Disgraced “creepy porn lawyer” Michael Avenatti – who became a favorite of the left during President Trump’s first term for promising to put him behind bars – left MSNBC host Ari Melber speechless during his first interview since winding up in jail himself.
In an ironic twist of fate, Avenatti was sentenced to more than four years in prison after being convicted for fraud and stealing from his former client, Stormy Daniels.
During his jailhouse interview with MSNBC, Avenatti was asked about Trump’s upcoming New York hush money trial.
Avenatti’s response stunned Melber.
“I think what I’m about to say is going to surprise a-lot of people…I think this is the wrong case at the wrong time, Ari,” Avenatti said before going on to bring up several glaring issues with Bragg’s case against Trump.
Avenatti clarified that he does think Trump will be convicted in the NY case, but not because of the evidence, but because, “I don’t think he can get a fair trial in New York.”
Watch the clip from Avenatti’s interview here:
Michael Avenatti on Trump's NY trial: "I think this is the wrong case at the wrong time." pic.twitter.com/tgSJqIohBI
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 9, 2024
The Daily Beast commented on Avenatti’s dismantling of Bragg’s case against Trump:
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer convicted of stealing from former client Stormy Daniels, gave his first prison interview Tuesday about Donald Trump’s criminal case in New York. The case centers around alleged payments from Trump to Daniels to keep her quiet about their affair—and the alleged falsification of business records to cover up those payments before the 2016 election.
The disgraced lawman, however, argued that the entire case is “stale” and rests on a “legally tenuous theory.”
Avenatti spoke to MSNBC’s Ari Melber from Los Angeles’ Terminal Island prison, where he has been serving a 19-year sentence. In addition to defrauding Daniels, Avenatti was convicted of stealing from other clients and of extorting Nike. Melber prefaced the interview by noting Avenatti’s past, while stating that he is still a “very newsworthy and legally relevant guest.”
When asked to weigh in on the strength of the Manhattan district attorney’s case, Avenatti said his answer would “surprise” many.
“I think this is the wrong case at the wrong time,” he told The Beat anchor, adding that he believes it is “in many ways stale at this juncture.”
“You’re talking about conduct that occurred some eight years ago. I think the fact that it’s occurring in state court in New York is a mistake. And I think that when you are going to potentially deprive tens of millions of Americans of their choice for the presidency of the United States, whether we agree with those folks or not, or regardless of what we may think of Donald Trump, I think it’s a mistake to do it based on a case of this nature,” Avenatti claimed.
MSNBC also reported on Avenatti’s first interview since going to jail:
On Tuesday, “The Beat” aired an exclusive interview he gave to Ari Melber — Avenatti’s first from federal prison — and, as you might imagine, the two had plenty to talk about.
Avenatti has had a lot of time to think — and apparently a lot to say, too. He told Melber that he thinks Trump will be convicted, but voiced concern that the case has gone “stale at this juncture.” And he said the choice to file the charges in New York state court was ill-advised. (Trump has pleaded not guilty and is set to face his first criminal trial next week.)
At one point, he even pushed some rather Trumpian talking points, suggesting that it’s a mistake to “potentially deprive tens of millions of Americans of their choice for the presidency of the United States … based on a case of this nature.” The remark was indicative of a shift in tone for Avenatti, from boastful anti-Trump braggart to, perhaps, someone more contemplative or calculated.
The full Avenatti MSNBC interview is available to watch here:
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