Johnnie Moore, an evangelical adviser to President Donald Trump, has denied that evangelical leaders are planning to discuss the scandal involving the President and adult film performer Stormy Daniels at a proposed conference in June.
A report published by NPR on Friday claimed that some "very concerned" evangelicals are planning to meet with the President on June 19 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. to discuss various issues that could affect evangelical turnout in the November midterm elections.
Trump was reportedly invited to answer questions from evangelical leaders for about 90 meetings at the proposed summit.
While it is not clear whether the scandal will be brought up in open sessions, an unnamed source suggested that the President is likely to be asked about it during private discussions.
Another source who supposedly knows about the plans for the meeting told NPR that organizers have expressed concern that some evangelicals might not attend the conference due to the controversy.
In an email to The Christian Post, Moore acknowledged that there are talks about holding a conference in June, but it is "at a conceptual level only." He also clarified that the summit will be focused on the President.
"[A]ttaching the planning of the meeting to any personal accusations against the president is entirely farcical. [T]hat isn't the purpose and it has never been a point of discussion," Moore told The Christian Post.
Moore said he is not involved in the planning for the proposed meeting, but is rather an "informed observer" who has been invited to take part in all of the planning discussions.
He said that he is sure that the sources cited by NPR have "zero firsthand knowledge" of the discussions "because it is a very, very small group involved."
"They must be speaking from absolute rumor and assumption. And, I would reiterate, this is an entirely conceptual conversation at this point as it is," he continued.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has claimed that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 and that she was paid $130,000 by the President's lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep silent about the affair.
Trump recently dodged a question on whether he knew that his long time attorney, Michael Cohen, made the payment to Daniels.
"You'll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You'll have to ask Michael," the President said when asked about the alleged payment, as quoted by the Associated Press.
