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Trump lawyers Jim Trusty and John Rowley
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Shortly before the court date in Miami, two lawyers for former US President Donald Trump resigned their mandate. "This morning, we filed our resignations as President Trump's lawyers. We will no longer represent him in the indicted case or in the January 6 investigation," said the joint statement by Jim Trusty and John Rowley.
Trump announced in his network Truth Social that his case would be heard by Todd Blanche, a lawyer who represents him in a separate case in New York. The surprise announcement by Trump's lawyers could lead to further legal complications.
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Hidden Secret Documents: Seven Charges – and a Stroke of Luck for TrumpBy Roland Nelles, Washington
For the second time this year, Trump will have to appear in court next Tuesday. U.S. Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith charges him with illegal storage of classified documents at his private residence Mar-a-Lago, obstruction of justice and other crimes. This indictment is likely to weigh much more heavily than the first indictment against him in a local court in New York in April. Not only does he face much harsher penalties, but the trial is also likely to cause chaos in the US Republican election campaign.
Trump's new lawyer in the case also previously represented former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and an associate of Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance in a 2021 case.
In addition, Trump said that his former adviser Walt Nauta had been indicted as part of the investigation into the handling of classified documents from the White House, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In the spring of 2022, Nauta was first questioned by FBI agents. At the time, he denied knowing that sensitive documents were stored in Trump's club. During a second interrogation, however, he told investigators that he had transported boxes on Trump's instructions after prosecutors demanded the return of all documents marked as secret and stored at Mar-a-Lago.
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