Former President Donald Trump encountered a significant setback in his legal defense as three of his attorneys withdrew their representation, according to a report by Newsweek on Monday.
In a move that adds complexity to Trump’s already intricate legal battle, Attorney Joe Tacopina filed a declaration, officially withdrawing his firm’s legal services from multiple lawsuits involving the ex-president. This development comes at a critical juncture, just two months before the trial for a high-profile hush money case is set to commence at the end of March.
The legal troubles for Trump continue to mount, as he faces four criminal indictments and a staggering 91 felony charges. One of the prominent cases involves allegations that he falsified business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged affair just weeks before the 2016 election.
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Despite being the leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Trump maintains his plea of not guilty and steadfastly denies any wrongdoing in this case and others.
Tacopina’s withdrawal extends beyond the hush money case. He also requested to step back from another significant lawsuit, specifically E. Jean Carroll’s civil defamation and battery case against Trump. Notably, this case resulted in a $5 million damages award for the former Elle columnist last May.
In the filed declaration regarding the Carroll case, Tacopina sought permission for his partners, Chad Seigel and Matthew DeOreo, to withdraw their legal services as well. The document states, “I respectfully submit this Declaration in support of [Tacopina Seigel and DeOreo’s] motion… to withdraw as counsel… for Trump.”
This move will no longer tether Tacopina to any appeals related to the Carroll case, and his firm will steer clear of a separate defamation case against Trump from Carroll, scheduled to begin the following day.
Efforts to obtain comments from Tacopina’s firm and Trump’s campaign by Newsweek have been unfruitful as of now.
Former federal prosecutor and elected state attorney, Michael McAuliffe, shed light on potential reasons for an attorney’s withdrawal. “A lawyer might attempt to withdraw as counsel of record for a client in a pending case for a number of reasons,” McAuliffe explained. He noted that a fundamental breach of confidence or a challenging client-lawyer dynamic could be contributing factors.
However, McAuliffe emphasized that dealing with Donald Trump comes with unique challenges, stating, “With Donald Trump, any lawyer who agrees to act as his counsel is on clear notice on that front.”
As speculation arises regarding the impact of this legal shakeup on Trump’s defense strategy, the former president’s legal team faces the daunting task of regrouping and reinforcing its ranks. With the trial looming and the political landscape intensifying, these developments add another layer of complexity to an already intricate legal battle for Donald Trump.
