Stormy Daniels Accuses Michael Avenatti of Serious Legal Malpractice
Things just keep getting worse for Michael Avenatti.
Only a few short months ago, the lawyer was sitting on Cloud Nine, having spent so much time on television that he was beginning to think he might actually be a viable Democratic candidate for president in 2020. In recent weeks, however, the dominoes have begun to topple.
First, his cynical and unethical attempt to jump into the Brett Kavanaugh fracas blew up in his face and put him in jeopardy of a Senate investigation and potential prosecution.
Next, his defamation suit against President Trump (on behalf of client Stormy Daniels) was thrown out of court.
Another court found him liable for millions of dollars in a civil suit.
Finally, he was arrested this month in Los Angeles on charges of domestic violence.
But just when you think that this house of cards has crumbled completely, here comes Stormy to do just a bit more damage. In a statement to the Daily Beast website on Wednesday, Daniels made a number of extraordinary claims about her attorney – some of which could land Avenatti in serious legal peril.
“For months I’ve asked Michael Avenatti to give me accounting information about the fund my supporters so generously donated to for my safety and legal defense,” Daniels wrote. “He has repeatedly ignored those requests. Days ago I demanded again, repeatedly, that he tell me how the money was being spent and how much was left. Instead of answering me, without my permission or even my knowledge Michael launched another crowdfunding campaign to raise money on my behalf. I learned about it on Twitter.
“I haven’t decided yet what to do about legal representation moving forward,” she continued. “Michael has been a great advocate in many ways. I’m tremendously grateful to him for aggressively representing me in my fight to regain my voice. But in other ways Michael has not treated me with the respect and deference an attorney should show to a client. He has spoken on my behalf without my approval. He filed a defamation case against Donald Trump against my wishes. He repeatedly refused to tell me how my legal defense fund was being spent. Now he has launched a new crowdfunding campaign using my face and name without my permission and attributing words to me that I never wrote or said. I’m deeply grateful to my supporters and they deserve to know their money is being spent responsibly. I don’t want to hurt Michael, but it’s time to set the record straight. The truth has always been my greatest ally.”
This is a brutal public shaming; Avenatti must have really pissed this porn star off.