Why Is Michael Avenatti Involved in the R. Kelly Case?

From Esquire

Gayle King's explosive interview with the recently indicted R. Kelly ricocheted around the internet Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, sparking an outpouring of reactions on Twitter. Among the most vocal is Michael Avenatti, the now-famous (some might say infamous) attorney who has worked high-profile celebrity cases for more than a decade. Most notably, he represented Stormy Daniels in a suit involving President Trump. Avenatti’s response to King's CBS This Morning segment initially looks like verified Twitter fodder, but his involvement in Kelly’s case runs much deeper.

How is Avenatti involved in the Kelly case?

Avenatti is representing six different parties in the R. Kelly case: two alleged victims, two “whistleblowers,” and two parents of alleged victims, according to People. These clients are connected to Kelly's recent arrest, in which he was indicted on 10 cases of aggravated sexual abuse.

Avenatti was instrumental in the case's beginnings. Since last year, Avenatti's clients retained his services, offering damning evidence against Kelly, including a sex tape. Avenatti handed that tape over to police late in February, according to CNN. Avenatti then tweeted out a statement, describing the situation and the contents of the tape.

Included in the evidence we recently uncovered and recovered is a VHS videotape of Mr. Kelly engaging in multiple sexual assaults of a girl underage," Avenatti said in a written statement. "This tape, which is clear, is approximately 45 minutes in length and has never previously been publicly disclosed or, until recently, provided to law enforcement."

Avenatti is known for his previous work on flashy, tabloid-type cases, along with his dogged, public-facing approach to them. In Kelly’s case, Avenatti has tweeted out screenshots of alleged sex tapes between Kelly and victims. Avenatti also alleged that Kelly broke the terms of his recently posted bail, saying the singer went to a McDonald's where an alleged victim was previously preyed upon by Kelly. These public allegations have not resulted in any legal ramifications for Kelly. Two of Avenatti’s clients-parents of alleged victims-will speak with Gayle King later this week.

Kelly has denied all wrongdoing and was acquitted of child pornography charges following a trial that concluded in 2008.

What was Avenatti saying about the Gayle King interview?

In general, the public’s biggest takeaway from the interview is the hysterical nature in which Kelly defended his innocence. Avenatti picked up on Kelly's demeanor and commented on it thoroughly-first on Tuesday night, then again on Wednesday morning:

Avenatti has also used Twitter to deliver official statements from alleged victims’ families, as noted from another tweet this morning.

Anything else worth noting?

Avenatti has had a lot of coals in the fire as of late. In addition to the suit between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump, he also represented Julie Swetnick and an unnamed woman while Brett Kavanaugh was being evaluated for the Supreme Court. Avenatti’s representation of the woman was a point of contention, with Avenatti’s delivery of the unnamed woman’s statement contradicting her actual statements. Specifically, Avenatti publicly stated that the woman alleged that Kavanaugh had secretly put alcohol into punch at a party. The conflicting statements and potentially false claims were noted by both Democrats and Republicans.

Avenatti's name has also been floated as a potential Democratic candidate for president. Early polls showed him pulling in single-digit percentage points from potential voters.

('You Might Also Like',)

• HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT SUNGLASSES FOR YOUR FACE SHAPE

• If You Don’t Have a Denim Shirt Yet, What’s Stopping You?

• Why You'll Never Understand Mezcal Like You Understand Scotch