Disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti endorsed former vice president Joe Biden for president on April 25 following Biden’s official campaign announcement.
Avenatti took to Twitter to endorse Biden, saying: “I am extremely happy that @JoeBiden has decided to enter the race.”
“He offers Dems the very best chance in 2020, especially in key states. He has the fight, intelligence and fortitude to beat Trump and begin to make America, America again. He has my enthusiastic support,” Avenatti added.
The missive was not available to people who aren’t following the attorney on the social media platform, because he has made his account private.
Avenatti became notorious as the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, who made sensational claims about President Donald Trump but lost two lawsuits she filed against him and was ordered to pay the president hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Avenatti was once promoted as a possible Democratic candidate presidential candidate before announcing in December 2018 that he wouldn’t run.
“After consultation with my family and at their request, I have decided not to seek the Presidency of the United States in 2020,” Avenatti said in a statement at the time. “I do not make this decision lightly—I make it out of respect for my family. But for their concerns, I would run.”
Since then, he has faced a litany of legal troubles, including being arrested on March 25 on charges that he attempted to extort Nike for up to $25 million.
“Of course I’m nervous,” he told CBS News about his reaction to the charges. “I am nervous. I’m concerned. I’m scared. I feel terrible for my family. I feel bad for my friends.”
On April 11, Avenatti was indicted on 36 counts of theft for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients and through bank fraud and tax evasion.
He could face a maximum sentence of up to 335 years in prison if found guilty of all charges set out in the California indictment. Meanwhile, he also faces up to an additional 47 years in the extortion case relating to the sportswear giant.
Federal prosecutors said that Avenatti had not filed tax returns for himself or his law firm since 2010.
Biden, 76, officially announced his third try for the presidency in a video posted online on Wednesday. He previously ran for president in 1988 and 2008 but dropped out of the race both times because he failed to develop a strong base of political support.
This time around, he’s the clear front-runner in major polls among Democratic candidates, trailed by self-described socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
While former President Barack Obama praised Biden in a missive on Thursday, he stopped short of endorsing his former vice president.
The quality that makes Joe stand out is his ability to bring people together to find common ground while standing up for what he believes is right. We need to listen to each other & get things done for working people. Joe can, and will, do that. That’s why I support Joe Biden. https://t.co/vxnLQu0XDZ
— Doug Jones (@DougJones) April 25, 2019
Among others endorsing Biden were Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Doug Jones (D-Al.)
“The quality that makes Joe stand out is his ability to bring people together to find common ground while standing up for what he believes is right. We need to listen to each other & get things done for working people. Joe can, and will, do that. That’s why I support Joe Biden,” Jones said on Twitter.
“At this make-or-break moment for the middle class, our children and our workers, America needs Vice President Joe Biden to be its next President,” Casey added in a statement obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Joe Biden has spent a lifetime fighting battles on behalf of hardworking Americans while ensuring America’s values and interests are represented abroad.”
