![OK Logo](/ok_logo_black_small.png)
Disgraced Lawyer Michael Avenatti Accuses Key Witness of 'Lying' About Hush Money Payment in Donald Trump's Manhattan Criminal Trial
![michael avenatti key witness lying hush money payment donald trump](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/480x251/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/640x335/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/768x402/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/1024x536/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/1280x670/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/1440x753/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/1600x837/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aHkLCqBq/2160x1130/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-1714754282357.jpg 2160w)
Disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti, currently serving a 19-year prison sentence for extortion and other charges, made headlines this week by accusing a key witness in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial of lying in court.
Avenatti, who previously represented adult film star Stormy Daniels, took to social media to challenge the credibility of witness Keith Davidson regarding the alleged payment made to Daniels in 2016.
![michael avenatti key witness lying hush money payment donald trump](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/iEqc93ygr/0x0/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-2-1714754324496.jpg)
Michael Avenatti represented Stormy Daniels shortly before he was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison.
Avenatti took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to post, "Keith Davidson is lying."
"After I confronted her w/ her own text msgs, Daniels admitted to me in early 2019 that she & Davidson had extorted Trump in Oct. 2016 - it was a shakedown," he continued. "This was one of the many reasons I fired her as a client in Feb. 2019."
![michael avenatti key witness lying hush money payment donald trump](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/v7SJV4W6N/0x0/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-3-1714754344312.jpg)
Donald Trump is on trial for hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels.
Avenatti’s tweet from prison on Thursday, May 2, came shortly after Davidson finished testifying in ex-President Trump’s criminal hush money trial in Manhattan.
As OK! previously reported, Davidson, an attorney, negotiated the alleged hush money payments that Trump is accused of making to Daniels and former model Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Davidson told prosecutor Joshua Steinglass that the adult film start's initial affair denial was "technically true." He clarified that letters like the one he wrote are a "tactic" used by lawyers to throw the press off a story before it even begins.
Steinglass asked Davidson whether "there was a sexual encounter" between Trump and Daniels. "That was my understanding," the lawyer answered.
![michael avenatti key witness lying hush money payment donald trump](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/0WbrEGkEH/0x0/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-5-1714754349280.jpg)
Michael Avenatti tweeted from prison this week and accused a key witness in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial of lying.
- Patricia Heaton Wants 'Everybody to Feel' the U.S. Is 'on the Right Track' Amid Donald Trump's Second Administration
- Donald Trump Mocked for His 'Orange' Tan at Super Bowl: 'Usually the Face Paint Is at Least the Team Colors'
- Ivanka Trump Attends Super Bowl LIX With Daddy Donald & Son Theodore After Stepping Away From Politics: See the Photos
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
"There was an understanding that our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential activity of Donald Trump," Davidson told the prosecution during his testimony this week.
![michael avenatti key witness lying hush money payment donald trump](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/WZt4cZbsV/0x0/michael-avenatti-key-witness-lying-hush-money-payment-donald-trump-4-1714754354624.jpg)
Donald Trump has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Avenatti called into Fox News last week, stating the New York criminal case against the former president unfair. He also claimed that the case was “politicized,” “uncalled for” and “flat-out wrong.”
“The case is grossly unfair,” Avenatti told Sean Hannity back in April. “And that’s going to come as a surprise to a lot of people, but I strongly believe that.”
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
Powered by RedCircle
“One thing [Trump] and I agree on, is that the politicization of these cases, and this case in particular, is gross, it’s uncalled for, and it’s flat-out wrong,” he continued. “This is an effort to deprive millions of Americans of their choice for president.”
After the call to Fox, Trump took to Truth Social to say, “Thank you to Michael Avenatti — for revealing the truth about two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!”