A surprise potential witness who has been reportedly talking to former President Donald Trump’s legal team for months has agreed to come forward and potentially serve as a witness in his ‘hush money’ case involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.
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Michael Avenatti, the imprisoned former attorney who represented Daniels in an unsuccessful lawsuit against Trump, is reportedly in discussions with the former president’s legal team regarding his hush money trial. A report on Friday indicated that Avenatti has even offered to serve as a witness for the defense.
According to the New York Post, Avenatti, who was convicted of defrauding Daniels out of book advance money and attempting to extort fashion giant Nike, among other federal crimes, stated that Trump’s legal team “has contacted me.” He further mentioned that he has been in discussions with Trump’s attorneys for nine months.
“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” he told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence.
He offered no further details regarding discussions and said he didn’t make the offer in order to win clemency from Trump should he win the November election, The Post reported.
Once a prominent critic of Trump during his presidency, Avenatti even called for his indictment in 2018. However, recently, he has shifted his stance, even defending the former president.
“There’s no question [the trial] is politically motivated because they’re concerned that he may be reelected,” Avenatti told the outlet. “If the defendant was anyone other than Donald Trump, this case would not have been brought at this time, and for the government to attempt to bring this case and convict him in an effort to prevent tens of millions of people from voting for him, I think it’s just flat out wrong, and atrocious.
“I’m really bothered by the fact that Trump, in my view, has been targeted. Four cases is just over the top and I think there’s a significant chance that this is going to all backfire and is going to propel him to the White House,” he added. “Depending on what happens, this could constitute pouring jet fuel on his campaign.”
He went on to suggest that Daniels could even commit perjury if she takes the stand.
“Stormy Daniels is going to say whatever she believes is going to assist Stormy Daniels and putting more money in her pocket,” Avenatti said. “If Stormy Daniels’s lips are moving, she’s lying for money.”