Attorney Michael Avenatti has been placed under arrest for felony domestic violence and was being booked early Wednesday evening.
CNN was not able to reach Avenatti on his cellphone or at his law firm Wednesday evening.
The alleged domestic assault incident was first reported by TMZ .
Avenatti emerged this year as a regular antagonist of President Donald Trump, beginning with his legal representation of Stormy Daniels and his frequent media appearances. For months, he has publicly flirted with a potential bid for the Democratic presidential nomination to challenge Trump in 2020.
The alleged domestic violence incident could dash Avenatti’s prospects as a potential insurgent Democratic candidate and clash with the image he has presented of himself as an advocate for women, including Daniels in her clash with Trump and an accuser against recently confirmed Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The allegation would also mark another legal issue for the California attorney, whose firm settled a case with the IRS in July and was ordered last month to pay a multimillion-dollar judgment over debt to a former law partner.
Following his representation of Julie Swetnick for her allegations against Kavanaugh, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said in October that he was referring Avenatti and Swetnick to the Justice Department. Avenatti said at the time that the referral was « baseless. » Several Democrats said in the wake of Kavanaugh’s confirmation that Avenatti and Swetnick’s involvement damaged their efforts to prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation — a charge Avenatti denied.
