Cohen's Request for Gag Order Against Avenatti Denied

Michael Cohen's request for a gag order against adult film star Stormy Daniels' attorney has been denied, The Hill reports.

Michael Avenatti has been accused of deliberately smearing Cohen over the course of 170-plus television appearances and through 439 public tweets, but U.S. District Judge S. James Otero said Cohen did not demonstrate how Avenatti's comments would affect his right to a fair trial.

"Defendant spends the majority of the application describing in detail the extensive publicity sought by Mr. Avenatti regarding this case, but does not describe how this publicity would affect his right to a fair trial in this action," Otero wrote. "As an initial matter, no trial date has been set, and this action has been stayed for a number of months. It is far from clear that the publicity in this case would affect the outcome of a trial that may happen, if at all, months down the road."

Avenatti responded to the decision on Twitter:

Avenatti's client, Stephanie Clifford (also known as Stormy Daniels), sued Cohen and President Donald Trump in March, seeking a court ruling a non-disclosure agreement is invalid because it lacks Trump's signature. Clifford, who alleges to have had an affair with Trump in 2006, was paid $130,000 to sign the NDA.

• Trump on Cohen Recording: 'What Kind of a Lawyer Would Tape a Client?'
• Giuliani: Cohen's 'Default Position Is to Lie'