Editor's note: This report has been updated to show that former President Trump faces both federal and state charges.
Joe Tacopina, one of former President Trump's New York trial lawyers, offered an unfavorable prediction about his former client's ongoing legal battles, saying it was “absolutely impossible” that Trump would be convicted in one of the federal criminal cases. It is possible,” he argued.
in Interview with MSNBC's Rev. Al Sharpton said Saturday that Tacopina said some of Trump's federal lawsuits are “serious” and “should not be taken lightly.”
When asked by Sharpton if it was possible that Trump would be convicted in the criminal case, Tacopina replied: absolutely. “
“A jury of 12 people will ultimately make the decision,” Tacopina continued. “Jack Smith is a federal prosecutor that I've known since he was in Brooklyn. … They're serious prosecutors and this is a federal case and we have a jury here.”
President Trump is facing four felony charges in Washington, D.C., for allegedly engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and being at the center of an effort to block the certification of the January 6, 2021 vote for President Biden.
In a follow-up question, Mr. Sharpton asked Mr. Tacopina to clarify whether he thought these incidents were “good examples” and “not just politics.”
“Look, do you think there's a political slant to this or part of this story? Yes, there is,” Tacopina said. “Do you think these lawsuits are invalid lawsuits? Look, the grand jury voted in favor of indictment, so he's going to have to face a jury in Washington, D.C.”
The former president is facing charges in the nation's capital as well as Florida, Georgia and New York City.
The former president faces 91 felonies in four federal and state indictments. These include 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York City in connection with an alleged hush money payment to cover up an alleged affair.
Mr. Tacopina previously represented Mr. Trump in hush money lawsuits, as well as an appeal of a sexual assault civil suit filed by longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, but both lawsuits were filed earlier this month. confirmed that it would withdraw from the
Tacopina is a former Brooklyn prosecutor known for representing high-profile clients such as Michael Jackson, Alex Rodriguez, Meek Mill and Don Imus.
Tacopina said over the weekend that three of the trial sites — New York, Washington and Atlanta — “are not particularly large Trump venues.”
“So that's going to be an issue that we really have to address,” he said. “And you can't say, 'There's no way he's going to be found guilty.'”
He later added that he believed prosecutors “believed in their case” when asked if there was a political dimension to the case.
Trump's indictment in Florida stems from allegations over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House, and the indictment in Georgia stems from his plans to overturn the 2020 election results in the Peach State. He has been accused of setting up a
The former president has pleaded not guilty to all four charges and is seeking to have the Justice Department's case thrown out on the grounds of presidential immunity. The case was heard in the D.C. Court of Appeals earlier this month.
– Updated at 12:30 p.m.
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