Donald Trump still gets to play Mr. Big Shot Above the Law in Florida. He’s in New Jersey today, playing golf, and somebody else must be pouring his Diet Cokes, because Walt Nauta appeared in court in Florida today, and so did Carlos DeOliveira. Fox News:
FIRST ON FOX: Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he didn’t think it was “necessary” to appear at a hearing Thursday regarding new charges related to classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. […]
Nauta also pleaded not guilty to the superseding indictment. De Oliveira was unable to enter a plea in the case because he still has not secured a Florida-based attorney, which is required under local court rules. His arraignment was pushed back a second time and is now scheduled for Tuesday.
De Oliveira and Nauta appeared in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, on an updated indictment brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, alleging they schemed with the Republican former president and current 2024 GOP front-runner to try to delete Mar-a-Lago surveillance video sought by investigators.
Trump, Nauta and De Oliveira face charges that include conspiracy to obstruct justice in the case stemming from secret government documents found at Trump’s Palm Beach club after he left the White House in 2021.
De Oliveira made his first court appearance in the case last week when he was released on $100,000 bond but could not be arraigned without retaining a Florida lawyer. Nauta’s arraignment had also been delayed several times due to similar circumstances.
Trump may be blithely out on the links, enjoying himself, but he will not be blowing off any more court hearings in the future. You can take that one to the bank. As to Nauta’s and DeOliveira’s legal representation issues, isn’t John Lauro making enough to represent them? Or Todd Blanche? I guess not.
How is loose Cannon still presiding over this case? I was sure Jack Smith would have forced her recusal by now. WTF!
Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.
Maybe I missed it but I don’t see anything about the judge issuing any warning that Trump had better have his fat a$$ in court with his co-defendants from now on. And, I don’t see Cannon giving him a dressing down. I’m actually surprised judge Chutkan let him off the hook for tomorrow’s hearing. However, I suspect she’ll make it clear to Trump’s lawyers that from now on he WILL be present in court.
I don’t recall if the Florida magistrate judge gave Perp Trump that instruction. He may have done and I just don’t remember it.
With regard to Judge Chutkan, I don’t think she wants Trump in her hearings. She’s rightly surmising that proceedings will go along much faster without his inane and disruptive input. She doesn’t want him there tomorrow because she’ll be scolding his lawyers and she doesn’t want him lying on social media about it afterwards. The same is true of the August 28 hearing to discuss a date for trial. She’s already told him he does not have to be there.
He’ll do whatever he wants in Florida, because he knows Cannon is in his corner.
Nice cover pix you’ve used. It depicts a troublesome forecast for the delusional vane king – It doesn’t rain but pours, shortly.