Calling the communications "inappropriate and highly prejudicial," attorney Michael Avenatti released emails that showed the previous attorney representing adult film star Stormy Daniels sent questions he received from a reporter to Trump Organization lawyer Michael Cohen.
California attorney Keith Davidson represented Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in the confidentiality contract she signed for $130,000 in October 2016. The agreement, which Avenatti and Daniels are seeking to nullify, stipulated that the adult film star stay silent about an alleged affair she had with President Donald Trump in 2006.
"Why were Mr. Cohen and Mr. Davidson communicating in this fashion earlier this year? It was entirely inappropriate and prejudicial to my client," Avenatti commented on the documents, which he released Friday. "If Mr. Cohen had nothing to hide, then why go to these efforts to cover it up?"
The documents appear to show that Davidson forwarded questions sent by the Associated Press and CNN to Cohen in January 2018, tipping him off on what news outlets were in the process of reporting. "FYI," Davidson emailed Cohen, attaching the CNN questions about Cohen's payment to Daniels possibly violating campaign finance laws—something the Trump and his surrogates have repeatedly denied.
Davidson, who also represented another alleged Trump paramour in a confidentiality agreement, was still representing Daniels at the time he pushed the emails to Cohen, according to Avenatti.
It's not the first time Avenatti blasted his client's former representative for communicating with Cohen. Citing Davidson representing another alleged Trump paramour Karen McDougal, Avenatti has accused the attorney of "conspiring" with the embattled Trump attorney to silence women who had affairs with Trump. What's more, he previously filed a letter demanding that Cohen turn over "privileged and confidential communications" he alleges Cohen received from Davidson.
"Mr. Davidson lied to them and conspired with Mr. Cohen in 2016," Avenatti said in a March 29 statement. "This is why we have demanded to see all of Davidson's docs for mos and will sue if need be."
He was more candid in an interview with CNN in early April, calling the attorney an "absolute tool."
Davidson, who could not be reached for comment, has stayed mostly mum on the subject. He said he was unable to go into detail on what occurred, although he did concede to contacting Cohen as a "professional courtesy."
"I feel like I'm fighting with one hand tied behind my back," he added, saying that ethics barred him from speaking about the Daniels or McDougal case. "
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and Michael Avenatti, attorney for Stormy Daniels, speak to the media as they exit the United States District Court Southern District of New York for a hearing related to Michael Cohen, President Trump's longtime personal attorney and confidante, April 16, 2018 in New York City. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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