Trump Delivers a Hearty ‘Thank You’ to Michael Avenatti — Yes, Michael Avenatti — Ahead of Hush Money Trial
(AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
Donald Trump took to Truth Social to thank incarcerated convicted felon Michael Avenatti following the ex-lawyer calling into MSNBC from prison and predicting the former president will likely be convicted in his hush money criminal case in New York.
“Thank you to Michael Avenatti—for revealing the truth about two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!” Trump wrote on Wednesday on Truth Social.
Included is a screenshot of an April 2 X, formerly Twitter, post by Avenatti in which he appears to back Trump’s arguments against the gag order in place in his hush money trial, which gives off on April 15 after the former president made multiple attempts to delay. He argued that others involved in the case like Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels, his former client, can speak freely while Trump can’t.
“We can’t be hypocrites when it comes to the 1st Amendment. It is outrageous that [Michael] Cohen and [Stormy] Daniels can do countless TV interviews, post on social, & make $$ on bogus documentaries – all by talking shit about Trump – but he’s gagged and threatened with jail if he responds,” Avenatti wrote.
Trump’s hush money case finds him facing more than 30 felony counts stemming from a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair. Avenatti made headlines for himself when he was representing Daniels. He’s not serving 19 years for extortion, fraud, and more. He was also charged with stealing from Daniels.
In his MSNBC interview, Avenatti said Trump likely won’t get a “fair shake” with his Manhattan trial.
“I don’t think that he can get a fair trial in New York. And to the people who claim that in fact, he can get a fair trial in New York with a New York jury, I would ask them, if they were to go to sleep tonight and wake up tomorrow and find out that the case had been moved to Mississippi or Alabama, would they still think the trial was going to be fair?” he said.
