Michael Avenatti, the telegenic attorney best known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a woman, authorities said.
Avenatti was cuffed by Los Angeles Police Department detectives and charged with felony domestic assault "on suspicion" that he beat up the unidentified woman on Tuesday, cops said.
"This is an ongoing investigation and we will provide more details as they become available," the LAPD's official account tweeted.
The arrest was first reported by TMZ, which cited law enforcement sources saying that Avenatti left the woman's face "swollen and bruised."
There was reportedly a second incident between the two at an upscale apartment building in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Sources told the gossip outlet the woman came running out of the building with sunglasses covering her eyes while screaming on the phone, "I can't believe you did this to me."
Avenatti, 47, reportedly showed up five minutes later, chased after her and repeatedly screamed, "She hit me first. This is bulls--t, this is f--king bulls--t."
Avenatti was still in custody Wednesday evening, but denied the allegations and said he looks forward "to being fully exonerated."
"I wish to thank the hard working men and (women) of the LAPD for their professionalism," he said in a statement through his law office. "They were only doing their jobs in light of the completely bogus allegations against me. 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."
His estranged wife, who filed for divorce in November 2017, denied that she was the alleged victim.
"I haven't see Michael in months," Lisa Storie-Avenatti told CNN. "It's a complete fabrication. Bruises on my face? It is insanity. He wouldn't hit anybody. Especially a woman. He's got two daughters."
The high-profile attorney has been mulling a run for the White House in 2020 and regularly appears on cable news shows.
In light of Avenatti's arrest, the Vermont Democratic Party promptly canceled several events that he was supposed to appear at this weekend.
