Michael Avenatti’s continued rise to national political prominence took a hit this week — not that what would happen next was all that certain to begin with. Wednesday, he was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department over allegations of domestic violence that he has — unsurprisingly — adamantly denied. There’s not any apparent confirmation as to the identity of the individual who made the initial report, but in the meantime, both of his former wives have come to his defense.
Lisa Storie-Avenatti — who divorced Michael last year — insisted through her attorney firstly that she wasn’t the victim in the incident, adding that she had never faced even a threat of violent, abusive behavior from him in the past.
TMZ reported at one point that Storie-Avenatti was, in fact, the victim, but she personally insisted:
‘It’s a complete fabrication. It’s a lie. It’s all a lie. Bruises on my face? It is insanity. He wouldn’t hit anybody. Especially a woman. He’s got 2 daughters.’
“I haven’t see Michael in months. It’s a complete fabrication. It’s a lie. It’s all a lie,” his estranged-wife Lisa-Storie Avenatti tells @mj_lee. “Bruises on my face? It is insanity. He wouldn’t hit anybody. Especially a woman. He’s got 2 daughters”
Statement from her attorney pic.twitter.com/PlZbhMoli9
— Dianne Gallagher (@DianneG) November 15, 2018
Christine Avenatti-Carlin insisted, meanwhile, that she, too, had no experiences along the lines of what’s alleged with Michael, explaining:
‘I have known Michael Avenatti for over 26 years we met when he was 21 years old and we were married for 13 years. Michael has ALWAYS been a kind loving father to our two daughters and husband to me. He has NEVER been abusive to me or anyone else. He is a good man.’
USA Today reports that while the fallout over the arrest continues, LAPD have confirmed that whoever the alleged victim was did have “visible injuries.” The report first came in late Tuesday, they have said.
Avenatti has expressed no beef with the local authorities, insisting they were just doing their job, but he did make a curious point via social media after posting bail and walking free.
He tied his targeting to a debunked effort to accuse Special Counsel Robert Mueller of sexual assault. Conservative antagonists including Jacob Wohl were behind that ramshackle bid, and Wednesday, Avenatti posted to social media:
‘First Mueller and now me. When we are fully exonerated I am coming for you Jacob Wohl aka Surefire.’
Surefire Intelligence — aka Jacob Wohl — did tweet a claim of responsibility for the arrest.
Avenatti first put himself out there through his representation of Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who had a brief affair with now-President Donald Trump and who Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen tried to get to shut up. That hush money effort fell apart, and Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to associated campaign finance law violations, implicating the president in the process. Trump was personally involved throughout the length of the efforts.
On his own time, Avenatti has openly discussed running for president against Donald Trump in 2020. He’s touted his skills as a challenger, although he has no political experience, but for now, the talk has remained just that, talk. Still, before this week’s incident, he’d worked to keep himself at the front of the national political scene through means including repeated appearances at key Democratic events. Now that the midterm elections are over, the 2020 presidential field will take shape sooner than later.
Featured Image via YouTube Screenshot
