Legal Battle! Avenatti Spars With Michael Cohen’s New Lawyer Over Giuliani Comments

Lanny Davis, the new attorney for Michael Cohen (Donald Trump’s former attorney) had some harsh words for Rudy Giuliani (Donald Trump’s current attorney) on Monday.

Davis took the former New York City mayor to task for saying on television that Cohen doesn’t have any damaging information to share with prosecutors about Trump. On Sunday, Giuliani had told Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press that if Cohen “wants to cooperate, I think it’s great,” and that it’s a good development because “it will lead to nothing.”

Writing on Twitter, Davis criticized Giuliani for apparently urging Cohen to cooperate with investigations into Trump that could lead to criminal charges, and also said “stay tuned” as if he would soon be revealing more information. Davis tweeted:

Did @rudygiuliani really say on Sunday shows that @michaelcohen212 should cooperate with prosecutors and tell the truth? Seriously? Is that Trump and Giuliani definition of “truth”? Trump/Giuliani next to the word “truth” = oxymoron. Stay tuned.  #thetruthmatters

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Avenatti, who has been sparring with Cohen and his attorneys for months, was not happy with what Davis had to say about Giuliani and also responded on Twitter:

“Stay tuned? This isn’t some game or opp to tease for a reality show. This is serious business. If Cohen has info, he needs to share it NOW with the American people. He can’t stand by while more damage is done & then later claim he’s a hero because he cut a plea to save himself.”

Last week the news came out that Cohen had hired Davis as his attorney which was an “in your face” move to Trump. Davis is a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton and has a long history of representing them in legal disputes.

Many of Cohen’s friends have reported that the former Trump fixer has been feeling depressed because he has been abandoned by his longtime employer. After the FBI raids of Cohen’s hotel and offices in April Trump has publicly distanced himself from Cohen, apparently as a way to help himself in case Cohen is charged with crimes. And now, Vanity Fair reported that Cohen is ready to fight back, which is why he hired Davis to represent him. In the magazine, Cohen is quoted as saying:

“For a year and a half, I’ve been silent,” Cohen told friends around the time he hired Davis. “What has silence gotten me? It’s ruined my business. It’s ruined my wife’s life. It’s ruined my children’s’ lives. I’ve been a punching bag for everybody. Why am I going to continue to be silent?”

Previously Davis had addressed the huge amount of publicity about Cohen hiring him by tweeting:

Why is my representing @MichaelCohen212 as attorney of such high interest? Not about me. It’s about a nation’s yearning for truth. And Michael Cohen has said it’s time for him to speak the truth and put his family and Country first. I am glad to help him.”

What this exchange points out is that all of these high profile lawyers are using the media — including social media — to fight their battles. These battles are not just legal battles taking place in courtrooms, but are now publicity battles taking place in the court of public opinion.

The truth is that the world is anxiously waiting to learn what Lanny Davis and Michael Cohen will say and do next.  Will Cohen “flip” on Donald Trump or won’t he? If he does, what will he have to say, and what will it mean for the Trump presidency?

Michael Avenatti wants Cohen to come forward now, but this is not realistic.  Cohen will only do whatever his new lawyers tell him to do, which means with respect to getting answers to all of our questions, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.


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