Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who rose to national prominence representing adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in litigation against President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that he would not seek the presidency in 2020, citing concerns from family members.
“I do not make this decision lightly — I make it out of respect for my family. But for their concerns, I would run,” Avenatti said in a statement in which he did not detail the concerns.
Avenatti said he would continue to represent Daniels “and others against Donald Trump and his cronies and will not rest until Trump is removed from office, and our republic and its values are restored.”
Avenatti had taken several steps to prepare for a Democratic bid for president, including visiting early nominating states and laying out positions on several key issues.
Through his advocacy for Daniels, who received $130,000 from Trump’s then-personal lawyer Michael Cohen to remain silent about an alleged affair with Trump, Avenatti became a regular fixture on cable news.
He also represented a woman who accused Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct decades ago.
Avenatti had endured a string of bad publicity in recent weeks, including an arrest in Los Angeles last month on suspicion of domestic violence, an allegation he called “completely bogus.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue felony domestic abuse charges against him and referred the case to the city attorney for possible misdemeanor charges.