Former Donald Trump Lawyer Outlines Legal Case That Poses 'Biggest Threat'
A former lawyer on Donald Trump's legal team, Tim Parlatore, has shared which case he believes poses the biggest threat to the former president.
Parlatore, who parted ways with Trump's legal team earlier this year, appeared on CNN where he claimed the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case was the one that the Republican should be most concerned about.
Trump faces dozens of felony counts for willfully mishandling classified documents that contain sensitive national security information, in violation of the Espionage Act. They have led to the first criminal charges being brought against a former U.S. president in history.
Trump is also accused of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
"I've always considered the Mar-a-Lago case to be the most, the biggest threat," he said on December 30. "You know, the claims in there if they can be proven about the obstruction, I think that is the case that is most likely—if he is convicted—to survive an appeal.
"You know, I think that the other cases all have structural, legal, and some factual issues that would likely face a very strong attack on appeal."
Parlatore also said that prosecutorial misconduct during the Mar-a-Lago documents case could be a hindrance.
Smith has acknowledged materials, including surveillance footage, had not been initially provided to Trump's legal team but after realizing the error, submitted a superseding indictment.
"But on the Mar-a-Lago case, if Jack Smith can get over the hump of some prosecutorial misconduct in bringing the case, I think that's probably the one that is most likely to survive an appeal."
Newsweek has contacted Trump's spokesperson for comment via email.
The former president ended 2023 with a new legal filing against him just hours before New Year's Eve.
On Saturday, Smith urged a federal appeals court to reject Trump's claims that he is immune from prosecution.
Trump's attorneys had argued the appeals court should dismiss the case due to him being a former president and therefore, they argued, he is exempt from prosecution for acts that fell within his official duties as commander in chief.
They also claimed he could not face criminal charges as he was acquitted by the Senate after being impeached for the alleged conduct.
Prosecutors have argued that the presidency "plays a vital role in our constitutional system, but so does the principle of accountability for criminal acts—particularly those that strike at the heart of the democratic process.
"Rather than vindicating our constitutional framework, the defendant's sweeping immunity claim threatens to license presidents to commit crimes to remain in office. The founders did not intend and would never have countenanced such a result," the filing said.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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