Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against Donald Trump, has decided to not run for president in 2020. He had been teasing a run for the past several months.
“After consultation with my family and at their request, I have decided not to seek the Presidency of the United States in 2020,” Avenatti said in a statement posted to his Twitter account on Tuesday. “I will continue to represent Stormy Daniels and others against Donald Trump and his cronies and will not rest until Trump is removed from office, and our republic and its values are restored.”
Please see my statement below regarding 2020. pic.twitter.com/ztCfZUY6hA
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) December 4, 2018
In November, Avenatti was accused by actress Mareli Miniutti of domestic violence and she was granted a temporary restraining order against him. According to a declaration from Miniuitti, Avenatti, who had a “dating relationship” with the actress from October 2017 until Nov. 13, 2018, grabbed and dragged her after the couple argued about money on Nov. 13. Avenatti has maintained his innocence, and won’t face felony charges, but could still face a misdemeanor charge.
Avenatti had previously hinted at a possible run for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 Presidential Election, saying in July: “I will run, but only if I think that there is no other candidate in the race that has a REAL chance at beating him. We can’t relive 2016. I love this country, our values and our people too much to sit by while they are destroyed.”
In his statement on Tuesday morning, Avenatti reiterated his stance that the Democrats will nominate someone who “no chance of actually beating Donald Trump.” He continued: “The party must immediately recognize that many of the likely candidates are not battletested and have no real chance at winning.”
Avenatti became a regular fixture on both CNN and MSNBC on behalf of Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. The porn star sued the president over a non-disclosure agreement she signed before the 2016 presidential race to silence her from talking about an affair she says she had with Trump years earlier.