Stormy Daniels: Michael Avenatti Sued Trump For Defamation Against My Wishes

[demmiblue]

Source: The Daily Beast

Michael Avenatti sued Donald Trump for defaming Stormy Daniels against her wishes, Daniels told The Daily Beast in a statement on Wednesday.

Avenatti also started a new fundraising site to raise money for her legal defense fund without telling her, Daniels said. She said she is not sure whether or not she will keep Avenatti on as her lawyer.

Here is her full statement, provided to The Daily Beast:

“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. 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.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/stormy-daniels-michael-avenatti-filed-defamation-case-against-trump-against-my-wishes/

[Qutzupalotl]

1. Shysters gonna shyst.

[enid602]

26. Lie

You lie with dogs. . .

[janterry]

2. And, shouldn't she have a meeting with Avenatti

then fire him and hire someone else.

You know, BEFORE giving an interview.

[dem4decades]

3. Look who she slept with. Not the best decision maker.

[FBaggins]

4. No no no

I want to watch how he responds first.

[violetpastille]

6. I am very sympathetic to her plight.

[MosheFeingold]

12. A girl's gotta eat. n/t

[Kaleva]

16. She says she's asked him for months for an accounting of where the money went.

"“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. 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. "

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11484805

[jberryhill]

34. The money wasn't for her

The money was for her legal fund - ie to pay Avenatti.

[Kaleva]

36. But shouldn't Avenatti provide at least an itemized bill?

Avenatti says he didn't much of the money:

"Instead, the vast majority of the money raised has gone toward her security expenses and similar other expenses. The most recent campaign was simply a refresh of the prior campaign, designed to help defray some of Stormy’s expenses.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/stormy-daniels-michael-avenatti-filed-defamation-case-against-trump-against-my-wishes

[Fuzzpope]

5. That's too bad.

This is the first truly damning claim made against him in my book.

If this shit is true, hes finished.

[Power 2 the People]

29. +1

[4u2]

7. One of Trump's people got to her

I do not know how a crowd-funding site can allow a person to begin raising money for another person, or not have permission from that person to do so. This invites abuse and should be illegal.

[LisaL]

19. It's done all the time. Lots of campaigns on crowd-funding site are people collecting money for

someone else. Don't know if these people always get permission.

[Kaleva]

20. Stormy says she's been asking Avenatti for months where the half million from the 1st campaign went.

[LisaL]

21. If somebody collected half a million on my behalf, I would presumably have liked to know where it

went.
I don't know how this campaign was worded. Was it saying money were going to go to Stormy or to her legal fund? If the money were collected for legal defense, then presumably Avenatti was the recipient, and not her personally, as he was her "legal defender."

[Kaleva]

22. A link to the crowd fund page

It's worded to make it appear the money is going to her directly.

"I need funds to pay for: attorneys' fees; out-of-pocket costs associated with the lawsuit, arbitration, and my right to speak openly; security expenses; and damages that may be awarded against me if I speak out and ultimately lose to Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen."

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stormy/

[LisaL]

24. It sure makes it sound like she is the one who started the page.

It collected a huge amount of money. She is claiming she doesn't even know where it went? Wow.

[4u2]

23. So how do we know

they are not phonies and nothing more than thieves

[Peace06]

27. Stormy Daniels

I agree with you. Avenatti gave her what credibility she has now. Avenatti supported her and spoke of her honesty and intelligence. If not for Avenatti, she would be just another burlesque queen that nobody listened to.

[JI7]

28. bs, she built her own credibility by being honest

and having the facts on her side.

[Pantagruel]

8. Both make their living by notoriety

Stormy's name is fading from the headlines, she wants whatever cash she can get NOW before her popularity sags like her largest assets.
Could Avenatti even launch a lawsuit without her signing on?

Avenatti claims the fundraising was intended for his expenses by written agreement-let's see it?
Almost every lawyer I know owes back taxes, they are always arguing the assessments and they also know if you run up a bill the IRS will cut you a favorable deal (OIC) to clear their books later.

Both of them struck me as effective against Trump because they were cut from the same seamy cloth as Trump was, unsavory folks slimeing each other.

