Former lawyer Michael Avenatti said on Tuesday that he expects former President Trump to be found guilty in the New York hush money trial set to start next week.
Avenatti, speaking from prison, told MSNBC’s Ari Melber that he thinks Trump will be convicted in the hush money trial when asked about his thoughts on what is “wrong” with the case.
“I believe the case has many issues. But that doesn’t mean Trump won’t be convicted because I think he will be,” Avenatti said.
The previous president is charged with 34 counts of altering business records related to a payment his former fixer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump.
Avenatti, who previously represented Daniels, is currently incarcerated. serving time in prison for embezzling book profits from his former client. An appeals court recently upheld a 2022 ruling that sentenced him to four years in prison and required him to pay $148,000 in restitution, along with forfeiting the approximately $297,000 that prosecutors say he took from Daniels. Avenatti mentioned in the interview that he believes the case should not be heard in state court. “And I think it relies on a legally weak argument, specifically that the crime being covered up was a federal election crime. I think that could potentially be a problem in appeal for the state,” he said.
The former lawyer then repeated his belief that Trump will be convicted, but that it may not hold up once he likely appeals.
“And I think it’s going be tested on appeal when Trump is convicted. And again, I think he will be convicted. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going hold up,” he said.
He also added, “I think if you’re going to bring a case against a sitting or ex-president, who has the support of tens of millions of people, especially in today’s very divided climate, it needs to be a very solid, nearly perfect case. Otherwise, there’s a huge risk for the country,” he said.
The hush money trial is still scheduled to begin on April 15 after a New York judge rejected Trump’s legal team’s arguments to further delay the trial. Former lawyer Michael Avenatti said on Tuesday that he expects former President Trump to be found guilty in the New York hush money trial set to start next week. In an interview from prison, Avenatti told MSNBC’s Ari Melber that he believes Trump will be convicted in the hush money trial when asked about his thoughts on what is “wrong” with… to begin April 15 after a New York judge rejected Trump’s legal team’s arguments to delay the trial even further.
