Anti-Trump lawyer Michael Avenatti vowed Tuesday to continue fighting for a defamation lawsuit against President Trump, saying porn star Stormy Daniels’ case got short shrift.
A judge tossed the defamation lawsuit Monday, saying the president’s Twitter comments mocking the porn star’s claims were normal political rhetoric protected by the First Amendment.
The judge also said the porn star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has turned herself into a political actor, making her a valid target for the president’s hyperbolic rhetoric.
Mr. Avenatti, who earlier this year had praised Judge S. James Otero as “very smart and well-respected,” on Tuesday complained about his decision to MSNBC.
“My client is not a political figure. She never presented herself as a political figure,” he told the network.
He said Ms. Clifford will appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a famously liberal bench, where he said the Trump administration has struggled in its legal arguments.
Judge Otero had not only tossed Ms. Clifford’s lawsuit but also ordered her to pay Mr. Trump’s legal fees. Mr. Avenatti told MSNBC he expected those to be minuscule — perhaps $50,000 — and said he also doubted she’ll ever have to pay up, saying Mr. Trump will end up owing her $1 million from her other lawsuits against him.
The legal loss was the second setback this month for Mr. Avenatti, who is eyeing a presidential run against Mr. Trump in 2020.
Another of his clients had made extreme claims against Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, but saw her allegations suffer from her own conflicting stories and lack of any corroboration.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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