Cohen seeks gag order against Stormy Daniels’s lawyer

President Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen is seeking to block Stormy Daniels’s attorney Michael Avenatti from speaking to the press about the adult-film star’s lawsuit.

Cohen on Thursday filed a request for a restraining order in Los Angeles federal court, arguing that Avenatti’s frequent media appearances and public comments about the case could undermine his ability to get a fair trial.

“Mr. Avenatti’s publicity tour, wherein he routinely denigrates Mr. Cohen with claims of alleged criminal conduct, is contrary to the California Rules of Professional Conduct, likely to result in Mr. Cohen being deprived of his right to a fair trial, and threatens to turn what should be a solemn Federal Court proceeding into a media circus,” the filing reads.

{mosads}

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is suing Cohen and Trump for defamation and to void a nondisclosure agreement that bars her from speaking publicly about an alleged affair with Trump years ago.

She was paid $130,000 by Cohen weeks before the 2016 presidential election to keep silent about the allegations. Cohen has acknowledged the payment, and Trump has said he reimbursed Cohen through a monthly retainer.

Avenatti has made dozens of media appearances in recent months to talk about Daniels’s case against Cohen. 

Avenatti struck back at Cohen’s request for the restraining order on Thursday, accusing him of resorting to “unethical, meritless motions.”

“The motion for a gag order is a complete joke and baseless,” Avenatti tweeted. “Mr. Cohen and Brent Blakely can’t deal with the truth, the facts, and the law, so they have to resort to unethical, meritless motions. This must be their birthday present to Mr. Trump.”

The motion for a gag order is a complete joke and baseless. Mr. Cohen and Brent Blakely can’t deal with the truth, the facts, and the law, so they have to resort to unethical, meritless motions. This must be their birthday present to Mr. Trump. #Basta

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) June 15, 2018