As many of you will remember, I used to like Michael Avenatti. I didn’t think he was the savior of American democracy or anything, but he seemed to be interesting and woke and his work as Stormy Daniels’ lawyer was good. Because of Avenatti, Michael Cohen’s office was raided by the FBI, and several big dominoes fell in the march towards impeaching Donald Trump. Unfortunately, Avenatti’s good press went to his head. He started talking seriously about running for president, and he bad-mouthed every Democrat, and a lot more. The final nail in his coffin was probably when he was outed as a liar in the weeks following Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation – it turns out, Avenatti likely falsified big chunks of his clients’ claims against Kavanaugh.
Now, all that being said, even though I think Democrats canceled Avenatti months ago, the Republican Party is still terrified of him. Donald Trump is still a cheesed-ck coward who thinks he can bully people around. And I’m actually really suspicious about this story that broke last night. At first, TMZ broke the news that Avenatti had been arrested Wednesday on a charge of felony domestic violence. The incident happened on Tuesday night, in the “Century City area of L.A.” And:
We’re told Wednesday afternoon the woman was on the sidewalk on her cellphone with sunglasses covering her eyes, sobbing and screaming on the phone, “I can’t believe you did this to me. I’m going to get a restraining order against you.” We’re told security brought her inside the building, took her upstairs and Michael showed up 5 minutes later, ran into the building. He screamed repeatedly, “She hit me first.” We’re told he angrily added, “This is bulls***, this is f***ing bulls***.” We’re told he tried getting into the elevator but security denied him access.
Cops showed up and escorted Avenatti into a corner of the apartment lobby and spoke with him for 5 to 10 minutes and then took him into custody. A law enforcement source says on Tuesday, Avenatti “kicked her out of the apartment” and that’s when the alleged domestic violence occurred. We’re told she went back to the apartment on Wednesday to retrieve her belongings and called police to stand by in case things got heated.
TMZ also initially reported that the woman was Avenatti’s wife (estranged wife), but they later changed their story when her lawyer came out and said unequivocally that Avenatti had never abused his client and that TMZ got it wrong. Avenatti made a statement too:
Avenatti, who was released on $50,000 bail, denied any allegation of abuse or violence, first in a statement through his law office, and again outside after his release.
“I wish to thank the hard working men and woman of the LAPD for their professionalism they were only doing their jobs in light of the completely bogus allegations against me,” he said in the statement. “I have never been physically abusive in my life nor was I last night. Any accusations to the contrary are fabricated and meant to do harm to my reputation. I look forward to being fully exonerated.” Speaking to reporters outside an LAPD station, he reiterated that he looked forward to a full investigation. “I have never struck a woman. I never will strike a woman,” he said. “I am not going to be intimidated from stopping what I am doing.”
TMZ later corrected their story and said that their “source” claimed the woman in question was Avenatti’s estranged wife. I wonder who their source was. I mean… domestic violence is a terrible thing and of course I hope everything is fine with this woman. But I also think this whole story – including the way the story broke – is sketchy as hell. It would also be completely in line with the Deplorables’ new tactic of trying to use the language of Me Too and “believe every woman” against their enemies.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
If he did this, bye.
That being said, I’m waiting as the group who provided the info is also affiliated with the Mueller nonsense 🙄
Yeah, I saw on Twitter that J Wohl’s “super secret security agency” is taking credit for it.
Yes the post read, “Surefire Intelligence strikes again.” According to what I read. So, a calculated strike. A hit.
He is a douche but apparently both of his ex wives have said this never happened? Who did he abuse? Story has so many holes
I *so* believe this is a set up. Dump is terrified of him, as are other RepubliTHUGS. This kind of schmear is right up their alley. Didn’t Kreepy Kushner’s dad set up his own brother with a prostitute, tape it, and then sent it to his sister in law to blackmail him? They’re ALL shady AF.
dont we remember the fake ‘sting’ against stormy daniels in the nightclub that the cops later had to apologize for?
he’s a grandstander but he has too much on the line career-wise and persona-wise (as a defender of women) to be beating up on them.
He also didnt falsify his witness’s statement-he didnt verify portions of it and it came back to bite him.
