Former President Trump’s former lawyer said Wednesday that the president’s latest attack on Michael Cohen was a “direct violation” of the gag order imposed on him during his hush-money criminal trial.
On Tuesday, Trump went after Cohen, his former fixer, in an interview, minutes before Judge Juan Marchand weighed in on whether Trump had already violated the gag order with past social media posts. Discussions have begun.
President Trump: “Michael Cohen is a convicted liar and has no credibility whatsoever” told 6ABC Philadelphia In an interview. “You rely on lawyers because he was a lawyer. But Michael Cohen was a convicted liar. He was a lawyer for many people, not just me. Then he You got in trouble for something other than what you did to me.”
President Trump’s former lawyer Tim Parlatore told CNN’s Kate Bolduan on Wednesday that those comments likely will get him into trouble with Marchand.
“This interview seems to me to be in direct violation of the written order,” Parlatore said. “So I think it’s problematic for them to have this aired, especially while the judge is currently sitting and trying to decide this issue.”
Parlatore explained that Marchand’s decision on whether Trump violated the gag order relied on what Trump’s lawyers told the former president.
“Because if he follows his lawyer’s interpretation, I might be the wrong target,” Parlatore said of Marchand. “So, you know, [Trump attorney] Is Todd Blanche trying to steal the fire from his client? I don’t know, but that’s definitely a situation I don’t want to be in. ”
“So, looking at this, I think the only really valid defense that doesn’t work for this judge is to attack broad parts of the order itself,” he continued. . “I think there’s something to be discussed there, but I don’t think it’s going to work until there’s an appeal.”
Prosecutors argued Tuesday that Trump violated the order 10 times and asked for a $1,000 fine for each violation.
President Trump has been highly critical of the gag order, arguing that it inhibits free speech and will affect his re-election campaign. The Court of Appeals upheld similar gag orders in his other cases.
The former president has repeatedly attacked Cohen, the man at the center of the hush money scandal that is the focus of the trial. Prosecutors allege that President Trump falsified his business documents just before the 2016 election while illegally concealing hush money payments he made to hide past events.
The trial, the first criminal prosecution of a former US president, is expected to last about six weeks.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
