Michael Avenatti told the Washington Examiner he is again considering a run at the Oval Office.
“I agree with Steve Bannon,” Avenatti said Saturday when asked if he was mulling another White House bid in 2020. That was a reference to the former White House chief strategist stating last year that Avenatti is a “fighter” who could defeat President Trump in an election because he resembles an outsider candidate that poses a threat to the president.
Avenatti told the Washington Examiner in a text message exchange he would make his decision to run “later this Fall.” He then added if he decided not to join the race, he would consider running against “that putz [Donald Trump, Jr.] in 2024.”
The high-profile celebrity lawyer, who once represented porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal battle with Trump over an alleged affair, appeared to still relish Bannon’s encouraging statements about his chances of defeating Trump, made nearly one year ago in an interview on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher in September 2018.
But Avenatti’s prospects looked weak. A CNN poll in October showed the celebrity lawyer polling at just 1% among Democratic voters.
Worth noting on Avenatti: Democrats know who he is and don’t want to vote for him. The two parties have different bases, and the current Democratic base recoils at pols with flash but no elected experience.
See the October 2018 CNN poll… pic.twitter.com/bhwU0Lx5Xu
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) August 3, 2019
Avenatti ruled out a presidential bid in December, promising to “continue to represent Stormy Daniels and others against Donald Trump and his cronies.”
Please see my statement below regarding 2020. pic.twitter.com/ztCfZUY6hA
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) December 4, 2018
Avenatti was arrested and charged in March in the Southern District of New York in connection to an alleged scheme against Nike. Prosecutors said he tried to extort at least $22.5 million from the sporting apparel company by claiming he would hand over evidence on improper behavior by Nike employees related to the recruitment of college basketball players in exchange for the money, but warned he would release the information to damage Nike’s reputation and value if they refused the offer.
Avenatti was indicted that same day in the Central District of California on charges of wire fraud and bank fraud. Avenatti was then charged in April for embezzling nearly $2 million from his client, NBA player Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat. The next day, Avenatti was charged with three dozen more financial crimes. Avenatti was separately charged in May with wire fraud and identity theft connected to allegations that he’d stolen $300,000 from the book deal of his client Stormy Daniels.
Avenatti has denied any wrongdoing in both cases.
Avenatti was also sued in June in California by a paraplegic former client, Geoffrey Johnson, who accused Avenatti of stealing from a $4 million settlement he won in 2015. Johnson is seeking at least $9.5 million from Avenatti and others.
Campaigning for the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries would have proven difficult under the original terms of his bail, which had restricted his travel to California, New York, and in between. Those conditions were later loosened by the judge.
For his part, Avenatti said the chances he hops into the Democratic primary are ’50/50.’
“Never say never,” Avenatti told CNBC. “The Dems need a non-traditional fighter. They have a lot of talent but not a lot of fighters.”
“I don’t think I need to make a final decision for a number of months,” Avenatti added. “I have the name ID and everyone knows I’m one of the few effective fighters that the Dems have.”
The embattled attorney also noted that he was “increasingly concerned” that the current Democratic primary field lacks the candidate to take on Trump, calling the president “a brawler who has no bounds.” He said Democrats needed a contender who could match Trump “punch for punch.”
“I may be that guy,” Avenatti said.
