Stormy Daniels Attorney Seeks Trump Deposition, Tells ‘CBS This Morning’ Motion Is “Not Crazy”
Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti doubled down on his call for a two-hour Donald Trump deposition today on CBS This Morning, calling his motion filed early Wednesday in federal court in California “well founded,” “well thought out” and supported by U.S. Supreme Court precedent.
Avenatti, a ubiquitous TV face in recent weeks, is seeking an expedited trial and limited discovery on behalf of Daniels (whose real name is Stephanie Clifford), a quest that he says will require two-hour depositions from Trump and his private attorney Michael Cohen.
“We want to know the truth about what the president knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it,” Avenatti told CBS This Morning‘s Gayle King. “As it relates to this agreement, we’re going to test the veracity or truthfulness of Mr. Cohen’s, his attorney’s, statements. And we’re confident, Gayle, that when we get to bottom of this, we’re going to prove to the American people that they have been told a bucket of lies.”
When King said Avenatti’s motion has been “described as brilliant, brazen, and frankly crazy,” the attorney responded, “Well the motion is not crazy. I mean, we’re relying on U.S. Supreme Court precedent and a whole long line of cases in the 9th Circuit court of appeal.”
Asked by co-anchor Norah O’Donnell what it would take to convince a judge to order a Trump deposition, Avenatti said, “We don’t think it’s a big stretch. The other side is attempting to force this case into a private arbitration hidden from the public where the public doesn’t learn what really happened. In order for the judge to determine that, we are arguing that under the law we’re entitled to the deposition.”
Avenatti said his team would fight any attempt to place a deposition under seal. “I can’t imagine that the public would sit for that but I mean, obviously if the judge ultimately decided that, we would adhere to it.”
The recent motion argues that the depositions would, Avenatti says, would, among other things, clear up once and for all just who is David Dennison, and how involved he, or Donald Trump, were in the alleged $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels.
Avenatti said on CBS This Morning that an April 30 hearing had been set for both sides to present arguments on the latest motion.
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