A high-stakes game
Avenatti’s website biography describes him as “a high-profile American attorney, commentator and entrepreneur, based in Los Angeles” who “routinely appears on television and in print media”. . Born in Sacramento and raised in the west and midwest, he studied political science and law and worked for a political research firm then owned by Rahm Emanuel, who became chief of staff in the Obama White House, then mayor of Chicago.

Since Stormy Daniels hit the headlines earlier this year, he has been all over the media. He thinks he has made Trump panic. Like the president, he is playing a high-stakes game.

“There are some fundamental differences,” he said, “starting with the fact that we actually have substance to back up our form whereas Mr Trump’s approach has always been to place form far above substance and indeed, in many cases, not to have any substance at all.”

Avenatti said he dislikes people in power bullying women, LGBT people or the economically disadvantaged, whether from the US or other countries, or displaying racial prejudice. He said he agrees with Trump on some things and disagrees on others and added: “I would not describe myself as a Trump hater.”

Is he a Trump voter? He wouldn’t say, offering instead that he has voted for Republicans, Democrats and independents.

So what are he and Stormy Daniels trying to achieve?

It is “very simple and straightforward”, he said, before paraphrasing a famous question from the Watergate hearings. “It’s a search for the truth about what the president knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it.”

Share This Post