As two people have pointed out, this has the fingerprints of Wohl on it, the same guy who tried to take down Mueller with fake accusations and set up an entire website of a fake business purporting to have investigated Mueller’s harassment of women. this is too easy peasy lemon squeezy for my bullsh$t meter.
This is just way too convenient for Trump.
Possible it a setup but abusers often target one person versus multiple. They aren’t going around hitting and abusing all the women in their life, they specifically select.
On the one hand yes, especially with sexual assault. With violence however I think it would be very difficult to be married to someone and live with them for years and have married life arguments without ever witnessing any outbursts when that someone tends to be violent. Most of the time the spouses are the ones who get the brunt of the violence.
I think, for once, I’m going to hold off on making judgements and employ the “wait and see” approach.
Same. Could he have done it? Absolutely. That being said, look at how they set up Stormy at that strip club. Look at what they tried to do to Mueller. The Roger Stone crowd have proven again and again that no tactic is too dirty to “take out” and enemy.
Yeah, I’m sketched out by this one. I don’t doubt he could have done it – but given what’s been going on, I’m waiting it out a bit. Not at all excusing abuse – and if he did the crime, he 100% needs to go rot. But it IS a bit more suspicious given the previous sting.
Yeah. I don’t have a problem imagining him doing something like this but…it seems a little sketchy to me.
I’m going to withhold judgement. I already dislike him and find him sketchy so that’s difficult for me to do but on the other hand…this smells as bad as I imagine Trump’s bedroom smells after a night of 15 cheeseburgers, 27 cokes and stress sweat and temper tantrums caused by watching CNN.
@Kitten, @Erinn – where do you base your certainty that he could have done it (“absolutely” & without a doubt)?
Hezzer19 made it clear why she doesn’t have a problem imagining him doing this, she already dislike him & finds him sketchy. Its very easy to think the worst of people we don’t like. Hearing negative stuff about them justifies our dislike so we latch on to it.
I’m indifferent to him so i have no idea whether he can do this or not. I read on another site though that this was another idea of the jacob wohl guy but then again, i don’t know until more information come up.
“@Kitten, @Erinn – where do you base your certainty that he could have done it (‘absolutely’ & without a doubt)?”
@ Another someone-Because I don’t know Avenatti? I think any man-especially one that I don’t know intimately-could be capable of anything. Have you not learned anything from the #MeToo movement?
And I never said that I didn’t like Avenatti?
But whether I like him or not is irrelevant in this situation, as it should be with every leveled accusation against a celebrity. *IF* he did this, he’s disgusting. But at this stage, knowing how the Right operates, I’m waiting to hear more information before I decide.
Also meant to say that just because someone is a grifter, doesn’t mean he’s a violent abuser. Some of the leaps people are making in this thread aren’t really helpful to the larger conversation of domestic violence.
I agree kitten. I’m not stanning for him. But a lot of dirty tricks going around right now. I can wait.
Yep. I’m holding my judgment until I know if this is another little plot by the Right to discredit a foe of Trump. It just feels too easy somehow. Avenatti is supremely ambitious, so I really don’t see him throwing away everything he’s worked for these last few months to get into a cheezy public scene with any woman.
@Kitten, no need to be condescending. I did not say you dislike Avennati – i was referring to what Hezzer19 wrote. She was very clear why she said she could imagine him doing it and why she thought so. Hence, I asked you and erinn – objectively, because I thought you and erinn might have read something from other sites, hence the certainty.
I hate to keep hammering on this but I think you’re confused and it’s important to point that out. Please re-read what Hezzer wrote. She wasn’t “very clear as to why she could see him doing it”. She actually made it a point to say that while she finds him sketchy, she’s reserving judgment. She is NOT letting her dislike of him cloud her judgment–literally the opposite of what you said–and similar to what myself and other commenters echoed below her comment.
@another someone
I’m missing where there is absolute certainty in our posts. I said I don’t doubt that he COULD have done it. Just like I don’t doubt that any person – despite their public persona or job or whatever – is capable of wrong doing.
For example – when there’s a murder accusation in the news there are almost always the family members or friends that object to the very idea. They’ll come blazing out of the gates with “He could NEVER do that. He isn’t capable of that!” and then the case goes to court and this hypothetical person is proved to be a murderer. I always shake my head at the people who do that – that convince themselves that someone ISN’T capable of doing something wrong just because they know them and or like them. Look at all the insane defenses there were of Johnny Depp – people were essentially saying that he couldn’t possibly be a bad person because they found him attractive and/or liked his movies and the characters he played.
