Trump Lawyer Blasted For Demand That DOJ Release Mar-A-Lago Warrant Witnesses' Names
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Donald Trump attorney Alina Habba came under fire on Tuesday after she demanded that the Department of Justice go against protocol and release the names of the witnesses who helped secure the warrant for the FBI’ssearch of Mar-a-Lago last week.
During an interview on the right-wing media outlet Newsmax, Habba said she and her client wanted the Justice Department “to uncover everything so that we can see what is going on.”
Habba said she understood “the witness protection issue” but warned that “these witnesses are truly not going to be concealed for very long.”
She added: “It’s in the best interest so that the country can get comfortable to see what the basis was, especially from someone who was cooperating.”
RawStory noted that the Justice Department will only reveal the witnesses if it decides to press criminal charges against Trump because doing so earlier could jeopardize cooperation from other potential witnesses.
You can hear Habba make her case below.
Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, says Trump wants the Department of Justice to release the names of the witnesses who helped secure the search warrant for Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/n3MJsD1tBI
— The Recount (@therecount) August 16, 2022
Habba was lambasted by Twitter users, many of whom explained why she should have never made the demand.
That's. Not. How. This. Works. https://t.co/gUpMhKMygs
— George Conway🌻 (@gtconway3d) August 16, 2022
It is apparent that Trump’s attorney has no experience handling complex federal criminal matters. It’s not clear if there is a competent criminal defense attorney quarterbacking this case on Trump’s behalf. https://t.co/xpcBABoABT
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) August 16, 2022
Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. You were sick the day they taught law at law school. https://t.co/CcHTS5apVz
— Jeff Yarbro (@yarbro) August 16, 2022
Trump hasn't been charged yet. The only possible reason to try & get witness identities is so they can be pressure or perhaps retaliated against.
This is one of DOJ's key arguments for keeping the affidavit that accompanied the search warrant application confidential. https://t.co/uF9iTo3uWi— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) August 16, 2022
Trump is demanding to know who to threaten. https://t.co/qIxcFL1dk4
— Brett Pransky (@BrettPransky) August 16, 2022
The reason he wants the names (which he’s not entitled to unless/until he’s indicted, and even then under a protective order barring disclosure to unauthorized parties) is so he can direct his followers to deluge them with death threats and other forms of harassment/intimidation. https://t.co/aF9DZLun18
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) August 16, 2022
I think mob bosses often make this request. https://t.co/Ti9WL0LBEU
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 16, 2022
She’s a lawyer and knows what she is saying is lies mixed with totally misrepresenting how the legal system works. This schmuck just lets her make this sound “reasonable” and misinform viewers. She knows they don’t stand a chance in court—and so court of public opinion. https://t.co/fphJmZ57E1
— 𝙼𝚊𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 (@maxapotter) August 16, 2022
"The former president promises that he will not put out a hit on any of the witnesses." https://t.co/7nnXluNHUQ
— Jordan Zakarin (@jordanzakarin) August 16, 2022
"Show us who the snitches are!!!!" https://t.co/XhLCJJ1R3I
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) August 16, 2022
DOJ should affirmatively betray its witnesses and allow Trumpworld to begin violently threatening them, the former president’s lawyer argues, because there are always leaks. https://t.co/7JVTHN4h8h
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) August 16, 2022
Alina Habba is spewing pure nonsense. Confidential witnesses are NEVER identified at the pre-indictment stage. Grand jury secrecy really does protect the "CW" or "CC". In 25 years of working as in criminal litigation (3 as an AUSA, 22 on the defense side), I know of only one leak https://t.co/vaR4TXH73a
— Mitchell Epner (@MitchellEpner) August 16, 2022
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
