Judge denies request to silence Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Avenatti
A FEDERAL judge on Tuesday declined to issue a gag order against Stormy Daniels’ lawyer but said the adult film actress’ lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his former personal attorney will remain on hold for another 45 days.
US District Judge S. James Otero in Los Angeles ruled against lawyers for ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who had asked the judge to stop Michael Avenatti from commenting publicly on the case. Avenatti is representing Daniels as she sues Trump and Cohen over a 2016 nondisclosure agreement that prevented her from speaking about an alleged affair with Trump in exchange for $130,000.
“No person involved in this action has been more ubiquitous in the media than Michael Avenatti,” Otero wrote in his order, which Avenatti shared on Twitter. At the same time, Otero wrote, “it is far from clear that the publicity in this case would affect the outcome of a trial that may happen, if at all, months down the road.”
Avenatti cheered the ruling, saying it “denies their attempt to silence me and prevent me from commenting as to the truth.”
“So much winning from these two!” he tweeted, referring to Trump and Cohen.
Lawyers from Trump and Cohen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit from Daniels, whose given name is Stephanie Clifford, seeks to void the nondisclosure agreement she signed weeks before the 2016 election. Daniels argues the agreement is invalid because Trump never signed it.
Otero stayed the proceedings for 90 days on Apr 27, saying it seemed likely that Cohen would be indicted in a related criminal probe. The judge on Tuesday extended the stay for another 45 days, short of the 90 days requested by Cohen’s attorneys.