With his “Elite Strike Force” of lawyers who were representing him in scores of election lawsuits in 2020–only one of 60 they could claim as any type of victory–are either suspended from practicing law, appearing on Newsmax, or defending themselves from billion-dollar lawsuits, Donald Trump is having problems finding lawyers willing to represent him in upcoming national security cases, the Washington Post reports.
Trump had relied on a variety of wannabe mob-style lawyers, like Michael Cohen, to represent him in his legal affairs, but potential charges relating to his mishandling of classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago hourly motel and supper club require different, more competent representation.
Unfortunately, his reputation of not listening to his lawyers, not paying his lawyers, and undermining defense strategy by bloviating in interviews is coming back to haunt Trump, putting off the high-caliber lawyers that someone of a former president’s stature would typically attract. But Trump is no typical former president, and his lack of stature demonstrates that.
Jon Sale, a prominent Florida defense attorney who worked on the Watergate prosecution team, told the Post that he was approached by represent Trump but said no. “The Trump team needs a first-rate, highly experienced federal criminal practitioner. You have to evaluate whether you want to take it. It’s not like a DUI. It’s representing the former president of the United States — and maybe the next one — in what’s one of the highest-visibility cases ever.”
For now, Trump has to rely on people the caliber of Christina Bobb, a lawyer who is better known as an OANN host, but also personalities like Sinclair Broadcasting commentator Boris Epshteyn and former White House aide Kash Patel, who now hosts a podcast for The Epoch Times, a far-right media outlet owned by a Chinese cult. He also has retained the services of Alina Habba, a lawyer from Bedminster, New Jersey whose office happens to be near Trump’s gold course in the town.