Former President Donald Trump’s Personal Assistant Walt Nauta arrives at the Alt Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida, USA, August 10, 2023.
Marco Bello | Reuters
Defense lawyer Donald Trump’s valet Walt Nauta said Friday he had received threats after the special counsel. jack smith The head of IT at Mar-a-Lago has admitted to giving false testimony in the classified documents criminal case against the former president.
According to Smith’s recent court filings, attorney Stanley Woodward represented a client of IT director Jusir Taveras when he gave false testimony to a grand jury.
Smith said in Tuesday’s filing that he admitted that Taveras fired Woodward and hired another lawyer before he changed the subject and was told to destroy the security footage.
Woodward on Friday cited sealed documents previously filed by Woodward related to the issue surrounding Mr. Taveras’ representation, saying Smith’s submission had implications for judges in the case and the “court of public opinion.” It denounced it as a “brazen and overt effort” to give.
Woodward’s anger at prosecutors is expressed in a new filing filed in federal court for the Southern District of Florida after Smith expressed concern about a potential conflict of interest for defense attorneys in the case. expressed.
Mr. Woodward is currently representing Mr. Nauta and other witnesses in the case, but will no longer represent Taveras.
On Friday evening, Smith, in a new filing addressing Woodward’s allegations, publicly released “all information” related to hearings in Washington about Woodward and potential conflicts in the case. permission was “explicitly granted” by a local judge on July 31, it said. The special counsel sought permission for such disclosure.
Trump, Nauta and Mar-a-Lago maintenance worker Carlos de Oliveira were indicted in federal court in Florida on charges related to keeping classified documents after Trump left the White House. They all pleaded not guilty.
Among other things, the defendants erased surveillance footage of Nauta and de Oliveira moving boxes containing classified records at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla. accused of planning to
Nauta’s lawsuit costs will be covered by Trump’s Political Action Committee, According to filings with the Public Elections Commission.
Woodward now disputes the notion that there is a conflict of interest, and in Friday’s filing asked Judge Eileen Cannon for a week to submit a detailed rebuttal explaining his position.
Woodward also said on Friday that Smith’s disclosure of Taveras’ situation had angered his lawyer.
“Since the government’s filing, defense counsel has received several threatening or defamatory emails and phone calls.”
“This is the result of the special counsel’s ruthless disregard for how the special counsel’s needless actions will affect and impact the lives of the public and those concerned with this issue.” Mr Woodward wrote.
De Oliveira is accused of asking Mr. Taveras to remove the video at the request of President Trump.
Smith filed a document on Tuesday expressing concerns that he has a conflict of interest because Woodward may have to cross-examine former client Taveras.
Smith noted that Woodward was representing Taveras when the IT chief testified before a grand jury in Washington DC in March.
In his testimony, Mr. Taveras “repeatedly denied or claimed not to remember any contacts or conversations regarding surveillance footage of Mar-a-Lago,” Smith wrote.
On June 20, Smith’s office told Taveras, “Through Mr. Woodward . The prosecutor said in the filing that he was notified. .
After a U.S. District Court chief judge in Washington had a federal attorney advise Taveras on the potential conflict of being represented by Nauta’s attorney, Taveras told the judge, “Mr. Woodward’s I no longer wish to be an agent,” Smith wrote.
And “immediately after” accepting the public defender as his new lawyer, Mr. Taveras “retracted his previous false testimony,” Smith wrote.
Prosecutors also said Taveras “provided information that Mr. Nauta, Mr. De Oliveira and Mr. Trump were involved in efforts to remove security camera footage, as set forth in the replacement indictment.” said.
Mr. Smith asked Florida Judge Cannon to schedule a hearing on Mr. Woodward’s alleged conflict of interest “so that Mr. Woodward’s clients may be present and an independent attorney may provide advice if desired.” did.
In Friday’s filing, Mr. Woodward wrote that Mr. Smith “has not and does not assert an actual confrontation on behalf of Mr. Nauta, counsel.”
“We didn’t do it because of the obvious fact that there can be no conflict without President Trump’s employee4.” [as Taveras is identified in court filings] I testified against Nauta,” Woodward wrote.