[The Liberal Lion]

9. I keep saying it again and again, and many on DU chastise me for it

but Avenatti is cut from the same cloth as trump. He's as much a conman as trump only he's taking advantage of our anger instead of right wing anger. Sure, we are different than those fucking nazis following trump, but we aren't above having our emotions used against us. Great that he's an attack dog against trump, but this man is no hero, and he's most certainly not anyone I'd wish in any democratic political position. Let him continue his law practice and keep him away from democratic politics.

[demmiblue]

10. I won't chastise you.

He needs to go away (in terms of political position discussion). The faster, the better.

[11cents]

11. No matter how many times you say it -- you're still correct.

[Kaleva]

15. Basically the same words I used.

"41. In a way, Avenattii is cut from the same cloth as Trump"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11456698

[Codeine]

17. There is a certain sort of personality

that is attracted to a strongman, and unfortunately not all with that tendency are on the Right.

[Dorian Gray]

33. Yep

It's sad.

Especially when people confuse loud and blustery with strong.

[madville]

30. Agree

His five minutes are up, he needs to fade away and hope he doesn't get charged with either misdemeanor domestic violence or lying to the Senate at this point.

[Dorian Gray]

32. I agree 100%

Don't trust him. Never did.

[moonscape]

38. I thought he was fantastic when he first emerged,

at a time it seemed we had -nothing- on our side as the assault from 45 and Congressional Repubs continued. They were dark days (not that these aren't, but at least things are breaking a bit with the House, etc) ... but ... his overexposure, intensity, self-importance, injecting himself whether appropriate or not, etc became wearying.

I'm where you are now (and definitely was by the time his Presidential exploration came around) but was grateful for him in the beginning. Still am for his contribution ... Michael Cohen.

[LenaBaby61]

40. I'm not mad at either ...

Because they're NOT the reason my health insurance has gone way up. Neither are responsible for putin destroying and ruining our country. tRump IS.

Rotten, racist, sexist, evil, lying, narcissistic treasonous ass tRump is the cause of and mostly responsible for EVERYTHING bad going on in our country & world. Not THEM. tRump's destroying our trade policy, tanking the economy, turning the world against the US. He promotes hate, racism, division and wants to murder people because he doesn't want people to have health care or be covered if they have a pre-existing condition. Personally, I have NO opinion on either. I KNOW I hate tRump and all he/his family (Minus the minor children, and I don't know much about Tiffany) stand for.

[Dorian Gray]

41. I'm not going to say

I didn't cheer him on when he seemed like he was bugging Trump with the Stormy Daniels stuff. But as soon as he mentioned presidential runs and stormed the press at any opportunity, it seemed like he cared more about his own exposure than doing right by his client.

I recognized his tactics as Trumpian. He's a bully. While someone bullyish on our side may be appealing to a certain extent, it's not what I want in a leader. Some level of diplomacy is needed after Trump's polarizing ass.

[onenote]

13. Avenatti likes to drive race cars. Why?

Because that way he can catch up with ambulances.

[AncientGeezer]

14. I don't care who you are..that's funny.

[Codeine]

18. Ha!

[Honeycombe8]

25. Ruh-roh. Daniels has a problem. And Avenatti's true nature is coming to light.

I feel for her. She's got a tiger by the tail, and there's not much she can do about it.

[DrToast]

31. Avenatti is SHADY!

I don't trust this guy one bit. He may be the enemy of my enemy, but he is not my friend.

[jberryhill]

35. She's only saying this to attempt to avoid the fee award

Trump has been awarded fees against her in that case. There’s not enough left in the crowdfunding kitty to pay it, and Avenatti’s certainly not paying it. So, she is claiming the suit wasn’t authorized.

[vsrazdem]

37. I wish she and Avanatti both would just go away.

[laserhaas]

39. Ruh Rho.....

[bearsfootball516]

42. This may not be popular, but...

I think a year or so from now, both Stormy Daniels and Avenatti's names will be long gone. They got their publicity early last year, but Stormy was just out to try to make money and Avenatti's a publicity hound. Neither one of them should actually be taken seriously.

As others in this thread have mentioned, their 5 minutes of fame is up. By the time primaries start, people will be saying "Remember that stuff with Stormy and Avenatti? Whatever happened to them?"