Former President Donald Trump’s new attorney succeeded at getting criminal charges dropped against Paul Manafort, the former President’s ex-campaign manager, in the same courthouse where Trump will be facing charges in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.
Trump’s criminal defense team will be bolstered by Todd Blanche, who will be joining Joe Tacopina.
When asked which lawyer would be taking the lead, Tacopina asserted, “There is no lead,” describing Trump’s defense team as a “team” and “one family with one mission.”
The news of Blanche’s appointment comes as Trump flew to New York on Monday (April 3) in preparation for his arraignment on Tuesday.
Trump hiring Blanche, a white-collar defense attorney, on the eve of his arraignment signals the former President is making every effort to move on from the charges unscathed, a move that some sources say would require “additional firepower.”
Blanche was Manafort’s attorney when former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. pursued a 16-count Indictment against the former President’s one-time campaign manager.
Hours after Manafort was sentenced to seven years in federal court for a conviction relating to a mortgage fraud scheme, Vance pursued the indictment that alleged Manafort defrauded banks by lying on applications that allowed him to get mortgages on four properties.
Blanche quickly hit back, arguing the charges Vance was pursuing against Manafort were motivated by politics and illegal based on double jeopardy. Blanche asserted Vance had pursued a state case to ensure Manafort remained behind bars even if Trump pardoned him — as parsons only apply to federal charges.
The judge sided with Blanche and threw out the case against Manafort.
