It seems that Donald Trump’s co-defendants in at least one of the many criminal cases he is charged in are starting to come around to the idea that the best way to protect themselves is to stop protecting him.
One of Trump’s technology aides, who worked at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida has made major changes to his story about allegedly helping the former president erase surveillance footage, according to Politico. Though Yuscil Taveras hasn’t been charged in the case—and this is specifically regarding the federal case over Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents—he is reportedly cooperating with special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump with hoarding classified documents. It may help him avoid a pre-jury charge that had been discussed among jurors.
Taveras isn’t the only one to push back against Trump in order to get himself a get-out-of-jail card, as his former chief staff Mark Meadows has indicated he will blame Trump in his defense. He seems set to shift blame for charges against him onto Trump. He was the one who set up the call in which the former president insisted that thousands of more votes were “found” in order to tip the 2020 election. From Politico:
Meadows arranged that pivotal call. But after prosecutors played audio of the call in the courtroom, an attorney for Meadows emphasized that his client’s part in the actual discussion was both more minor and less provocative than Trump’s.
“There’s a lot of statements by Mr. Trump. Mr. Meadows’ speaking roles were quite limited,” Meadows’ lawyer, Michael Francisco, observed as he cross-examined [Georgia Secretary of State Brad] Raffensperger, who was called to testify by prosecutors.
“He didn’t make a request that you change the vote totals — Mr. Meadows, himself?” Francisco continued.
“Correct,” Raffensperger replied.
Three GOP activists who were also indicted over the same case are also now trying to lay it on thick claiming that Trump was the main force behind their actions. Trump’s former lawyer, the criminally convicted Michael Cohen, told Politico, “History has shown the 18 co-defendants that Donald doesn’t care about anyone but himself. I suspect it will be every defendant for himself.’
Scott Weinberg, an attorney based in Flordia, who represented one of the Oath Keepers in a trial related to the January 6 attack, told the outlet, “Strategically speaking, if you are one of the lesser important players, you would definitely want to be in the same trial with Donald Trump. All of the focus is going to be on him. They don’t want the little guys, they want Trump. You’re always compared to who you’re next to.”
(featured image: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
