More than a handful of Donald Trump aides who have spoken with Department of Justice investigators are still working with him as he makes a third presidential run which has, in turn, led to difficulties over fears of what is being said behind the scenes could come back to haunt everyone involved.
According to a report from the Washington Post, several key aides could be called as witnesses in both of Trump's federal trials being overseen by special counsel Jack Smith. That presents a unique set of worries that should worry the former president, who is currently leading the Republican field for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
As the report notes, "Their roles add another awkward dimension to the never-before-seen prospect of a former president and possible major-party nominee standing trial while running for president. The aides’ involvement in the legal cases could further complicate their scheduling and discussions with the candidate, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, who relies on a relatively small staff."
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Case in point, the Post is reporting, is what has already been told to investigators and what could come out later, with the report stating, "Potential witnesses in the cases will also face a special challenge to keep Trump’s confidence in their loyalty while at the same time avoiding drawing prosecutors’ suspicions."
According to attorney Brian Whisler, the cloud of suspicion makes for a fraught working atmosphere.
“Those called as witnesses are best served by letting the facts fall as they find them and ensuring they are perceived as objective,” he said before pointing at the former president and suggesting, "Based on his public statements, it seems entirely possible he would be somewhat suspicious about other people’s actions in this case.”
Attorney Bob Driscoll added, "Every lawyer tells their client, ‘Don’t talk about the case except when talking to me.’ They can interact on campaign stuff — but you don’t want your witnesses contaminating each other and getting their memories screwed up.”
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