According to a report, Former President Donald Trump has hired Todd Blanche, a top white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor. Blanche will reportedly serve as his lead counsel, to defend him against the district attorney of New York, Alvin Bragg’s criminal indictment.
According to an email, Politico reported that, after being asked by Trump to represent him, Blanche is resigning as a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. The law firm reportedly is one of New York City’s most elite and oldest firms. In the email, Blanche, reportedly said-
“I have been asked to represent Trump in the recently charged DA case, and after much thought/consideration, I have decided it is the best thing for me to do and an opportunity I should not pass up,” adding… “Obviously, doing this as a partner at Cadwalader was not an option, so I have had to make the difficult choice to leave the firm,”
-Todd Blanche, Criminal Defense Lawyer
Attorneys Susan Necheles and Joe Tacopina, are also representing Trump. Tacopina has been seen and heard, on the defense for Trump, in interviews, on the airwaves in recent days. On Tuesday, news of Blanches hiring came, as Trump headed to New York City for his arraignment.
A former assistant U.S. attorney in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, Blanche is and has previously represented Trump associate Paul Manafort. As noted by Politico, Blanche successfully got charges dropped that were brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office against Manafort for mortgage fraud and other crimes.
Charges against Trump, while not yet unsealed, are expected to involve a so-called hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016 concerning an alleged affair, back in 2006. Federal prosecutors and authorities have declined to pursue any charges related to the payment.
Bragg, however, a Democrat-elected politician, who campaigned on going after Trump, has revisited the allegations. Years past the date of viable public litigation, Bragg has decided to pursue charges, which are widely expected to be a state crime of falsifying business records, to hide an alleged federal campaign violation. Analysts on the legal right and left, have cast doubt on whether Bragg can present a case based on those charges.
It would seem, that this travesty of justice, and ongoing legal pursuit - now turned political, on behalf of trying to find some dirt, that sticks to Donald Trump - is yet at another juncture. It will be interesting to see how this legal debacle plays out. As the rule of law is trampled, we will see how Democratic DA Bragg steps up to fulfill his campaign promise.
It will be more interesting to hear Trump’s response to all this, when he returns home to Florida to address the nation. Lastly, it is a sad day for the constitution, and the rule of law upon which our nation has been founded. This day will be a litmus test of where our republic really stands.
“The rule of law and the independence of the judiciary underpin our democracy and lie at the heart of our way of life. They are the very cornerstone of our freedoms.”
-David Lidington