President Trump’s attorneys met with Department of Justice officials on Monday regarding the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
According to the Associated Press, Trump’s attorneys requested a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland two weeks ago to discuss alleged prosecutorial misconduct and overreach by special counsel Jack Smith’s team.
Although it’s unclear what was discussed during the meeting, a charging decision in the classified documents case is reportedly “imminent.”
WATCH:
CBS News' cameras caught former President Trump’s lawyers arriving at the Justice Department, weeks after Trump's lawyers requested a meeting with top federal law enforcement officials. https://t.co/pd5fUhqVPe pic.twitter.com/wLg8pBRFq9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 5, 2023
AP reported:
It was not clear what was discussed during the meeting, but Trump, in a social media post and talk radio interview, signaled that he was prepared for the possibility that he would be charged and reiterated his attacks on the investigation.
A trio of Trump attorneys — James Trusty, John Rowley and Lindsey Halligan — exited the Justice Department headquarters in Washington on Monday morning after spending well over an hour inside. They got into a black sport utility vehicle and did not respond to reporters’ questions.
Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco were not present for the meeting but special counsel Jack Smith was. The Justice Department had no comment on the meeting.
CBS News added:
Several sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that a charging decision in the documents case is imminent, and Trump lawyers in recent days were expected to meet at some point with the Justice Department to talk through where things stand and to potentially lay out their concerns about the prosecutors’ efforts so far.
Grand jury testimony has slowed in recent weeks, sources said, indicating the investigation may be coming to a close. Numerous former White House aides and Mar-a-Lago employees — from security officials and valets — have been called to testify in secret proceedings in Washington, D.C.
According to The Washington Post, Trump’s attorneys made their case why the Department of Justice should not charge Trump in the case.
The Washington Post noted:
While it is not uncommon in high-profile cases for defense lawyers to get such a meeting with Justice Department officials toward the end of an investigation, current and former officials say such presentations rarely change prosecutors’ minds.
Two Trump advisers briefed on Monday’s meeting said they continue to believe Smith will finalize a charging decision in coming weeks. The advisers said they are preparing for a potential indictment of the former president, and the meeting did not change their expectations.
Trump commented on Truth Social about the Department of Justice potentially charging him.
“HOW CAN DOJ POSSIBLY CHARGE ME, WHO DID NOTHING WRONG, WHEN NO OTHER PRESIDENT’S WERE CHARGED, WHEN JOE BIDEN WON’T BE CHARGED FOR ANYTHING, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT HE HAS 1,850 BOXES, MUCH OF IT CLASSIFIED, AND SOME DATING BACK TO HIS SENATE DAY WHEN EVEN DEMOCRAT SENATORS ARE SHOCKED. ALSO, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD DOCUMENTS, AND WON IN COURT. CROOKED HILLARY DELETED 33,000 EMAILS, MANY CLASSIFIED, AND WASN’T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING CHARGED! ONLY TRUMP – THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!” Trump said.
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