After being arrested for alleged domestic abuse last week, the “creepy porn lawyer,” Michael Avenatti, was slapped with a restraining order by actress Mareli Miniutti five days later, who alleged the initial abuse. After being a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side for months, the tides have completely turned on Avenatti, and Trump can’t help but sarcastically wish him luck.
According to the Daily Mail, “President Donald Trump smirked at a question on Tuesday about Michael Avenatti’s domestic violence arrest as he left the White House for his Thanksgiving break in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump told DailyMail.com before he boarded Marine One: ‘I wish him the best of luck.’ Arms wide and grinning broadly, he said it again with more gusto: ‘I wish him the best of luck!'”
Watch below:
President Donald Trump on @MichaelAvenatti being arrested for domestic violence: “I wish him the best of luck. I wish him the best of luck.” pic.twitter.com/wwM3Llrwwb
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 20, 2018
Avenatti’s Defense
Avenatti denies the charges, and offered his side of the story in a 5-page letter that accuses Miniutti of inventing the alleged abuse after an argument. He claims that he has surveillance footage that exonerates him. “Among the footage is a video taken from a security camera in the elevator in which Mr. Avenatti and [his accuser] rode from the twenty-second floor . . . This footage, which was recorded within seconds after the claimed incident, shows the two standing next to each other, without any physical contact for the duration of the ride,” the letter reads. The letter describes Miniutti as having no injuries present in the footage, and there’s no evidence of hostility between the two.
Avenatti also pointed to a video his accuser uploaded to Instagram hours after he was released on bail last week, in which she’s happy and cheerful with a friend. It’s unclear when the video was recorded, however.
Avenatti previously cryptically blamed the allegations against him on right-wing internet troll Jacob Wohl.
Just the Latest Misfortune for Avenatti
These allegations are just the latest challenge Avenatti has faced in recent months.
Avenatti owes $2.4 million to the IRS for unpaid taxes on companies he controls. In addition to the $2.4 million in business taxes Avenatti owes, two liens against him show he owes at least $1.2 million personally. His former law firm “Eagan Avenatti” owes $213,253 in unpaid rent, and Avenatti never paid the $126,000 settlement he owed to a woman he fired for getting pregnant. Avenatti’s law firm was evicted from their offices last week over that unpaid rent.
Things haven’t been going great for his clients either. He lost his lawsuit representing Stormy Daniels for defamation charges and has to repay President Trump’s legal fees. His former client, Brett Kavanaugh accuser Julie Swetnick, has been referred by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a criminal investigation for false statements, obstructing congressional investigations, and conspiracy.
While Avenatti deserves the benefit of the doubt in this most recent controversy, it’s unlikely to be his last.
