Avenatti gets judge to bar media from bankruptcy testimony

[oberliner]

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels, convinced a federal judge on Wednesday to bar the media from covering his testimony in an unrelated case involving his former law firm's bankruptcy.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Catherine Bauer allowed Avenatti to give testimony behind closed doors in federal court in Santa Ana on Wednesday.

Avenatti, best known for representing Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump following an alleged 2006 affair, also asked the judge to seal a transcript of his testimony.

In May, Bauer ordered Avenatti's former firm, Eagan Avenatti, LLP to pay $10 million to Jason Frank, a lawyer who claimed that the firm had misstated its profits and that he was owed millions. Frank is seeking to collect the judgment and said Avenatti isn't sufficiently answering questions about his finances.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/us/article/Avenatti-gets-judge-to-bar-media-from-bankruptcy-13105641.php

[Trust Buster]

1. Oh, so what is good for the gander is not good for the goose after all.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Was just thinking the same thing.

[Polly Hennessey]

2. All this tells me is that he

is a very persuasive attorney. He is the attorney you want if you ever get in trouble.

[oberliner]

5. Michael Avenatti, After Firm Loses $10M Dispute: 'I'm Not a Celebrity, I'm a Lawyer'

Michael Avenatti's law firm has been ordered to pay $10 million in a legal dispute with a former colleague who claims the firm stiffed him of millions in profits.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-avenatti-after-losing-dollar10m-dispute-im-not-a-celebrity-im-a-lawyer

Note this part:

When a Daily Beast reporter suggested Avenatti was a public figure and deemed a folk hero among liberals for his fight against Cohen and Trump, Avenatti said, “I’m not a celebrity. I’m a lawyer representing a client. Who cares?” Despite his star power, he added, “That’s nice, but I don’t necessarily subscribe to that.”

(Especially interesting in light of his going to Iowa to speak at an event for potential presidential candidates).

The article is from May of this year.

[kcr]

6. Yep. He's just doing what lawyers do.

But the curious need to attack him by some persists.

[oberliner]

10. Most lawyers don't have $10 million judgements against their law firms

That's fairly unusual (and noteworthy).

[LanternWaste]

24. No one is arguing otherwise.

"Most lawyers don't have $10 million judgements against their law firms..."

Your distinction lacks direct relevance. That's neither fairly unusual nor noteworthy as well.

[oberliner]

34. "He's doing what lawyers do" is what the person I responded to had posted

My response was meant to assert that this is a pretty unusual situation for a lawyer, thus, it is hard to make a general statement such as "he's doing what lawyers do" with respect to this situation.

[brush]

19. Yeah, the long knives are out for him by certain posters here.

Wonder why?

He's on our side and has done and is doing more damage to trump than most.

[TheBlackAdder]

45. Jot down the names and see if their posts on other topics hint at an ulterior motive or alliance.

[mythology]

47. Yes, clearly what we need is a DUUDUAC

Democratic Underground unDemocratic Underground Activities Committee.

[tman]

4. He serves a useful purpose but I've never trusted him

certainly not for POTUS.

[Trust Buster]

7. He calls for Don the Con's tax returns to be made public.

He calls for Don the Con’s audio recordings with his attorney be made public.

But, when it comes to his private business, the media can bug off.

Be very wary of this guy folks. That is all I am saying.

[FSogol]

11. There is a difference between people involved in public service and private

Business.

[Trust Buster]

16. Nothing that Avenatti is asking for pertains to Don the Con's time in office.

I think Don the Con should release the info. My gut tells me to be wary of Avenatti. That is all.

[NCTraveler]

22. I'm wary of him as well.

That said, not one single argument can be made that adds to the wary aspect from him wanting this to happen behind closed doors. Not one.

That is why I believe this is a bit transparent by those acting as if it tells a bigger story.

[Trust Buster]

23. I believe Avenatti to be the same kind of animal.

[NCTraveler]

26. There needs to be a standard in order for there to be a "same kind".

"Same kind" as what.

Not trying to draw you out or anything. I've called the guy a snake oil salesman.

This aspect means nothing at all about him. It doesn't lend itself toward anything being used to attack him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

27. Trump and Avenatti push the proverbial envelope.

The difference is the former is president.

[Blaukraut]

12. Trump's tax returns are our business

He's the president and we have a right to know if he has committed a crime.

[NCTraveler]

8. Good. No reason to turn his bankruptcy into a dog and pony show. nt

[oberliner]

9. Barring media coverage is something you support in this case?

[FSogol]

14. If you declared bankruptcy, should that be open to the press?

[oberliner]

17. Only if I go on television every day talking about my other cases

[FSogol]

40. Weak sauce. N/t

[NCTraveler]

15. I have no issue if the judge determines it is the way to go.

I don't see where the media has been barred in this case? From the article it seems to only reference his testimony.

Please tell me the benefit to it happening in front of the media?

You seem to be acting as this is a first and also claiming the media has been barred from covering the case.

[oberliner]

18. But this is a lawyer who goes on TV literally every single day

To talk about various cases he is involved with.

[NCTraveler]

21. What does that have to do with his testimony in the bankruptcy?

That's right. Not one single thing.

Your initial claim to me was wrong. Now you are comparing apples and spaceships.

