Michael Avenatti continued his seemingly never-ending media tour on Wednesday, insisting on CNN’s “New Day” that the legal action brought by his client Stormy Daniels had led to the FBI’s raid of Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s office.
“I think with each step in connection with this process she feels more and more vindicated. We think that it is pretty obvious that the American people have come to the conclusion this was not some publicity stunt,” he told anchor Alisyn Camerota. “This wasn’t some money grab. She did it for the right reasons, namely to get the truth out and Monday’s raid is further evidence of that.”
“There’s no question that, that raid resulted in significant part from the filing of our case,” Avenatti continued. “They would not be raiding Michael Cohen’s offices — a practicing attorney, it is a high bar to be able to go do that — they would not be able to execute on the warrants without substantial evidence of wrongdoing. We have every reason to believe that wrongdoing stems from this $130,000 payment and the NDA.”
Camerota — as many before her have tried — demanded specifics on this wrongdoing and how the raid would affect Stormy Daniels. Avenatti was typically coy, declining to offer any new information.
Daniels insists that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump back in 2006, not long after he married his third wife — and current first lady — Melania. While Trump has consistently denied the affair, Daniels received a $130,000 payment from Cohen just days before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence. Daniels is now suing Trump in an attempt to be released from the NDA and Cohen for defamation.