Michael Avenatti, lawyer to porn star Stormy Daniels, told the Daily Beast that the Russian government is actively waging a smear campaign against him in the U.S. media.
Avenatti claims that three sources — two media personalities and a “high-ranking American intelligence official” — have informed him of the Kremlin’s efforts, yet the Beast notes he stopped short of providing any actual evidence to support his allegations.
“They’re doing it because they see me as a threat, a considerable threat,” he explained. “If we weren’t a threat, none of this would be happening.”
Avenatti stated the smear campaign is alleging he “had a liaison with multiple women in Russia … I found that to be rather ironic.”
“I’ve never been to Moscow in my life,” Avenatti reiteratated. “I’ve never traveled to Russia in my life.”
Avenatti claims to have had concerns for his and his client’s well-being for “the entirety of the case.”
“This raises the stakes, but we’re not going to pack up and go home. I’m not going to change what I’m doing just because the Russians don’t like it.”
The Washington Examiner did not find any examples of stories published in major U.S. media outlets that fit his description.
[Also read: Michael Avenatti: Trump’s lawyer recorded conversations with clients, including one with Trump about Stormy Daniels]
