Donald Trump attorney Jim Trusty claims federal prosecutors “extorted” the attorney for a witness in the investigation of the former president, and is demanding an internal communications investigation to find out what happened.
Trusty, who appeared on CNN hours after Trump revealed he had been indicted and confirmed that it was linked on seven counts to the preservation of classified documents and obstruction, called it a “corrupt and politicized” trial.
Next, Trusty went after federal prosecutor Jay Bratt, head of the DOJ’s National Security Division’s counterintelligence division, who last year urged a court to seal the affidavit that preceded a Mar-a-Lago search held secretly there. revealed material.
Trusty went so far as to denounce “criminal activity” by prosecutors, raising an alleged incident involving Trump aide attorney and former bodyman Walt Nauta, who served as the president’s military aide in the White House .
Trump attorney Jim Trusty called his client’s prosecution “rotten” and accused DOJ prosecutors of “extortion” over their alleged conduct during a meeting with attorney for Trump aide Walt Nauta
He referred to an alleged incident in which Bratt, during a meeting to discuss his client, mentioned that Nauta’s attorney, Stanley Woodward, had applied for judicial office — and suggested prosecutors were trying to use this as “extortion” leverage.
Members of the Justice Department, led by Jay Bratt, who was a central figure in this investigation. This is the guy who wanted to raid before they even got a subpoena,” Trusty said.
“Apparently he, along with five other people in his DOJ presence, blackmailed a highly respected, highly intelligent Washington DC attorney, saying essentially, if you want this judgeship that’s on Joe Biden’s desk, turn your man around to to cooperate against the President of the United States,” Trusty said.
Trying to investigate prosecutors is a step out of Trump’s political playbook. Trump demanded investigations of former FBI Director James Comey and top FBI officials following the Russia investigation, regularly attacked former special counsel Robert Mueller, and his former AG Bill Barr appointed special counsel John Durham to investigate alleged FBI misconduct .
Trusty referred to a report in the guard of a meeting prosecutors had with Nauta’s attorney while seeking his cooperation — in an investigation where Trump’s state of mind and details of the movement of documents at Mar-a-Lago are critical.
An attorney for Trump aide Walt Nauta claims prosecutors have argued for a judgeship he has presented himself with, according to a press release and Donald Trump’s attorney Jim Trusty.
The newspaper reported that the attorney had filed court documents with U.S. District Court Chief Justice James Boasberg in Washington describing the alleged incident.
Bratt then turned to Woodward and noted that he didn’t think Woodward was a “Trump man” and that “he would do the right thing,” before noting that he knew Woodward had applied to be a judge at the higher court in Washington DC that was currently pending, the letter said,” the report said.
Trusty said it was a serious incident.
“This is not a political talker. This was reported by the lawyer at the time. It’s actually sworn in by him that he wrote a letter that was submitted to a U.S. District Court Judge to confirm that it happened. And I think it would be very interesting to find out if DOJ or the five people have sat in the room and watched that extortion, have texts or emails where they comment on that,” he said.
He then pointed to the “discovery process,” suggesting a legal intelligence-gathering effort. “So we want prosecutors to find out how far this criminal activity went,” he said.
Jay Bratt, Chief of Counterintelligence and Export Control, National Security Division, signed court documents related to the search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home for classified material
Trump’s House GOP allies have created a special subpanel on government “weaponization” amid multiple investigations into Trump.
Prosecutors would not be able to determine who gets a federal judgeship, although raising the prospect of a judicial appointment could be interpreted as using leverage to gain a witness’s cooperation.
Trusty indicated that DOJ brushed off the allegations after they were brought forward. “We got an email from the man who actually did the DOJ extortion message… [that] they won’t worry about their own dirty house,’ he said.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Woodward and DOJ for comment.
Trusty also said Trump was innocent of charges of holding classified material, obstruction and the other charges against him.
‘He’s innocent. I mean, everything about this case absolutely sucks. The misconduct that we have documented for an attorney general hiding behind Jack Smith…” he said, referring to AG Merrick Garland’s decision to appoint Smith to place the case beyond his direct control.
Woodward has represented Trumpworld figures such as Peter Navarro, Kash Patel and Dan Scavino, and he has also paid by Trump’s Save America pact.
D.C. Superior Court judges are nominated by the president, after an individual applies for a job opening and passes through a committee that makes recommendations.