Alan Dershowitz's Opinion on Donald Trump's Charges
Federal Indictment of Donald Trump Shocks Legal Scholar
Renowned defense attorney and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz was surprised by the federal indictment of former President Donald Trump. Trump is facing 37 charges related to the alleged illegal storage of classified government documents at his Mar-a-Lago club, sharing the information with visitors, and obstructing a federal investigation. The details of the charges were revealed on Friday, with Trump potentially facing a lengthy prison sentence if convicted. He is scheduled to appear in a Miami court on Tuesday.
Dershowitz, a self-described liberal Democrat and supporter of Hillary Clinton, expressed concerns about the seriousness of some charges against Trump. He warned that Trump's tendency to speak too much could worsen his legal situation. Dershowitz highlighted a conversation in the indictment where Trump acknowledged the secrecy of certain documents in his possession, which could be crucial evidence against him.
Regarding the possibility of Trump going to prison, Dershowitz indicated that while it might not be likely, Trump should refrain from making further statements to avoid complicating his case. Dershowitz emphasized the importance of a recorded conversation in the indictment, suggesting it could be more damaging to Trump than other allegations.
The indictment also names a co-conspirator, Trump's White House valet and personal assistant, Waltine Nauta. Dershowitz noted that flipped witnesses like Nauta may not be reliable due to potential motivations to protect themselves. He emphasized the significance of recorded evidence in the case, which could reduce the reliance on witness testimony.
Dershowitz analyzed the obstruction of justice charges, pointing out that the strength of these allegations hinges on the intent to conceal classified documents from the government. He raised questions about whether moving the documents to avoid a search warrant could constitute obstruction. Dershowitz compared Trump's case to past instances of obstruction, suggesting the current indictment may not meet the standard set by previous cases.
In evaluating Trump's defense regarding his ability to declassify information, Dershowitz highlighted the burden of proof on the government to show that Trump did not declassify the materials. He criticized the prosecution for including numerous charges, suggesting a more focused indictment would have been more effective. Dershowitz also commented on the strategic approach taken by the Special Counsel in indicting Trump under a higher-level statute, emphasizing the distinction from previous cases involving classified material mishandling.