Michael Avenatti Mocks Trump's 'Rigged System' Tweet, Asks 'What Are You Afraid Of?'

The attorney representing adult film star Stormy Daniels mocked President Donald Trump's accusations Wednesday about a "rigged system" conducting the investigation into Russia's election meddling and asked the president why he wasn't being more transparent in Daniels's case.

Michael Avenatti, who represents Daniels, hit back at the president's threat to potentially "get involved" in the special counsel's probe of Russia's election interference and said "the people" could do the same and challenge Trump. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

"A Rigged System - You don't want to turn over the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) to Congress or the American people. What are you afraid of? Why so much hiding and unequal "justice?" At some point THE PEOPLE will have no choice but to use their powers and get involved! #basta," Avenatti tweeted.

In a tweet sent minutes later, Avenatti clarified that the SAR referred to a bank's investigation of the $130,000 payment sent by Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to Daniels prior to the 2016 election. The bank, First Republic, flagged the payment as potentially criminal or suspicious activity, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Cohen's payment to Daniels has come under heavy scrutiny. Federal investigators raided his office and residence last month in an attempt to gain records or documents pertaining to the payment and one made by American Media Inc. to former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal, who has claimed she had a monthslong affair with Trump between 2006 and 2007.

Avenatti has publicly derided Trump before and even filed a defamation lawsuit against him on Monday. The complaint accuses Trump of defaming Daniels with his April 18 tweet that referred to the sketch of the man whom she claims threatened her in 2011. The sketch, Trump tweeted, was part of a "con job."

Trump's original tweet appeared to question why the Justice Department had not initially honored requests made by Republican lawmakers for documents related to the Russia investigation and questioned why he was being subjected to "unequal 'justice.'"

"A Rigged System - They don't want to turn over Documents to Congress. What are they afraid of? Why so much redacting? Why such unequal "justice?" At some point I will have no choice but to use the powers granted to the Presidency and get involved!" Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

Trump's apparent threat to use his powers and "get involved" follows reports on the kind of questions or subjects that special counsel Robert Mueller's team would like to ask the president during a possible interview.

The president challenged the veracity of the questions in an earlier tweet Wednesday, citing an attorney he nearly hired who said Trump had the constitutional authority to fire any executive branch official.

Whether Trump meets with Mueller's team to face questioning remains a matter of speculation. Though discussions have gone on for months, Mueller reportedly told Trump's lawyers in March that he could subpoena the president to appear before a grand jury instead of a one-on-one interview with investigators, according to The Washington Post.