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'The clock is ticking': Legal expert says Walt Nauta has to flip fast — or he's useless to prosecutors
July 6, 2023 8:10PM ET
Former President Donald Trump's longtime valet and body man Walt Nauta, accused of helping the former president move around his illegal stash of highly classified documents to conceal it from the authorities, was finally arraigned and pleaded not guilty this week after a number of delays and complications. But there is currently no indication that Nauta, who by accounts is fiercely loyal to the former president, intends to flip to secure a deal.
However, according to former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on CNN Thursday, if he wants a deal, he should ask for one quickly, because it won't be on the table for very long.
"Andrew ... we know there has been pressure on Nauta to flip," said anchor Alex Marquardt.
"That's right," agreed McCabe, who left office under a hail of abuse from the former president and was caught in a years-long legal battle to even get his pension back after Trump revoked it.
"How much do you think Jack Smith, the special counsel, is stepping up that pressure now to turn him?" asked Marquardt.
"It's a really good question," said McCabe. "We know that Nauta came in and was interviewed and lied the first time he talked to investigators. He later came back and admitted that he had made false statements, and he's been charged with some of those. Now, that's very damaging to his ability to testify for the government if he decides to flip. So, the government, if they use Nauta as a witness, would have to essentially rehabilitate him on the stand. The longer he plays that tangled game and curries favor with Trump and is represented by lawyers who are paid for by the Trump Organization, the more his value as a witness may be diminishing."
The upshot, McCabe said, is that "the clock is ticking for Nauta if he is going to choose to essentially switch sides and start helping the government."
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