In no way did I say MA definitely did it. In no way did I say MA is an abuser. I just said that I don’t think it’s outside of the realm of possibility that he is just as capable of doing something wrong as anyone else is.
And if you go re-read Kitten’s post and my post you’d see that a lot more of both posts were spent on questioning the validity of this specific abuse claim – given the desperation of the GOP and the previous events that had occurred in regards to setup attempts. I’m indifferent to MA. I think he’s a relatively smart guy who’s done some great things. But I also think he leans into arrogant territory quite often.
Exactly, Erinn.
I don’t care for his campaigning and his Dem attacks on Twitter. I do like that he represents Stormy Daniels and helped bring down Trumps mafia lawyer. This arrest seems fishy to me too. Reminds me of Harvey Weinstein, Rose McGowan and the coke she alledgedly left on that plane.
Yeah, that was my thought as more information – not much information, but more than the blaring headline – was released last night. Also thought of the guy who was paying women to say they’d been assaulted by Robert Mueller*. I have no idea whether this will turn out to be as false as that was, but I am reserving judgement one way or another until the professionals complete their investigative work.
*https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/special-counsel-refers-scheme-targeting-mueller-to-fbi/574411/?utm_term=2018-10-30T17%3A14%3A35&utm_campaign=atlantic-politics-and-policy&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Considering its TMZ who have covered up stories for the orange sh!tstain I would side eye this somewhat. If its true let the law deal with him, if not he should sue Levin to hell and back tweeting about every step. Its about time someone took Levin down.
Agreed.
Very very fishy imo.
Avenatti is and always was a grifter like Trump, who owes his fame and high profile to Trump. He is arrogant and sketchy and has been from the jump. Are his politics significantly better than Trump’s? Absolutely. Was he a useful vessel for attacking Trump when we desperately craved someone to be out there landing punches on him? Yes. Do I hope his political career implodes before he has a chance to seriously pursue high office? Pretty much.
MSNBC dropped him as a regular guest months ago (way before Stormy’s case was thrown out) after filling the airwaves with his smug, self-promoting BS almost every night. I always wondered about that. Welcomed it, but wondered about it.
I don’t know anything about this latest incident but however it shakes out, I don’t like him and I want and expect better from Democrats. I am not going to buy into conspiracy theories just because he’s an opponent of Trump. Trump has bigger fish to fry and could have targeted this sketchball back when he was in the limelight for an entire year. Avenatti is imploding on his own, refusing to pay out judgments against him and allowing his law office to be foreclosed on.
A grifter is still a grifter even if you LIKE his spiel.
MSNBC dropped him and now they have Corey Lewindowski. Whatever happened, it has nothing to do with any morals or values on the part of MSNBC. They have none.
I completely agree. For months I’ve been saying Avenatti is exactly like Trump……obnoxious, annoying, egomaniac, and fully capable of lying to suit his own agenda. No one does themselves any favors by associating with him, he’s lost all legal credibility. Did he do this? I don’t know, and I’m quite willing to believe it was faked. If so, it doesn’t negate that he’s still a classless, unprofessional, devoid of integrity, etc etc etc j@ck@$$
I’ll believe it when a woman either comes forward or is identified as a real existing being, because right now it kind of feels like a fictional character. I am not his fan, he seems to imply that moral high grown possition a lot in interviews at times at the expense of facts and logic. However, we know that the Trumpers do not care one big aboit women’s rights or abuse (they put one in the WH and one of the Supreme Court) but they use stories like this to alienate their emenies from their supporters. Just watch them thowing away the whole Stormy story in light of these alegations.
I hate that I’m at a stage where this stuff even has to be questioned. *sigh* There’s nothing to suggest a history without domestic violence doesn’t mean it can’t occur now, and victims change their stories all the time under legal/social pressure. I just hope that, legitimately, no woman was actually hurt.
if he did this, he is cancelled, however I also would not be surprised at all if this was another GOP stunt (remember when they got Stormy arrested?). They are desperate
Will wait for a few more details, only because I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was paid to target him. Given his political opposition to Trump. There is the convenience of this moment that’s does not sit well. If Mueller could be targeted for sexual harrassment, Avenatti is definitely blame. However,
The bloom was off the rose after the “America need a whit male for President”
I don’t think he meant that America NEEDS a white male president…pretty sure it meant that’s the only way to win against trump next election.
