A former Playboy model who is suing a top fundraiser for President Donald Trump is opposing the fundraiser’s effort to place part of the overall litigation before an arbitrator.
In papers filed Nov. 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Shera Bechard said that if Elliott Broidy is able to force attorney Keith Davidson’s cross-complaint into arbitration, it could result in inconsistent rulings between the arbitrator on one hand and by the court on the other.
“This entire dispute, involving everyone, should be heard in the one and only tribunal that can fairly and efficiently adjudicate it, this court,” Bechard’s court papers state. “This case should not be sliced up into duplicative pieces so that a factfinder can make contradictory findings and have no one pay.”
Bechard alleges Broidy breached their contract by stopping installment payments on the deal after details of their affair were leaked by others. The deal required Broidy to pay Bechard $1.6 million in eight installments.
The 60-year-old married Broidy admitted to having a consensual sexual relationship with Bechard and said he agreed to make payments to her after she told him she’d become pregnant and had an abortion.
Bechard additionally sued Davidson. He is her former lawyer and he arranged for the payment as part of a nondisclosure agreement negotiated on Broidy’s behalf by New York attorney Michael Cohen, who had been Trump’s personal lawyer. Bechard alleges Davidson worked against her interests by secretly coordinating with Cohen and crafting an agreement that was favorable to Broidy.
The former Playmate also alleges Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti interfered in her contract by making key details public in a tweet after he allegedly got the information from Davidson.
Davidson later countersued Broidy, alleging he is entitled to settlement payments. Broidy then filed a motion to compel arbitration of Davidson’s countersuit and to put a halt to court proceedings in that part of the case until the arbitration is completed.
“Mr. Davidson’s claim must be arbitrated,” Broidy’s court papers state, citing what Broidy alleges is “an express agreement to arbitrate.”
But Bechard maintains in her court papers that Davidson did not sign an arbitration and is therefore not bound by one.
“One dispute, one factfinder, one consistent result,” Bechard’s court papers state.
A hearing on the Broidy arbitration motion is scheduled Nov. 15.