Joe Simonson on May 20, 2018
Michael Avenatti said he has been a friend to reporters and a contributor to the First Amendment in a tweet on Sunday, despite the fact he has repeatedly threatened news outlets and journalists for reporting on him.
Porn star Stormy Daniels’ lawyer bragged about his supposed support for journalists after praising an article by Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post as “very balanced.”
“Thank you @Sulliview for a very balanced piece. When history is written, there will be no doubt as to whether I contributed to and defended 1st Amend values. None. I will continue to contribute to and assist you and other professionals in what you do. It is vital to our nation,” Avenatti said.
Sullivan’s article, “Stormy Daniels’s lawyer is a media star. So why is he threatening journalists?,” discussed Avenatti’s behavior toward journalists in recent months.
Since entering the media spotlight, Avenatti has threatened reporters from Law & Crime, the Hollywood Reporter, and The Daily Caller News Foundation for reporting on his past business dealings or for criticizing his current conduct as an attorney.
“If you and your colleagues do not stop with the hit pieces that are full of lies and defamatory statements, I will have no choice but to sue each of you and your publication for defamation,” he told TheDCNF’s Peter Hasson (RELATED: With Avenatti In The Spotlight, His Own Questionable Past Emerges).
Speaking with Sullivan, Avenatti seemed to voice regret for his conduct and called his behavior toward TheDCNF a “learning experience.”
“I respect and admire the job that the press does,” Avenatti told Sullivan but also said, “there is nothing wrong with me calling them out on [inaccurate or unfair reporting].”
Avenatti has yet to identify any mistakes in TheDCNF’s reporting, despite publisher Neil Patel promising the outlet would quickly offer a correction (RELATED: MICHAEL AVENATTI HAD A TERRIBLE WEEK).