A lot of people believe that. Bernie Sanders believes it. Don’t forget his recent “plenty of white people who aren’t racist just aren’t comfortable voting for black people” announcement. Listen, Avenatti cannot be president, but he ain’t alone and I love how he gets slammed repeatedly for the same stuff so many dem men do and skate.
hit job
TMZ breaks the news, recent history of an attempt to frame Mueller–I’m going to wait to hear more about this one.
Regardless of my uneasiness about Avenatti in general.
Duh! He was a con artist from the get. He’s Stormy’s Jose Baez.
Thank you. You said it much more succinctly than I did. It’s so obvious yet people will cape for him because he took on Trump. Trump was not an opponent for him; he was an OPPORTUNITY. Everything he’s said has turned out to be BS. The CD rom with damning evidence? Horse shit that people quickly forgot. His case was tossed. A glossy high fashion Vogue feature and hundreds of hours of TV appearances later, I can’t believe anyone ever took him seriously. He preyed on our hope and our desperation.
If ANY lawyer is going to bring down Trump, it’s going to be Robert Mueller.
I want to also note that Avenatti hopped on the border crisis when images of separated families and children in cages threatened to overtake his TV time. He acted like he was doing pro bono legal work for hundreds of families.
Spoiler alert: He was not.
This guy…..he reminds me of what my Dad would describe as “ enchanted with the sound of his own voice!”
He really overestimated our desperation for a hero and became a charactiture ( sp?) of one. Wether he’s guilty of this or not I think he needs to take a long break from the public eye, too much of a lightening rod.
I hate this guy, but the way this story came out was extremely fishy. Apparently the racist deplorables were pushing it the very second it broke, and even had slogans and memes and everything. The fact that TMZ has had to backtrack, both ex wives are denying, etc…..
Like I never, ever thought I’d be in the position where I might contemplate that people would make this sort of thing up, as I’ve always believed women, but after the sh*t people tried to pull on Mueller—I’m worried that the Trumpkin minions are going to try and twist MeToo into a cudgel to use against those they hate.
I read everywhere that this was a set up by Trump worshiper and conspiracy theorist Jacob Wohl who had also tried to frame Robert Mueller. I’ll wait for some facts before I judge Avenatti, but if he did anything wrong, he’s finished in my opinion
How idiotic could Wohl be after the Mueller stunt blew up so badly? It does smack of a set up, though, but who really knows. Agree that Avenatti’s finished if it’s true. I’d been getting uncomfortable with him anyway since the Kavanaugh chapter.
He seemed to try and insert himself to anything, from BK to T. Carlson a few days ago.
I also started wondering how he could be spending any time with his children, at least one being very young. He was seemingly on a mostly nonstop media / public appearance blitz for weeks.
I don’t know how I feel about this which probably translates to needing more information. I’ve never been completely sold on him, but that certainly doesn’t negate the trashy depths of which this administration swims.
When this news first broke I looked at Twitter for details. Instead I found a gazillion tweets from Trump supporters piling on “the porn lawyer” and eager to vilify him. One person said “let’s wait for the facts” and he was raked over the coals by those who instantly declared Avenatti was abusive. Then Avenatti issued a statement THANKING the police for their professionalism and saying under the circumstances they had no choice. Of course if he really did something terrible, I’m done with him – but it’s hard to believe a presidential candidate would be that stupid. We’ll see.
“but it’s hard to believe a presidential candidate would be that stupid. ”
Who is the current president ? This will never be a problem in a presidential election.
Correction. It will never be a problem if the candidate is a Republican but that same leniency does not work for Dems. Nor should it, as infuriating as the hypocrisy is.
You’re probably too young to remember but look up Gary Hart.
I looked him up…it didn’t say anything about abuse? Just that he had an affair..not the same thing at all..
I love that they’re using ‘porn lawyer’ as an insult… but their president slept with the woman.
