DEMS/LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stephanie Clifford, the pornographic film actress who says she had a sexual encounter with President Trump, has sought help for his legal battle against Mr. Trump from leading Democratic operatives. Mr. Avenatti contacted an official in the network of liberal groups led by David Brock, while someone associated with Mr. Avenatti’s law firm was in touch with two people connected to major Democratic donors, according to people familiar with the conversations. But the discussions do not appear to have led to any financial help for the high-profile legal and public relations fight being waged by Mr. Avenatti and Ms. Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels. Mr. Brock’s groups decided not to donate to the efforts because they saw little value in spending money on a legal fight that was largely being waged in the news media, especially given Mr. Avenatti’s penchant for attracting press coverage, according to two Democratic political operatives familiar with the discussions. It is not clear why the other interactions did not lead to donations or other assistance. The solicitations call into question Mr. Avenatti’s insistence that he and Ms. Clifford have never actively sought to raise money from major political donors because ‘we will not allow this to be politicized.’”
-Kenneth P. Vogel, “Stormy Daniels’s Lawyer Sought Help From Democrats in Fight With Trump,” The New York Times online, June 1, 2018