Henry Rodgers – Political Reporter on 3/26/2018
NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie blasted Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti Monday morning, asking him why the former porn star hasn’t come forward with evidence she may have against President Donald Trump.
Guthrie asked Avenatti why Daniels does not just turn over the evidence, which would allegedly prove that she had an affair with Trump. The TODAY show interview comes one day after Daniels’ interview with “60 Minutes.”
“You were here almost three weeks ago, and I asked if there was any evidence, documentary evidence, text messages, photo evidence that verified that Stormy Daniels had the affair that she claims she had. You said to me, ‘that’s a question Ms. Daniels will have to ultimately answer.’ Cut to last night, she’s asked directly about this on “60 Minutes” and she says my attorney has instructed me not to answer. So does this or doesn’t she have the evidence?” Guthrie asked Avenatti.
Stormy’s attorney responded by saying it is not the right time to release all of the evidence, saying they are in the “early stages of this case.”
“Again, we’re not going to get into the details of everything we have at this time and there’s a reason for that. We’re in the early stages of this case. we understand the American people want all the information right now immediately. It would make no sense for us to play our hand, as to this issue, and we’re not going to do it right now,” Avenatti responded.
“Why not? This is the very moment you need to do it, she has denied it three times. She has stated this affair didn’t happen. Isn’t this the very moment she should come forward and as you might say, put up or shut up, if she has this evidence?” Guthrie continued.
Avenatti clearly was not happy with the question, defending Daniels by saying she sat down with “a major journalist” and answered “some very tough questions” the night before on television.
“Put up or shut up? She sat down with a major journalist and answered some very tough questions. Where is Mr. Cohen? Is he coming on after me, I don’t think so? Where is President Trump? Is he coming on after me? She’s answered some very difficult questions. We’re not going to play our hand right now, and the reason is cause we have a case to win,” Avenatti said.
Guthrie, said Avenatti was “being coy” and that it seems like he was “playing games.”
“Wait a minute Michael, you tweeted a picture of a DVD or a CD suggesting that there would be more evidence, that’s the suggestion right, you don’t disagree, and now you’re being coy and not saying it, seems like you’re playing games,” Guthrie said.