He totally could have done it and if a woman comes forward and says it was her and yes it happened, I’ll believe them. With that said, In California domestic abuse laws are very serious. Someone can be arrested on suspicion of (anyone can report). It’s not the same thing as being charged. I also saw that shady firm associated with Jason Wohl trying to take credit.
No halfway reputable outlets printed the details about him saying she hit him first, calling it bs etc. Just some very right wing papers and outlets and TMZ. It makes no sense for a lawyer to be screaming things like that to a building full of witnesses. The guys shady, but he’s competent in his shadiness. He’d know to keep his mouth shut.
Interesting timing. So what is the public and media being distracted from now?
Let’s see how this plays out
That trump has paid for multiple abortions.
Of course he has. I’ve been saying this for years!
Ok. From the first time I looked at Avenatti I had the creeps and thought “That guy’s got a #MeToo somewhere in his background.” And while I don’t disagree that the Dems need someone with a damn backbone to go up against Trump, holy shit is he not that guy.
All that being said, this sounds fishy as hell. If it did happen, lock him up. But the way the “sources” can’t get their stories straight is weird, and I haven’t forgotten what was done to Stormy or what they tried to do to Mueller. So I’m withholding judgment.
As others have said I don’t like him.But I know Harvey Levine’s cozy relationship with Trump.He often makes excuses for Trump’s comments.I don’t trust TMZ when it comes to some stories including about Trump,Kardashian/Jenners,etc.
The source was literally Surfire Intelligence, the guy who tried to frame Mueller.
It was a phony tip. I hope you update this, and dont spread this false rumor. Its already spread all over Reddit with few people bothering to read updates.
Something in the milk ain’t clean!
I smell a rat … not believing this story.
I am not trying to be a Stan for Avenatti at all–if this shakes out and he did do it — then he needs to feel the weight of justice, too. I think these accusations are very conveniently timed because of the following:
1. He has Emperor Zero on edge. EZ likes to fight and so does Avenatti–and he doesn’t like that Avenatti is not afraid to get in his face–it’s not something EZ is used to. Avenatti has been extremely vocal about how EZ is not fit to be president and is a disgrace to this country, etc. And Avenatti does it on Twitter and tags EZ so you know EZ reads his constant badgering, and I bet he gets under EZ’s very thin skin.
2. Avenatti has been going hard on Donald Jr. for the past month. He’s been saying that Junior is going to be indicted by the end of this year. And papers like NYT, WaPo have had articles about how Jr. is probably going to be indicted soon.
3. Cohen is due to be sentenced sometime the first week of December–and Avenatti wants to depose him on the Stormy case shortly thereafter. He’s also said he’s going to depose EZ, too. Well he is going to try. You know EZ is sending “written” answers to the Mueller investigation, because they know EZ would blow it under oath. Avenatti is counting on that and pretty much taunts EZ that he is coming for him.
4. Avenatti is already on their “hit list.” Avenatti was one of the people on the bomber’s list of people to get a mail bomb, too.
5. Both of his ex-wives have had nothing negative to say about him, and have said in the past that he’s a good man. If we are going to believe women who say, “This happened.” Then we also need to believe women who say, “This is false and never happened.” We cannot dismiss them because they are his ex-wives with a simple, “Well, what else would they say?” ( I am using “we” in the collective sense–not that “we” refers to Celebitchy commenters–or that anyone here is dismissing these women. )
6. They literally hate the fact that Avenatti is just as good as they are about fighting back in the media. Hate that he is very media savvy, and that in under a year he’s gone from a nobody, to someone everyone recognizes and knows. Hate that his predictions of who’s getting arrested next are still 100%. Hate that he has a huge ego and that he loves getting in their face, and if they try and slap him, he will slap them back almost immediately–in the press and call them out for it.
7. Avenatti knows much of the information that Cohen had locked up in his office/home–because of the Stormy case. His efforts on the Stormy case is responsible for the FBI getting a warrant for Cohen’s office/home/hotel. He’s also been proven right at every juncture of that case. Cohen has shizz on a lot of people, so they can’t stand the fact that they DO NOT know all of what that might be, but that Avenatti probably DOES know–at least a big chunk of it. He’s also worked with the Mueller investigation, so there’s that.
