Michael Avenatti Says Trump 'Should Be Indicted' For 'Felonies Designed To Get Him Elected'
- 5 years ago
Michael Avenatti slammed President Trump on Twitter Saturday.
Michael Avenatti has argued that President Trump "should be indicted for committing the two felonies designed to get him elected. Now."
The lawyer, perhaps best known for representing adult film star Stormy Daniels, tweeted that comment Saturday, finishing his post by writing, "No court has ever ruled that the POTUS cannot be indicted and there is nothing in the constitution that states as much. It is time for the SCOTUS to decide the issue."
Democratic Representative Ted Lieu has echoed a similar sentiment, telling MSNBC's Chris Matthews Friday, "We have a sitting president of the United States who committed two felonies while running for president."
"When you look at what the prosecutors did in the Southern District of New York, they allege that Donald Trump directed two campaign finance violations," Lieu further noted. "These are felonies and you can infer intent by looking at a defendant's statements."
The California lawmaker was referring to court filings submitted Friday in the case against Michael Cohen, President Trump's former attorney.
According to a New York Times report, prosecutors "emphasized that Mr. Cohen had implicated the president in payments to two women during the campaign to conceal affairs that they said they had with Mr. Trump."
"'Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1,' the prosecutors wrote. 'Individual-1' is how Mr. Trump is referred to in the document," the piece further notes.
Nevertheless, the White House has downplayed any implication, saying: "The government's filings in Mr. Cohen's case tell us nothing of value that wasn't already known. Mr. Cohen has repeatedly lied and as the prosecution has pointed out to the court, Mr. Cohen is no hero."
Meanwhile, Trump had a stronger reaction, tweeting Friday, "Totally clears the President. Thank you!"
Michael Avenatti has argued that President Trump "should be indicted for committing the two felonies designed to get him elected. Now."
The lawyer, perhaps best known for representing adult film star Stormy Daniels, tweeted that comment Saturday, finishing his post by writing, "No court has ever ruled that the POTUS cannot be indicted and there is nothing in the constitution that states as much. It is time for the SCOTUS to decide the issue."
Democratic Representative Ted Lieu has echoed a similar sentiment, telling MSNBC's Chris Matthews Friday, "We have a sitting president of the United States who committed two felonies while running for president."
"When you look at what the prosecutors did in the Southern District of New York, they allege that Donald Trump directed two campaign finance violations," Lieu further noted. "These are felonies and you can infer intent by looking at a defendant's statements."
The California lawmaker was referring to court filings submitted Friday in the case against Michael Cohen, President Trump's former attorney.
According to a New York Times report, prosecutors "emphasized that Mr. Cohen had implicated the president in payments to two women during the campaign to conceal affairs that they said they had with Mr. Trump."
"'Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1,' the prosecutors wrote. 'Individual-1' is how Mr. Trump is referred to in the document," the piece further notes.
Nevertheless, the White House has downplayed any implication, saying: "The government's filings in Mr. Cohen's case tell us nothing of value that wasn't already known. Mr. Cohen has repeatedly lied and as the prosecution has pointed out to the court, Mr. Cohen is no hero."
Meanwhile, Trump had a stronger reaction, tweeting Friday, "Totally clears the President. Thank you!"