Giuliani escalates battle with Stormy’s lawyer

Washington, May 12: President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, on Friday escalated his battle with Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult- film actress Stormy Daniels.

Avenatti had challenged Giuliani to a head- to- head debate earlier this week.

"It would be very helpful for the public to witness a discussion between Mr. Giuliani and me concerning the facts of the case, etc," Avenatti tweeted Tuesday. "I am willing to participate on any network provided both sides are provided a fair shake. I am also willing to do it on 12- hrs notice."

During a phone interview, Giuliani said he wouldn't debate Avenatti because the lawyer is "pimping for money."

"I don't get involved with pimps," he said of the lawyer. "The media loves to give him room because he makes these roundabout charges and they turn out to mean nothing. I think he's going to get himself in serious trouble."

Avenatti, a cable news mainstay, made waves this week with the revelation of some Michael Cohen's financial dealings after the 2016 presidential election. Cohen, the longtime lawyer to Trump, accepted payments from AT& T, pharmaceutical company Novartis, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Russian- tied investment firm Columbus Nova.

Those companies paid Cohen in excess of $ 1.2 million through the shell company, Essential Consultants LLC, that he set up to facilitate the $ 130,000 hush money payment to Daniels, who alleges she had an affair in 2006 with Trump.