TMZ Live

Some of the cops who orchestrated Stormy Daniels' Ohio arrest openly revere President Trump ... according to a reporter who says there's proof the bust was political revenge.

Derek Myers is the interim editor-in-chief at the Fayette Advocate who uncovered emails to and from the arresting officer. He tells TMZ ... one involved officer would openly say "Make America Great Again," and another had a Twitter "shrine" to POTUS.

As we reported ... Myers obtained several emails between high-ranking Columbus cops who gathered details about Stormy 2 days before she was scheduled to perform at a strip club there.

Michael Avenatti has claimed all along his client's arrest was really about politics, and Myers says that's more than just a theory.

Michael Avenatti believes the police in Columbus, Ohio were well aware they had no grounds to arrest Stormy Daniels, but went ahead and did it anyway.

We spoke to Stormy's lawyer shortly after her strip club bust charges were dismissed Thursday. He said it's "ironic" the statute that vindicates her (because she's not a regular dancer at the establishment) is pretty crystal clear ... yet cops couldn't figure it out.

Translation: Columbus police knew what they were doing and targeted Stormy to put her in cuffs ... Avenatti just doesn't know what their motive was ... not yet, anyway.

Stormy's lawyer says they're going to get to the bottom of it, and are exploring her legal options.