It would be something of an understatement to say things haven’t been going well for porn star Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti lately.
The man who has become synonymous with sleaze was recently hit with a judgment to pay a former attorney who worked for Avenatti $4.85 million. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dennis Landin ruled in plaintiff Jason Frank’s favor over back pay. The judge concluded that the porn lawyer’s firm grossly misstated profits that resulted in Frank being under-compensated. Frank was forced to file a civil lawsuit to recover money that was owed.
The business arrangement with Avenatti reportedly entitled Frank to earn 25 percent of the firm’s profits and 20 percent of client fees. Frank worked as an independent contractor but had to take Avenatti to court to get paid in full.
“None of those obligations are my responsibility,” Avenatti reportedly said before the judge slapped the multi-million dollar judgment against him.
Opposing counsel Eric George disagreed.
“He’s managed to delay this for ages,” attorney George reportedly said. “At the end of the day, this is money that’s owed. No matter how you try to spin it, it comes back to the fact that he took money, it wasn’t his and now there’s a judgment saying it’s owed to my client.”
Avenatti was able to gain media attention on platforms such as CNN and claim that Frank owes him upwards of $10 million. Again, Frank’s attorney made statements consistent with the judge’s ruling.
“Mr. Avenatti’s comments are delusional, and should fool no one,” attorney George responded. “To return to reality, he negotiated and signed a written agreement that provided for $10 million to my client, and that released precisely the frivolous claims he’s concocting now. Mr. Avenatti can dissemble to the press as much as he wants — ultimately, he will lose this latest court proceeding.”
According to reports, the $4.85 million judgment holds Avenatti personally liable. The judge put this penalty on top of a $10 million judgment against Avenatti’s firm during bankruptcy litigation. Adding insult to injury, Avenatti’s firm, Eagan Avenatti LLC, was summarily evicted from its Southern California office space after being four months behind in the rent.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Robert Moss terminated the Newport Beach lease of Eagan Avenatti for cause. The judge also ordered Avenatti’s firm to pay $154,000 in back rent. The brash lawyer frequently interviewed on CNN failed to show up at either court hearing. All told, Avenatti and his LLC are on the hook for approximately $15 million.
If losing a whopping $15 million in civil litigation wasn’t bad enough, the Justice Department reportedly claims that the porn lawyer’s firm may owe $440,000 in federal taxes as well. This figure came out of bankruptcy litigation in which the government says Avenatti misrepresented financial facts.
Despite the seemingly underhanded business practices, left-leaning media outlets such as CNN have bent over backward to provide Avenatti with a platform to sling mud at President Donald Trump. Avenatti has propped himself up as a potential 2020 presidential candidate and it seems only the most hardcore anti-Trump outlets are taking him even remotely serious.
CNN host Jim Sciutto went as far as to ask the porn lawyer why he would make a better president. “Because I have three things that this president lacks, Jim — brains, heart, and courage,” Avenatti reportedly said. “And I think I have those in spades compared to this president.”
CNN interviewed Avenatti 59 times in two months as the Stormy Daniels lawsuit was in play. The network suffered a tremendous rating decline during the period that overwhelmingly engaged in muckraking. Avenatti was on air during the period more times than every Republican in the U.S. House and Senate combined.
Liberal outlets such as The Daily Beast went as far as to refer to Avenatti as a “tenacious California litigator.” However, that was before he failed to appear in court as judges across the country leveled civil judgments against him.
A variety of tax liens in Orange County reportedly show that Avenatti personally owes at least another $1.2 million in federal taxes, as well a hefty amount of corporate debt. In a move that appears to be an effort to avoid payment, Avenatti reportedly divested himself from Eagan Avenatti and now works under the name Avenatti and Associates. Hopefully, the “associates” will be compensated without having to file a lawsuit.
Despite CNN and other left-leaning media outlets giving Avenatti the rock-star treatment, his representation of Stormy Daniels against President Trump recently went down in flames as well. The lawsuit was dismissed as frivolous by a Texas judge. And the worst part for Avenatti is that his client now owes the president money for legal fees.
“I don’t think he has any money, but he and she have to pay me a lot of legal fees. Based on Texas law — I love Texas — based on Texas law, where the legal fees are nice and plentiful,” President Trump said.
Ouch. Perhaps Avenatti can bring a check to his first presidential debate hosted by CNN.
