Donald Trump lawyer Jim Trusty has come out fighting after the former president was sensationally indicted on seven federal charges in the classified documents case and warned prosecutors they would be investigated.
Hours after Trump revealed the shocking news, Trusty claimed federal prosecutors ‘extorted’ the lawyer for a witness and is demanding an investigation of internal communications to find out what happened.
Trusty confirmed to CNN hours after Trump had been indicted on seven counts related to retention of classified documents and a violation of the Espionage Act, called it a ‘corrupt and politicized’ process.
Then Trusty went after federal prosecutor Jay Bratt, head of the counterintelligence section of DOJ’s National Security Division, who last year urged a court to seal the affidavit that preceded a search of Mar-a-Lago that uncovered classified material there.
Trusty went as far as to charge ‘criminal activity’ by prosecutors, and brought up an alleged incident involving the attorney for Trump aide and former body man Walt Nauta, who served as a military aide to the president in the White House.
Trump lawyer Jim Trusty called the prosecution of his client ‘rotten’ and accused DOJ prosecutors of ‘extortion’ through their alleged conduct during a meeting with a lawyer for Trump aide Walt Nauta
He referenced an alleged incident where Bratt mentioned during a meeting to discuss his client that a lawyer for Nauta, Stanley Woodward, had applied for a judgeship – and suggested prosecutors tried to use it as ‘extortion’ leverage.
‘Members of the Department of Justice, led by Jay Bratt, who was a pivotal figure in this investigation. This is the guy who wanted to do a raid before they even had a subpoena out,’ said Trusty.
‘He apparently, along with five other people in his presence from DOJ, extorted a very well respected, very intelligent lawyer from Washington DC, saying essentially, if you want this judgeship that’s on Joe Biden’s desk, you have to flip your guy to cooperate against the President of the United States,’ Trusty said.
Seeking to probe prosecutors is a move out of Trump’s political playbook. Trump demanded probes of former FBI Director James Comey and top FBI officials following the Russia probe, regularly attacked former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and his former AG Bill Barr appointed Special Counsel John Durham to investigate alleged FBI misconduct.
Trusty referenced a report in the Guardian about a meeting prosecutors had with Nauta’s lawyer while seeking his cooperation – in a probe where Trump’s state of mind as well as details on the movements of documents inside Mar-a-Lago is critical.
A lawyer for Trump aide Walt Nauta alleges prosecutors brought up a judgeship he hat put in for, according to a press report and Donald Trump’s lawyer Jim Trusty
Former President Donald Trump has been sensationally indicted on a slew of federal charges including obstruction and a violation of the Espionage Act over the classified documents he took from Mar-a-Lago
The paper reported that the lawyer submitted court papers to Chief Judge James Boasberg of U.S. District Court in Washington describing the alleged incident.
‘Bratt then turned to Woodward and remarked that he did not think that Woodward was a “Trump guy” and that “he would do the right thing”, before noting that he knew Woodward had submitted an application to be a judge at the superior court in Washington DC that was currently pending, the letter said,’ according to the report.
Trusty said it was a serious incident.
‘This is no political talker. This is something that was reported at the time by the attorney. It has been basically sworn to by him he’s written a letter that’s been submitted to a US District Court Judge confirming it happened. And and I think it’d be really interesting to find out whether DOJ whether the five people have sat in the room and watch that extortion have threads of text messages or emails where they comment about that,’ he said.
Jay Bratt, Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, The National Security Division, signed court filings related to the search of Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago for classified material
Then he pointed to the ‘discovery’ process, suggesting a legal information gathering effort. ‘So we’re going to want some discovery about just how far ranging this criminal activity was by prosecutors,’ he said.
Trump’s House GOP allies have created a special subpanel on ‘weaponization’ of government amid multiple probes of Trump.
Prosecutors wouldn’t get to determine who gets a federal judgeship, although raising the prospect of a judicial appointment could be interpreted as a use of leverage to secure cooperation from a witness.
Trusty indicated that DOJ brushed off the allegations after they got raised. ‘We got an email from the guy who actually did the extortion message from DOJ … [that] they’re not going to worry about their own dirty house,’ he said.
DailyMail.com has approached Woodward and DOJ for comment.
Trusty also said Trump was innocent of charges of retention of classified material, obstruction, and the other charges against him.
Documents found at Mar-a-Lago in an August raid are pictured on display
‘He is innocent. I mean, everything about this case is absolutely rotten. The misconduct that we’ve documented for an attorney general who hides behind Jack Smith …’ he said, referencing AG Merrick Garland’s decision to appoint Smith to place the case outside his direct control.
Woodward has represented such Trumpworld figures as Peter Navarro, Kash Patel, and Dan Scavino, and he has also been paid by Trump’s Save America Pac.
Judges in DC’s Superior Court are nominated by the president, after an individual applies for a vacancy and makes it through a commission that makes recommendations.
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