So much for merely being a creepy porn lawyer. In a rather predictable 2018 plot twist, it turns out that Michael Avenatti is just a bad one.

U.S. District Judge S. James Otero threw out Stormy Daniels' defamation case against President Trump today. Not only did Otero rule that Trump's tweet, accusing Daniels of orchestrating a "total con job," was protected under the First Amendment. Because Otero granted Trump's anti-SLAPP, or strategic lawsuits against public participation, motion, Daniels may also now have to pay for the president's attorney fees.

In short, Daniels was out-lawyered, and Avenatti is to blame.

Avenatti, who's represented Daniels in the courtroom and in near-daily CNN spots for most of 2018, responded on Twitter with the same heated drivel and demagoguery he's used to con his way to political ubiquity.

"Daniels' other claims against Trump and Cohen proceed unaffected," wrote Avenatti. "Trump's contrary claims are as deceptive as his claims about the inauguration attendance. We will appeal the dismissal of the defamation cause of action and are confident in a reversal."

From a legal perspective that last point is especially laughable. Trump's lawyer, Charles Harder, successfully argued that Trump's tweet in question addressed a public person and a matter of public interest, so Avenatti would have to establish that Trump made a defamatory "statement of fact," not nonactionable opinion.

In other words, the odds are nil to none that any reasonable court could reverse the order.

Avenatti failed, and Stormy was his victim.