Again, if he is proven guilty in this matter–then he needs to pay the price. I just think, at this moment, based on what I’ve read this year in the press–that they have motive to try and take him out. Also, they have no morals and would wallow in the gutter or lower to retain power and to make sure that the almighty dollar keeps flowing exclusively into their pockets.
You laid that out nicely. Plenty of reasons to target him. We’ll see how this pans out, I guess.
Excellent synopsis. Avenatti is cut from the same cloth as many of the GOP grifters, perhaps that’s why Trump fears him and will do anything to take him down. I’ve known several “Avenattis” in my life, was actually involved with one for several years back in the 1980’s and he was a piece of work. Completely amoral but charming as heck, only you didn’t want to play dirty with him because he’d ruin you. This little war is going to become a lot dirtier.
Makes sense, the DOJ didn’t go after him after Grassley complained. Now the repubthugs are trying to silence him in other ways. Not exactly how democracy is supposed to work, but the last 2 years have been like the twilight zone.
avenatti went to an MTV award show? seriously?
This is a set up.
People in glass houses and all that
I am stunned beyond from reading the posts here. Every time there has been discussion about these kinds of issues the posters on this site have been very clear that women need to be believed. Society has not been able to move ahead on this issue because many times people believe the men. I truly believed there was a group on this site that was really working towards always believing in the women. But here, there are posts that looks like Alex Jones info wars with the conspiracy theories. Do we believe women or do we only believe women if they are saying they were assaulted a Republican? This guy has been a creep from the beginning but everyone has wanted to excuse him because they thought he would bring down trump. He is just like trump. In fact he is trump just a lot younger. Can’t believe that the seemingly intelligent women on this site have fallen for this guys lies. Society will never move ahead on issues for women until we truly believe women and that means all women
I’ll wait until the facts are in. We’re not excusing him because he’s trying to bring down Trump. Trump and his sycophantic GOP will literally stop at nothing to discredit, demean and dissemble every time they’re caught in an illegal situation. I prefer to wait for the facts to speak for themselves, and even if Avenatti is a self-promoting, arrogant famewhore, that doesn’t mean he beats up women.
My question is who is the woman? There is so much confusion about this….TMZ said it was his ex-wife but the ex-wife said it wasn’t. If someone hadn’t just tried to set up Mr Mueller maybe but they did and the same person or group is taking credit for this.
I believe the women but not TMZ and the police haven’t issued anymore facts yet have they? Just maybe that is the difference.
As CrazyCatLady said, who is this women? Or is there a woman at all?
The moment she comes forward, or her lawyer to protect her identity or even the law enforcement officers and the building security how witnessed the scene I am perfectly willing to believe here, but at the moment there is only the TMZ story with unnamed sources.
So what are the facts exacatly? You sound just like the senate with the judge. Just saying. Suddenly now we don’t believe the women. Sounds exactly like Trump followers.
What woman though? There’s literally no woman to believe. Trust once a woman comes out with an accusation, the comments here will be very different. And please spare me…trump supporters are harassing Dr. Ford. This is no where near the level of hostility and ignorance of the trumpers.
Right. I would believe the woman if there WAS a woman to believe. Where is she?
As a woman going through the domestic violence process in the California courts myself, I believe the woman and police.
It is also very normal for abusers to claim self defense or blame the women – it just goes to show what lowlifes the abusers are. It is the literal definition of adding insult to injury. The police and courts know this is standard MO of abusers.
If the police and District attorney have enough evidence to CHARGE him with FELONY domestic violence, then they believe there is reasonable evidence to find him guilty in court aka he did it probably.
Felony DV is serious bodily harm, i’m talking broken bones or dislocated limbs or permanent bodily damage as a result of the abuse.
Of course he will have a right to a trial and as I learned this year, most abusers choose to fight the charges instead of pleading guilty and taking the punishment they deserve. Instead, they drag the woman through the courts and re-victimize her all over. Karma is a bitch. He will go down if he did this.
Don’t know enough to comment and am saving that for when the details are released. If there is anything I have learned about social media lately, it’s slow my roll on making snap judgments.
I’m looking at YOU, Jacob Wohl…. first Mueller targeting now this happens? Definitely skeptical of everything so far.
This is a set up.
Oh, come on! This smells to high heaven!
And yes, I hope Avenatti goes after that slug Levin.