Michael Avenatti is building up his policy platform as he becomes 'more bullish than ever' about running for president
- Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels, released a policy platform on Monday.
- He told Business Insider that he is "more bullish than ever" about running for president.
Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn star Stormy Daniels, told Business Insider on Monday that he is "more bullish than ever" about a potential run for president in 2020, after his release of a policy platform he believes is "the most substantial" released by a 2020 contender so far.
In the document, titled "What I Believe," Avenatti laid out his positions on a number of issues, ranging from climate change and criminal justice reform to taxes and trade. Avenatti's platform is built up of mainstream Democratic Party views on the subjects he lists:
- For instance, he supports the expansion of Medicare to cover all Americans.
- He expressed disapproval of the Republican-led tax law.
- He said he fully supports union rights.
- He has also pledged to accept no donations from corporate political action committees if he were to run.
- (You can read the full platform here.)
Avenatti told Business Insider that this platform serves to put "some meat on the bones relating to where I line up on various issues."
"I think it's the most substantive policy platform that's been put forth by anyone who is potentially considering running," he said. "I'm hopeful that other candidates will follow it because I think it's fairly clear and concise."
Last week, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts released an ambitious anti-corruption platform that observers felt was an effort to help better define a major policy initiative she would promote as a possible 2020 candidate. As part of the announcement, Warren also released 10 years of her tax returns.
But other major potential Democratic contenders haven't yet provided a list of policy prescriptions, mostly because the primary process has yet to really take off.
Avenatti called his list of proposals "a working document that we're going to continue to disseminate from time to time."
"And we're going to provide updated deep dive policy proposals in the coming weeks and months," he said.
He is providing the list of policy stances as a response to those who have recently asked about his potential candidacy.
"I haven't decided about whether I'm going to run, that's the honest to god truth," Avenatti said. "I'm certainly considering it as I've stated."
'I've been welcomed with open arms by the party'
Avenatti has become a major presence on the left as he serves as Daniels' attorney while also wading into the family-separation crisis at the US-Mexico border. Already, Avenatti has made trips to early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire as he explores a possible bid.
On Friday, BuzzFeed reported Avenatti is launching his own political action committee to support Democrats. The group is called Fight PAC.
That announcement came as Avenatti took meetings and met with party officials at the Democratic National Committee's annual summer meeting.
"I'm more bullish than ever," Avenatti said about his feelings on running for president after attending the summit. "I've been welcomed with open arms by the party."
Avenatti said some in the party encouraged him to seek office, adding that he received plenty of "enthusiasm from a number of superdelegates and others in attendance at the convention."
"So the level of support has been significant," he said.
Asked about how the move to limit the power of Democratic superdelegates, which the DNC voted to do during the summer meeting, could further help a possible candidacy such as his own, Avenatti said it wouldn't be too big of a deal.
"I don't know at the end of the day that it's going to matter, frankly," he said.