Michael Avenatti Shreds TMZ Over ‘Purposely Malicious and False’ Report About His Arrest

Attorney representing Stormy Daniels in her Trump legal battle says, “me and my family and we are going expose TMZ for what they did”

Michael Avenatti
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Michael Avenatti is no fan of Donald Trump — but like our current president, Avenatti doesn’t shy away from calling out the media when he believes fake news is being spread.

Avenatti, the attorney who’s representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal battle against Trump, lashed out at TMZ on Friday, calling the outlet’s report about his arrest earlier this week “purposely malicious and false.”

He also said that someone at TMZ “better get their checkbook ready.”

“Whomever wrote and approved that TMZ article better get their checkbook ready because it was purposely malicious and false,” Avenatti wrote in a tweet Friday morning. “It was designed to harm Lisa, me and my family and we are going expose TMZ for what they did. No journalist should rely on or defend garbage like that.”

In a second tweet, Avenatti denied a number of details included in TMZ’s story.

In its report on Avenatti’s arrest on suspicion of domestic violence on Wednesday, TMZ initially reported that Avenatti’s estranged wife, Lisa Storie-Avenatti, was involved in the alleged incident. However, an attorney for Storie-Avenatti denied that account in a statement reading, in part, “she was not at Mr. Avenatti’s apartment on the date that this alleged incident occurred. My client states that there has never been domestic violence in her relationship with Michael and that she has never known Michael to be physically violent toward anyone.”

TMZ later amended the story to note that Storie-Avenatti was not involved in the alleged incident.

Citing sources, TMZ reported of the incident, “We’re told [the woman’s] face was ‘swollen and bruised’ with ‘red marks’ on both cheeks.”

TMZ further reported that the alleged incident occurred on Tuesday, but a confrontation occurred between Avenatti and the woman “at an exclusive apartment building” in Century City.

During the alleged confrontation, TMZ said that the woman ran from the building and was “on her cellphone with sunglasses covering her eyes, screaming on the phone, ‘I can’t believe you did this to me.’”

Citing a law enforcement source, TMZ said that Avenatti kicked the woman out of the apartment on Tuesday, but she showed up Wednesday to retrieve her things, alerting police to stand by in case an incident occurred.

According to TMZ, Avenatti arrived five minutes after her and “ran into the building, chasing after her.” The site added that Avenatti repeatedly yelled, ‘She hit me first’ and reportedly added, ‘This is bulls–, this is f–ing bulls–t.’”

Following his release, Avenatti said in a press conference, “I have never struck a woman. I never will strike a woman.” The attorney added that he is confident he will be “fully exonerated.”

Avenatti is representing Daniels in a lawsuit she filed regarding the 2016 non-disclosure agreement that was negotiated in the weeks before the presidential election, in which Daniels was paid $130,000.

After Avenatti’s arrest, Daniels issued a statement saying she would seek new representation if the allegations “prove true.”

“These are serious and obviously very troubling allegations, but right now that is all they are: allegations. We should all reserve judgement until the investigation — an investigation Michael has said he welcomes — is complete, and that’s what I’m going to do,” said Daniels.

“But of course I do not condone violence against women and if these allegations prove true I will be seeking new representation,” she added.

TheWrap has reached out to TMZ for comment on Avenatti’s tweets about its coverage.

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