Democracy Dies in Darkness

Trump scrambles to find lawyer before first federal court appearance

In familiar predicament for famously challenging client, multiple Florida lawyers decline to take Trump’s case, people familiar with the matter say

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June 12, 2023 at 8:19 p.m. EDT
The former president arrives at the Trump National Doral resort Monday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)
8 min

Donald Trump spent the day before his historic appearance in federal court scrambling to find a qualified Florida lawyer willing to join his defense team as he faces the Justice Department’s first prosecution of a former president.

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Donald Trump is facing historic legal scrutiny for a former president. He has been indicted on 91 felony counts in two federal cases, in Florida and D.C., and two state cases, in Manhattan and Fulton County, Ga. He has denied all wrongdoing. Here is a list of the key probes and where they stand.
Manhattan district attorney’s investigation
Trump has been indicted on 34 felony counts following an investigation by District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) of business matters involving Trump, including his alleged role in hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. The trial is underway.
Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation
Trump has been indicted on 40 felony counts after FBI agents found more than 100 classified documents during a search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Aug. 8, 2022, as part of a criminal probe into possible mishandling of classified information. The trial has been pushed back indefinitely.
Justice Dept. criminal probe of Jan. 6
Trump has been indicted on four felony charges related to trying to block the results of the 2020 presidential election. Prosecutors are focusing on the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and whether Trump or his aides conspired to obstruct Congress’s certification of the election or committed fraud to block the peaceful transfer of power. Prosecutor Jack Smith is overseeing both federal investigations.
Georgia election results investigation
Former president Donald Trump and 18 others were criminally charged in Fulton County, Ga., in connection with efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 win in Georgia. The indictment follows a 2½-year investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D). Four of Trump’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty.
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After touching down in Miami on Monday, Trump spent the afternoon interviewing prospective lawyers and meeting with his legal team, along with other top advisers, to discuss the case, in which he is accused of mishandling classified documents and obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them, according to people familiar with the sessions. Several prominent Florida attorneys declined to take Trump on as a client after two of the key lawyers handling the documents matter — Jim Trusty and John Rowley — resigned last week, according to people familiar with the matter.