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'Feel the heat': Ex-prosecutor says new defendant will 'put pressure' on Trump's valet
July 27, 2023 7:49PM ET
Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti on Thursday suggested that the indictment against Carlos De Oliveira in the classified documents case against Donald Trump may reflect an effort by prosecutors to compel the third person to be indicted in the case to flip on a co-defendant.
Mariotti during an appearance on “The Beat with Ari Melber” told guest host Katie Phang that he believes special counsel Jack Smith views De Oliveira as a vehicle to get to longtime Trump aide and fellow co-defendant Walt Nauta.
“I really think that this is a lot about putting pressure on Walt Nauta who has thus far stuck with Trump,” Mariotti said, noting that “there's all this video of him gallivanting with Trump you know, all around the country and Philadelphia and elsewhere. He appears to be tied at the hip with Trump and he's represented by a lawyer who's very closely aligned with Trump.”
Nauta was indicted on five counts alleging he concealed or withheld classified documents and being involved in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. Nauta pleaded not guilty to all charges at his July 6 arraignment.
“They want to put pressure on Nauta, because right now, while I agree that the case against Trump is pretty overwhelming,” Mariotti said.
“Nauta, that that's a different story, and I think they want to make him feel the heat, so I wouldn't be surprised if potentially this new defendant is a flipper, or if the attention is put first on him so he flips.”
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