Avenatti’s political career takes a hit as legal troubles pile up

On Wednesday, Avenatti was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence in Los Angeles. Avenatti quickly dismissed the charge against him and said he would “never disrespect women” by striking them.

However, that followed reports he had told police, “She hit me first,” and some political harm was already done. Democrats in Vermont disinvited him from upcoming events set for this weekend.

“The Vermont Democratic Party has canceled Mr. Avenatti’s forthcoming scheduled appearances in Vermont, and will be refunding all ticket sales,” a spokesman for the state party said.

It’s a notable stumble for Avenatti, who has impressed some Democrats at stops around the country as a fighter whose smash-mouth political style gave him the potential to battle Trump on his own terms. He has had made a number of trips to early-voting states since the summer and was open about exploring a White House bid.

He’s best known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 not to talk about her alleged extramarital affair with Trump before he was president. Avenatti relentlessly assailed Trump as he fought the nondisclosure agreement that was supposed to keep Daniels quiet about the relationship. Avenatti also took up the cause of illegal immigrant parents who were separated from their children under Trump’s tough border policy.

But on Wednesday, his arrest and the disinvite from Vermont began to feed another storyline — that Avenatti can’t be seen as a viable 2020 contender.

Notable media figures said the incident was evidence Avenatti was never a serious possibility. Pollster Nate Silver said Avenatti was “bad news” from when he first started making waves, and actress and voice for the #MeToo movement Alyssa Milano said she was done with Avenatti.

The accusation of domestic violence could be the threat that undoes Avenatti, given the strong support for the #MeToo movement from Democrats. Avenatti seemed to be aware of his predicament on Wednesday, when he claimed he’d be found innocent and that he would continue to champion women.

“I have been an advocate for women’s rights my entire career, and I’m going to continue an advocate,” he said. “I am not going to be intimated from stopping what I am doing.”

But Avenatti has had other problems. Last month, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, referred Avenatti and Julie Swetnick, the third woman to accuse now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, for federal investigation.

Grassley wants the Justice Department to look at whether Avenatti and his client are guilty of conspiracy, making false statements, and obstructing Congress during Kavanaugh’s confirmation process for the claims they made against Kavanaugh. Swetnick admitted that Avenatti “twisted [her] words” in a sworn declaration she signed in October outlining how she had witnessed Kavanaugh spiking drinks at a party decades earlier.

That event had Democrats grumbling Avenatti had smoothed the way for Kavanaugh to be confirmed because raising the unproven allegations allowed the GOP to assert Democrats would say anything to prevent Trump’s Supreme Court pick from taking a seat at the bench.

Also last month, Avenatti found himself on the losing end of two court cases. In the first matter, a California judge ruled he had to personally pay ex-employee Jason Frank $4.85 million since he had guaranteed that amount in his law firm’s bankruptcy settlement. The firm, Eagan Avenatti, in May had been ordered to give Frank $10 million after he was underpaid due to the firm misstating its profits.

On the same day, Eagan Avenatti was evicted from its Los Angeles office building for missing four months worth of rent payments.

Before his legal woes started piling up, Avenatti’s pugnacious approach to politics had gained traction among Democrats, but his polling numbers indicated he could be a drag on a prospective ticket.

In a Morning Consult/Politico survey released this week asking Democrats about their preferred choice for a nominee, Avenatti ranked last with former Attorney General Eric Holder and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.