Stormy Daniels Now Says Michael Avenatti Went Against Her Wishes When He Sued Trump for Defamation

In a statement to The Daily Beast on Wednesday, Stormy Daniels said that when her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, filed a defamation suit against Donald Trump on her behalf it was also against her wishes. She also says he started a legal defense fundraising site for her without her knowledge.

Daniels said in her statement that “For months I’ve asked Michael Avenatti to give me accounting information about the fund my supporters so generously donated to for my safety and legal defense. He has repeatedly ignored those requests.” She she has yet to land upon her legal representation going forward, but the odds aren’t looking too good for Avenatti:

“Michael has been a great advocate in many ways. I’m tremendously grateful to him for aggressively representing me in my fight to regain my voice. But in other ways Michael has not treated me with the respect and deference an attorney should show to a client. He has spoken on my behalf without my approval. He filed a defamation case against Donald Trump against my wishes.”

Daniels added:

“My goal is the same as it has always been—to stand up for myself and take back my voice after being bullied and intimidated by President Trump and his minions. One way or another I’m going to continue in that fight, and I want everyone who has stood by me to know how profoundly grateful I am for their support.”

Avenatti appeared to deny Daniels’s allegations in his response to The Daily Beast, which reads in part:

“I have personally sacrificed an enormous amount of money, time and energy toward assisting her because I believe in her. I have always been an open book with Stormy as to all aspects of her cases and she knows that.”

Avenatti told NBC News, without elaboration, that “a number of things [in Daniels’ statement] were not accurate.”

Daniels’ statement comes two weeks after Avenatti was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, an allegation he denies.