[oberliner]

28. What initial claim was wrong?

I'm just saying it seems funny that someone who seems so devoted to generating media coverage for a case he is involved with (literally going on television every day to discuss it) would fight to have media barred from another case he is involved with.

I get that they are different circumstances, but it seems like media coverage is his thing.

[NCTraveler]

33. "I get that they are different circumstances"

You clearly don't.

[oberliner]

35. That wasn't my initial claim

I just typed that in response to your post. What was the initial claim that you are saying is wrong?

Edit to add: I guess you could be suggesting that it was implicit in my initial point about tv coverage. In any case, I am happy to withdraw from this discussion and recognize that you disagree with me, and I will concede that my reading of these circumstances might be off-base.

[rickford66]

13. Wait. How many Russians are involved ?

[Kingofalldems]

20. I notice Trump trolls really hate this guy.

That's one of the reasons I like him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. I noticed the same thing.

[oberliner]

31. I've noticed that too

He is one of their bogey-men, so to speak.

He definitely knows how to zing Trump and Cohen on television, and the Trump trolls can't stand being zinged.

[FSogol]

41. What a co-winky-dink!

[nil desperandum]

29. One set of rules for me, quite another for thee.....NT

[Kingofalldems]

30. I'd be interested to see your many threads on Donald Trump's bankruptcies.

Any links?

[oberliner]

37. I think the last time one of his companies went bankrupt was in 2009

I prefer posting about his idiotic tweets and such - often as they occur!

Though that is starting to get tiresome since they keep getting more and more ridiculous.

[wonkwest]

32. He's a circus performer

I don’t get the love for him. It’s obvious his NQR is off the charts (not quite right).

[oberliner]

36. That's the feeling I get as well

Some folks here seem very drawn to him for some reason, and even seem to suggest he ought to run for president!

[wonkwest]

38. The problem I have is

He’s a cable news personality. People who aspire to be cable news personalities bother me. Mainly because I never watch cable news. I wake up, work out, see the boyfriend out the door, then go to work.

Who, the fuck, is watching cable news all day? Retirees, I assume.

Great. You lot like him. But he means nothing to the rest of us. And what I have seen is of a desperate attention whore.

That’s nice. The rest of us, the most of us, do not actually care.

[nil desperandum]

39. He's a sketchy individual

with some questionable issues surrounding his every large financial endeavor.

Here's a great article from the WSJ on some of his issues:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/stormy-daniels-lawyer-michael-avenatti-dogged-by-his-own-legal-battles-1527845401

[honest.abe]

42. I think this makes sense.

He is simply trying to avoid creating a spectacle and diversion from more important matters. No doubt Trump and his media buddies will use this to attack him and distract from Trumps scandals.

[oberliner]

46. This has nothing to do with investing in a coffee business

That's a completely different situation, outlined here

Before Stormy Daniels, her attorney faced allegations of dubious business dealings at Tully’s Coffee

In a complaint submitted to the California State Bar Association — and cc’d to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle — Bellevue attorney David Nold asserts Avenatti carried out an illegal “pump and dump” scheme through his Washington state-registered Tully’s ownership firm, Global Baristas US, LLC.

Nold’s complaint contends that while Avenatti ran the company, he fleeced nearly $6 million in federal and state tax withholdings — money meant to be held in trust for payment of quarterly taxes — from the paychecks of Tully’s employees.

The complaint also claims Avenatti fraudulently transferred $100,000 from the Tully’s operation last year to retain lawyers for his California law firm’s unrelated bankruptcy.

“Michael Avenatti’s actions in connection with Global Baristas US, LLC have caused significant damage to the State of Washington, the federal government and numerous private entities,” according to Nold, who represents Bellevue Square, Ellenos yogurt and other clients who have recently sued the Tully’s firm. “And they implicate his fitness to practice law.”

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/before-stormy-daniels-her-attorney-faced-allegations-of-dubious-business-dealings/

This is related to Jason Frank, outlined here:

Michael Avenatti Hit with $2 Million Lawsuit by Former Law Partner

Stormy Daniels‘ lawyer Michael Avenatti is being sued by a former law partner over an alleged breach of contract. Jason Frank filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, claiming that the outspoken attorney owes him $2 million for failing to make good on a settlement agreement for a previous dispute.

Frank claims that he had an independent contractor arrangement with the firm, whereby he was to get 25% of the firm’s annual profits and 20% of his client’s fees, as well as copies of the firm’s tax returns and other financial records. According to the lawsuit, the firm allegedly misstated their profits, didn’t give Frank copies of the records, and failed to pay him money that was due to him under their contract. In February 2016, Frank filed a demand for arbitration and resigned from the firm that May.

Frank alleges that the arbitration panel found that Avenatti’s firm had “acted with malice, fraud and oppression by hiding its revenue numbers,” and issued sanctions against the firm for not following discovery orders. The case was set to go to an arbitration trial in March 2017, and Avenatti was scheduled for a March 3, 2017 deposition, according to the lawsuit. Frank states that two days before the deposition, someone under the name “Gerald Tobin” filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against the firm, which the firm claimed prevented the deposition and trial from taking place at that time.

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/michael-avenatti-hit-with-2-million-lawsuit-by-former-law-partner/

Totally different cases.