CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza tried to blame all of the attention that news outlets, like CNN, gave to attorney Michael Avenatti on President Donald Trump in commentary published soon after Avenatti was arrested on extortion charges.

Cillizza claimed that Trump himself created the "circus-like political environment" that resulted in someone like Avenatti being taken seriously by CNN and the mainstream media.

"Suddenly, Avenatti was everywhere," Cillizza wrote. "His seeming ability to back up his braggadocio coupled with his never-say-no attitude toward cable TV appearances and always-lively Twitter feed made him catnip for a political-media culture that has become addicted to the reality TV aspects of Trump's candidacy and presidency."

Cillizza even cited his own past commentary considering the possibility that Avenatti might take on Trump as the Democratic presidential candidate.

"Of course, the easy rejoinder to my case against Avenatti above is that Trump is the President of the United States," Cillizza wrote in 2018. "Which renders all traditional ways in which we measure someone's chances of being president totally moot."



'Sit this one out!'



The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., excoriated Cillizza for attempting to blame the president for the attention Avenatti was given by the media.

"Wrong, your desperation & hatred of @realDonaldTrump allowed for him to be taken seriously," Trump Jr. responded. "How many hundreds of times did you give airtime? How many times did you make him a hero?"

"Hell, you even took his 'presidential run' seriously," he added. "Do us all a favor an [sic] sit this one out!"

Here's the latest on Avenatti's legal troubles: