Michael Avenatti, representing porn star Stormy Daniels, said of President Donald Trump: "We're fighting against a man who wants more guns, more deregulation, more pollution, more disregard for women and minorities and more billions for billionaires."

JACKSON TWP Michael Avenatti, a Los Angeles-based attorney who's representing a porn actress in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, acknowledged to Stark County Democrats Thursday that some may see him as the "porn lawyer."

But he told several hundred at the annual Stark County Democratic dinner at Kent State University Stark campus that the Trump presidency had "galvanized him" to contribute in some way to oppose Trump, who he said, "does not have the courage, the intelligence, the character, the heart or the wisdom to be the president of these United States."

The attorney represents Stormy Daniels, a pornographic actress who said she had an affair with Trump but was seeking to nullify a non-disclosure agreement that sought to keep her from talking publicly about the relationship. He also represents a woman who claimed without corroboration last month before Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as justice to the U.S. Supreme Court that Kavanaugh was present a high school parties where gang rapes occurred.

Avenatti also filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking class action status on behalf of ticket holders against the Pro Football of Fame for the cancellation of Hall of Fame Game in Canton in 2016 due to unsafe field conditions.

Michael Avenatti with my beautiful bride at a Dem fundraiser in Stark County, Ohio.



Best quote of the night: “We have the opportunity to make America kind again, make America equal again, make America gracious again, make America AMERICA again.”



And yes, he’s nice in person!pic.twitter.com/tcpoa80dEq

— RetE7 (@usafmsgt53)October 12, 2018

Avenatti, who's expressed interest in running for president in 2020, in his speech Thursday said Democrats, who are divided in how to best oppose Trump, need to "fight fire with fire" in opposing Trump. He did not say specifically what campaign or political tactics Democrats should employ.

"Because however cruel and unusual and corrupt Donald Trump may be this we know. And that is, he is a fighter," said Avenatti. "He may be the worst president in American history but he also beat 17 opponents including many smart and well qualified ones who warned us how bad he would be. How did he do that? Because he is a fighter."

He said, "We're fighting against a man who wants more guns, more deregulation, more pollution, more disregard for women and minorities and more billions for billionaires."

Avenatti said that Trump was seeking a Supreme Court that was "in favor of the strong over the weak. In favor of corporations over people. In favor of old men with ideas about women's bodies over women themselves."

He said Democrats have "a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gun fight."

Avenatti said, "I believe that we can no longer be the party that turns the other cheek. We must be the party that marshals the rule of law to bring those that strike those cheeks to justice in the interests of what's right and wrong. So I say when they go low we hit harder."

He said he understood that some Democrats believe the best way to oppose Trump is to be the opposite of Trump. "To be noble. To be kind. To be classy." The attorney said he was "for all of those things. But tonight with our nation under an unprecedented assault by a con man who fights only for himself. And degrades the vulnerable and the powerless that depend on us most. ... Can those who need us most afford our gentleness?"

So, "when you're fighting for the values of love, you can't afford to fight lovingly. If you want peace, prepare for war," he said. "Yes, we are the party of David's. And when you are the party of David's, you cannot afford to show up without a slingshot."

But Avenatti said that the party can not be just about opposing Trump but fighting for "David's," such as unemployed people in need of stable, high-paying jobs, people in need of "Medicare for All" healthcare coverage, people who want an Equal Rights Amendment and people who want "sensible gun control."

He said for Democrats to prevail in the 2020 presidential election have to win the support of some voters who backed Trump in the 2016 election.

"Do I believe they were wrong in 2016? Absolutely," Avenatti said. "Do I believe they placed many lives at risk that impacted many people negatively both here in the United States and abroad? Absolutely. However, we cannot afford ladies and gentleman to write them off forever. We cannot afford to shame them because we will never welcome them back."

He said, "I want to propose that instead of shaming them and making them wrong that we recognize that they were victims of a great con. ... And one thing I've learned in nearly two decades of legal practice is, no matter how smart you are. No matter how good your intentions are. everyone from that time to time is taken advantage of. Everyone can be conned. ... We must convince them that they've been conned. And we must welcome them back into our fold. Because if we do not do so we will never succeed in the fights that I have mentioned here tonight."

The attorney said what Trump does is, "he attempts to convince many of us that look like me. That our success depends on the trampling of women and minorities and those that are less advantaged. And he does this because he hopes that if we are whipped into hatred we will lose track of the con. We will lose track of the broken promises. We will lose track of the jobs that he promised to come back to Ohio and elsewhere. Because we will be too busy fighting one another."

He said if some people can come off the sidelines and stand with the disadvantaged, "we can make America gracious again. We can make America kind again. We can make America dynamic again. We can make America welcoming again. We can make the American dream real again. ... We can make America America again."

Sam Ferruccio, the chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party and a local attorney, said his paralegal months ago brought up the idea of booking Avenatti to be the guest speaker at its annual dinner. She had enjoyed watching him as a guest on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Skeptical, he said he bet her $500 she couldn't get book him as the speaker. He said she sent him an email, and Avenatti responded.

Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. Twitter: @rwangREP