The federal judge overseeing the case involving former President Donald J. Trump’s classified documents has denied a motion to dismiss charges made by one of the co-defendants in the case. The co-defendant, Walt Nauta, who serves as a personal aide to Mr. Trump, claimed that he was the target of vindictive prosecution by the government.
Arguments and Ruling
Walt Nauta’s lawyer, Stanley Woodward Jr., alleged that prosecutors from the office of the special counsel, Jack Smith, unfairly indicted Nauta because he refused to cooperate by testifying against Mr. Trump. Nauta also claimed that prosecutors had threatened to hinder his judicial aspirations if he did not persuade his client to testify against Trump.
However, Judge Aileen M. Cannon ruled that there was no evidence to support the claim that charges were brought against Nauta as a form of punishment for not testifying. She also stated that the vindictive prosecution motion was denied as the law requires the bias to be against the client, not the defendant.
Details of the Case
The indictment, filed in June in Federal District Court in Fort Pierce, Florida, accuses Nauta of conspiring with Mr. Trump to conceal several boxes of classified materials removed from the White House. The documents were taken to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club and residence in Florida.
