Michael Avenatti, the outspoken lawyer for porn actress Stormy Daniels and critic of U.S President Donald Trump, has been arrested on a felony domestic violence charge on Wednesday, Los Angeles police said.
The victim in the case had visible injuries, according to Officer Tony Im, a police spokesman. Police had responded to a domestic violence incident Tuesday and took a report, but Avenatti was taken into custody Wednesday because he was not there at the time, Im said.
He was arrested around 2 p.m. Wednesday on the same block where he lives in a skyscraper apartment, and has since been released on bail.
Police declined to provide any details about the victim, including the victim’s relationship to Avenatti. TMZ reported that the charges were related to Avenatti’s estranged wife, Lisa Storie-Avenatti, but Storie-Avenatti has denied the claim, according to a statement from her lawyer. She says that there has never been domestic violence in her relationship with Avenatti, nor has she known him to be physically violent with anyone.
Avenatti has called the charge “completely bogus” in a statement released by his law firm.
“I wish to thank the hard working men and woman of the LAPD for their professionalism, they were only doing their jobs in light of the completely bogus allegations against me,” the statement read. “I have never been physically abusive in my life nor was I last night. Any accusations to the contrary are fabricated and meant to do harm to my reputation. I look forward to being fully exonerated.”
Outside the LAPD West Los Angeles police station following his release, Avenatti told reporters he has been an advocate for women’s rights his entire career, and would never “disrespect” his two daughters by “touching a woman inappropriately or striking a woman.”
WATCH: Trump takes aim at Kavanaugh accuser’s lawyer, Michael Avenatti
Avenatti became famous for being Daniels’ lawyer, who claims Trump had an affair with her in 2006.
While Trump denies the affair, Daniels sued to break a confidentiality agreement she says she signed days before the 2016 presidential election that prevents her from discussing it. She has also sued Trump and his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, alleging defamation. Daniels’ defamation lawsuit against Trump was dismissed by a federal judge last month.
Since rising to fame, Avenatti has dogged Trump with public taunts and insults on Twitter and in interviews. He has said he is considering a run for president in 2020.
While accusations of sexual assault were coming forward against Brett Kavanaugh, Avenatti said he had evidence Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge methodically targeted women to sexually assault in the early 1980s.
The Vermont Democratic Party canceled events planned for Friday and Saturday, where Avenatti was scheduled to speak, and is refunding ticket sales.
-With files from Associated Press and Reuters
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