizona down!"
McCain's thumbs down vote killed Obamacare repeal and Trump has been cranky about it ever since. McCain later voted for the tax cut bill, so maybe it's all good between them now.
"The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump. Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job"
Cruz criticized Trump's handling of hurricanes in Puerto Rico and the president shot right back
"The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military."
Trump was never a fan of Bergdahl, who fell into Taliban hands under questionable circumstances. This tweet was protesting the decision to spare him jail time.
"Ralph Northam will allow crime to be rampant in Virginia. He’s weak on crime, weak on our GREAT VETS, Anti-Second Amendment."
As in Georgia with Jon Ossoff, Trump went hard against the democratic candidate in Virginia's gubernatorial race. This time he failed and Northam was victorious.
"Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for. Don’t forget, Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!"
Though Trump campaigned hard for Ed Gillespie in Virginia, when he lost the governor's race to Ralph Northam, Trump threw him under the bus.
"Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!"
Trump has ramped up the rhetoric with North Korea's leader as both nations inch closer to conflict.
"Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!"
Trump claimed credit for getting Ball's son out of a Chinese prison, but then blasted him for being insufficiently grateful.
"So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!"
Trump wanted more blood after NBC ousted Matt Lauer over sexual misconduct and trained his fire on network chief Phil Griffin.
"PM Theresa @theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!"
May blasted Trump's decision to retweet a far-right British group and Trump told her to mind her own business.
Getty Images
Brian Ross
On December 2, Trump tweeted:
"Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt. More Networks and “papers” should do the same with their Fake News!"
Trump gave Ross the business for reporting inaccurate news about Michael Flynn.
"LAST thing the Make America Great Again Agenda needs is a Liberal Democrat in Senate where we have so little margin for victory already. The Pelosi/Schumer Puppet Jones would vote against us 100% of the time. He’s bad on Crime, Life, Border, Vets, Guns & Military. VOTE ROY MOORE!"
Trump threw all his chips in for Roy Moore in Alabama, despite Moore being accused of sexual misconduct with minors. It didn't work, and "puppet Jones" was triumphant.
"@DaveWeigel @WashingtonPost put out a phony photo of an empty arena hours before I arrived @ the venue, w/ thousands of people outside, on their way in. Real photos now shown as I spoke. Packed house, many people unable to get in. Demand apology & retraction from FAKE NEWS WaPo"
The President was annoyed over a misleading Tweet from Weigel which the reporter deleted and apologized for
"Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!"
Gillibrand called on Trump to resign over sexual misconduct allegations eliciting a predictable response
"How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"
Getty Images
Roy Moore
On December 23, Trump tweeted: "Remember, the Republicans are 5-0 in Congressional races this year. In Senate, I said Roy M would lose in Alabama and supported Big Luther Strange - and Roy lost. Virginia candidate was not a 'Trumper,' and he lost. Good Republican candidates will win BIG!"
While Trump did support Luther Strange in the Republican primary, he later endorsed Moore -- and campaigned actively for him in December's special election.
Getty Images
Anna Wintour
On December 28, Trump tweeted: "Vanity Fair, which looks like it is on its last legs, is bending over backwards in apologizing for the minor hit they took at Crooked H. Anna Wintour, who was all set to be Amb to Court of St James’s & a big fundraiser for CH, is beside herself in grief & begging for forgiveness!"
Getty Images
1 of 54
POTUS’s thumbs were quite busy in his first year in the White House
From fellow politicians to Oscar winners and musicians, President Donald Trump casts a wide net in his internet insultery.
Getty Images
hoklife.com
