Stormy Daniels: Avenatti Sued Trump Against My Wishes, Refused To Give Info On How Crowdfunding Money Was Being Spent | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This informational nugget was sent to me by Ben Shapiro, who represents the Daily Wire, and since this is one of the most topical news events, it should be published on BCN.

    This post was written by Ryan Saavedra

    Porn star Stormy Daniels said on Wednesday that her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, sued President Donald Trump for defamation against her wishes, refused to give her information about how funds from her crowdfunding campaign were being spent, and launched a second crowdfunding campaign without her knowledge.

    Daniels made the remarks in the following statement to The Daily Beast:

    For months I've asked Michael Avenatti to give me accounting information about the fund my supporters so generously donated to for my safety and legal defense. He has repeatedly ignored those requests. Days ago I demanded again, repeatedly, that he tell me how the money was being spent and how much was left. Instead of answering me, without my permission or even my knowledge Michael launched another crowdfunding campaign to raise money on my behalf. I learned about it on Twitter.

    I haven't decided yet what to do about legal representation moving forward. Michael has been a great advocate in many ways. I'm tremendously grateful to him for aggressively representing me in my fight to regain my voice. But in other ways Michael has not treated me with the respect and deference an attorney should show to a client. He has spoken on my behalf without my approval. He filed a defamation case against Donald Trump against my wishes. He repeatedly refused to tell me how my legal defense fund was being spent. Now he has launched a new crowdfunding campaign using my face and name without my permission and attributing words to me that I never wrote or said. I'm deeply grateful to my supporters and they deserve to know their money is being spent responsibly. I don't want to hurt Michael, but it's time to set the record straight. The truth has always been my greatest ally.

    My goal is the same as it has always been-to stand up for myself and take back my voice after being bullied and intimidated by President Trump and his minions. One way or another I'm going to continue in that fight, and I want everyone who has stood by me to know how profoundly grateful I am for their support.

    Avenatti responded to Daniels' statement in a statement of his own to The Daily Beast where he claimed he was "Stormy's biggest champion."

    "I have personally sacrificed an enormous amount of money, time and energy toward assisting her because I believe in her," Avenatti said. "I have always been an open book with Stormy as to all aspects of her cases and she knows that. The retention agreement Stormy signed back in February provided that she would pay me $100.00 and that any and all other monies raised via a legal fund would go toward my legal fees and costs."

    "Instead, the vast majority of the money raised has gone toward her security expenses and similar other expenses," Avenatti continued. "The most recent campaign was simply a refresh of the prior campaign, designed to help defray some of Stormy's expenses."