MSNBC Phones in Convicted Fraudster Michael Avenatti From Prison for Commentary on Trump’s New York Trial
“In fact, I think the percentage of convictions demonstrates that the deck is stacked decidedly against all criminal defendants—number one. Number two: I don’t think he can get a fair trial in New York.”
Anyone thinking Michael Avenatti had fallen out of favor with the same media that lavished praise on him in 2018 over his Trump criticisms and Stormy Daniels representation was in for a rude awakening when MSNBC dragged in the convicted felon this week from federal prison for commentary on Trump’s upcoming New York trial.
Declaring the disgraced former attorney was a “legally relevant guest” considering “some of your lawyering led to the exposure of the evidence of this case,” MSNBC anchor Ari Melber asked Avenatti what he thought of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against Trump ahead of the April 15th start of the trial.
Melber was visibility surprised when Avenatti said he believed the case was “stale” and that this case was not one that should be used to “potentially deprive tens of millions” of voters of their choice in the upcoming presidential election:
“I think this is the wrong case at the wrong time,” he told The Beat anchor, adding that he believes it is “in many ways stale at this juncture.”
“You’re talking about conduct that occurred some eight years ago. I think the fact that it’s occurring in state court in New York is a mistake. And I think that when you are going to potentially deprive tens of millions of Americans of their choice for the presidency of the United States, whether we agree with those folks or not, or regardless of what we may think of Donald Trump, I think it’s a mistake to do it based on a case of this nature,” Avenatti claimed.
[…]
As to what specifically he sees problematic about the case, Avenatti pointed to the credibility of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, and said his testimony on the stand has the “potential to be a disaster.”
Watch:
Wild. Avenatti just called into MSNBC (from prison) and appears to be defending Trump.
Anchor seems quite stunned. 😳 pic.twitter.com/3sniyNeTKD
— Trish Regan (@trish_regan) April 10, 2024
Avenatti also said he believed Trump likely would be convicted in part because he was being tried in New York, where in Avenatti’s view it was unlikely Trump would get a fair trial:
“I think the case has a lot of problems. Now, I don’t mean to suggest that means that Trump will not be convicted, because I think he will be convicted, because number one: He’s a criminal defendant, and in our society, I don’t believe criminal defendants generally get a fair shake,” claimed Avenatti. “In fact, I think the percentage of convictions demonstrates that the deck is stacked decidedly against all criminal defendants—number one. Number two: I don’t think he can get a fair trial in New York.”
Though Avenatti was praised in some conservative circles for seemingly defending Trump, it turned out that there was a very self-serving reason for Avenatti saying what he did, which was hinted at in the above commentary and laid out in another part of the interview, after Melber asked Avenatti “Do you say tonight that there is evidence that you were treated differently? And, if so, does that mean anything for what a second-term Trump DOJ might look like if he were elected?”
I don’t believe there’s any question that I was treated differently.
And I believe that, if anyone is asked that honestly and looks at what happened here, and if they’re honest in their answer, I believe that they would answer the same way that I have, Ari. I was indicted in three separate cases within 54 days. The government proceeded to stack these sentences on top of one another.
I was not treated fairly, and I was treated differently. And I firmly believe and will go to my grave believing that one of the reasons, the reason I was treated in this fashion was because I was the biggest enemy of Donald Trump in 2018. There’s no question about that. And I was also his most dangerous enemy.
So on one hand Avenatti is saying he was prosecuted over his vocal opposition to Trump and his legal defense on behalf of Stormy Daniels, but also believes Trump being a criminal defendant (like Avenatti) can’t get a fair shake because in his view criminal defendants (like Avenatti) rarely do.
How very convenient. Watch the clip below via Newsbusters/MRC:
Not surprisingly, Cohen was not amused with Melber bringing on Avenatti:
“Imagine that @AriMelber is scrapping the bottom of the shit barrel in bringing on @MichaelAvenatti by phone from prison to discuss my credibility. Let me remind you he stole from his client @StormyDaniels and others, lied regularly about me, attempted to extort @Nike …and this is their opinion expert. Just remember the $450 million Engoron Civil decision stating Michael Cohen told the truth!”
Imagine that @AriMelber is scrapping the bottom of the shit barrel in bringing on @MichaelAvenatti by phone from prison to discuss my credibility. Let me remind you he stole from his client @StormyDaniels and others, lied regularly about me, attempted to extort @Nike…and this is… pic.twitter.com/oy1LEzDlKO
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) April 9, 2024
Others flashed back to the MSNBC/NBC News freakout from a couple of weeks ago over the announcement that former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel would be brought on their network as a paid political commentator:
"Our sacred airwaves" – @NicolleDWallace not two weeks ago on the verge of tears, because MSNBC might put Ronna McDaniel on the air. Just wild stuff. https://t.co/z6thNtPDpZ
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 10, 2024
MSNBC LOGIC:
Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel isn’t allowed on air and we will riot in order to end her NBC contributorship.
But disgraced lawyer and extortionist Michael Avenatti is allowed to call in to MSNBC Primetime from federal prison. pic.twitter.com/Ah5uaG7G63
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 10, 2024
And to round all of this out, here’s Trump on Truth Social, praising Avenatti for a tweet from a few days ago where he said it was a crock that Trump was gagged but that Daniels and Cohen were free to say and do whatever they wanted:
Thank you to Michael Avenatti—for revealing the truth about two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!
Donald Trump Truth Social 10:07 AM EST 04/10/24 pic.twitter.com/2xKj6h0sgG
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 10, 2024
We are living in incredibly weird times right now. No doubt about it.
The full Melber/Avenatti interview is below:
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
Never ask a question you don’t know the answer to. MSNBC needs to tattoo that on the back of their hands.
They were so confident Avenatti would trash talk Trump that they apparently did it live instead of taping where they could edit or delete the whole thing.
“Imagine that @AriMelber is scrapping the bottom of the shit barrel in bringing on @MichaelAvenatti by phone from prison…”
To be fair, Avenatti was only Melber’s second choice.
Avenatti was contacted only after one of Melber’s aides informed him that Idi Amin had died of syphilis in 2003.
Ari Melber talking to Michael Avenatti? Wow. Like pond scum talking to manure.
MSNBC: doing all possible to blur the distinction between “journalism” and “absurdity.”
I ws expecting Avenatti to look more like the luggage stealing DOE clown, lipstick and all.