All posts tagged "ty cobb"

'Threads the needle': Ex-Trump lawyer praises Jack Smith's 'crisply worded' re-indictment

A former lawyer for Donald Trump would be "scratching his head" if the MAGA leader's current lawyers were surprised by Jack Smith's trimmed-down superseding indictment Tuesday against the former president.

Ty Cobb spoke with Erin Burnett on CNN's "OutFront" on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the case, telling the anchor he believes the slimmed-down case makes it clear that Trump's acts were personal, rather than official acts.

"This is a very forceful document," he said. "It's pared down. Every sentence is crisply worded. It's a tight narrative. You can't read this and not understand the crimes that Trump actually committed."

"I think it does," said Cobb, noting that some of Smith's editing was "spot on" that emphasized the "private nature of many of these acts."

ALSO READ: Cruelty is all the Republicans have left

He pointed to the private funding of a speech before the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, as well as Mike Pence's "ceremonial role" in certifying the election and the non-governmental roles of the co-conspirators who were also acting in a "private capacity."

"I think this threads the needle. If I'm Trump's lawyers and I'm surprised I'm scratching my head at that because this was the reasonable approach to take," he said.

Cobb said it made more sense to put forth a "forceful case like this" rather than go through a slew of hearings before Judge Tanya Chutkin and have her edit the indictment.

When asked if the case would proceed quickly or slowly, Cobb said it would likely proceed slowly. Chutkin will still have a hearing on the whittled-down indictment, he noted.

To boot, Cobb believes an appeal is still available, though the Supreme Court may not take it.

"This hasn't been on course to go before the election for months," he said. "That always was never going to happen."

Cobb said that while the 78-year-old Trump won't likely receive a 55-year sentence, he could see six to nine "once convicted."

Even so, Cobb doubted that Trump would take the case seriously until the "final gavel" came down.

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Trump White House lawyer flags what's 'remarkable' about Judge Cannon's 'stunning' actions

The presiding judge in Donald Trump's classified documents criminal case in Florida may soon be yanked from the bench after her most recent move perceived as slow-walking it to trial.

Former President Donald Trump's old White House lawyer Ty Cobb ripped what he claimed are missteps by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, that stem from her blatant "bias."

"I think the evidence from her bias is pretty palpable at this stage of the game," he said during an appearance on CNN's "Out Front." "I think the 11th Circuit tried desperately to draw a line for her at the time of the search warrant and the Special Master cases where they rebuked her very sternly for her making up, basically making up the law and her lack of analysis of the required factors that went into those decisions."

ALSO READ: A criminologist explains why Judge Cannon must step away from Trump trial immediately

Trump's facing 37 counts brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith who accuses him of mishandling of classified documents he took with him from the White House after the 2020 presidential election loss and of obstructing the government's attempt to recover them from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

The spotlight on Cannon has grown ever since two of her decisions were overruled by the 11th Circuit Court. One in particular was widely panned for appointing a third party "special master" to survey the documents themselves.

Smith has since called Cannon's delays in the case "fundamentally flawed" as it relates to an expedited binding decision on Trump's claim that he's above the law for taking the banker boxes filled with national security documents and minting them his own personal property under a law known as the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

However, Smith and other legal minds have made clear that the case has nothing to do with the PRA but rather the Espionage Act.

Cobb offered his own rebuke of entertaining the PRA as a way to delay this case from docketing a trial before the Nov. 5 election.

"Her delays here are extraordinary," he said. "I mean, as you highlighted as others highlighted, she hasn't even set a trial date; that's remarkable."

"She ignored the government's request months ago to set the schedule under the Classified Information Procedures Act that there are multiple steps that have to be gone through and she hasn't she hasn't completed step one."

He then questioned her ethics and expertise.

"I think the evidence is just too overwhelming, I mean, yes, she may be incompetent, but at this stage of the game her incompetence is so gross that I think it clearly creates the perception of of partiality in her attempt to put her thumb on the scale... I think that should disqualify her."

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Ex-Trump lawyer predicts 'extreme danger' ahead for Alina Habba's career

Donald Trump's current attorney, Alina Habba, isn't fully up to the job, according to the former president's old White House lawyer.

Ty Cobb, who earlier on Saturday tried to explain what is going through Trump's head as he faces an evolving legal "battlefield," appeared on MSNBC's Alex Witt Reports. In the latter half of the weekend interview, the host asked the lawyer about Habba and her performance in cases related to Trump.

"What is your assessment of how she has handled this case, and the vulnerabilities that come with this financial pickle that Trump has found himself in?" the host asked.

ALSO READ: A criminologist explains why half of America does not care about Trump's crimes

"Well, I think that her lawyering skills have been probably appropriately assessed by most commentators," Cobb replied. "She had great difficulty in the E. Jean Carroll case, getting simple documents into evidence, getting questions asked and answered, notwithstanding the efforts to assist her by the judge."

He continued:

"In the 400+ million dollar case overseen by Judge Engoron, she was quite disrespectful. One of her clients... pled guilty to perjury in that case. Subsequently so, I think you see some pretty extreme danger down the road for her, I think, in terms of the ability to continue on the federal court stage or the high-profile stage."

At the same time, Cobb noted, "I think it is also important to understand that I don't think the president expected to win either of those cases."

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'He's going to jail': Trump admin lawyer dishes on ex-president's mindset amid turmoil

A lawyer who worked for Donald Trump's White House says the former president is facing an entirely different legal "battlefield" than when he was representing him in the Russia investigation, but he still tried to explain what is going through his head.

Ty Cobb appeared on MSNBC's Alex Witt Reports on Saturday, where he was asked about what it was like when he was "directly in touch with Trump on a daily basis."

"Can you give me a sense of what you think his mindset is, as he is trying to navigate his current legal challenges?" she asked of Cobb.

ALSO READ: A criminologist explains why half of America does not care about Trump's crimes

"I can try," he said. "He has so many that he probably is not able to give any particular one the degree of concentration that he would like. He has to rely on so many different lawyers and so many different teams of lawyers, some of whom are quite capable, others of whom have not distinguished themselves. I think it is very difficult for him, and he is not really a strategist in that regard. So I think he is very much dependent on the lawyers. And I think that has turned out to be a problem. For two reasons: for one, the facts are terrible. His conduct is reprehensible, subject 91 felony accounts, four separate indictments, and multiple civil cases. He has lost almost half a $1 billion. So it is not like this is a smooth ship."

The host then asked Cobb what it was "like to serve in the Oval Office under Trump."

"What can you tell us about his demeanor interactions with him? How did he treat you, how did he treat others?" the host queried.

"So, I don't go a lot into the back-and-forth between me and the former president, just because I'm not a fan of lawyers who tell all. But for the most part, in my experience, the interaction was largely professional, largely what you would expect. There were some difficult moments, there were some other moments that were highly substantive. There was some give-and-take. And it wasn't always easy for either of us. But I think we got through it professionally, and I think the work on the so-called Russia investigation went relatively smoothly."

All that said, according to Cobb, "this is a much different battlefield that he is facing now."

"These are the things that he did, that that he has been charged with. A grand jury has charged him in each of the four instances. There are multiple prosecutors all over the country engaged in these events. It is quite a difficult legal minefield to run the table on. He does have the benefit of time, at least with the federal cases, because he will be able to dismiss those if they are still on appeal or still active once the election is over if he wins. But only if he wins. If he loses, he's going to jail."

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Trump's ex-lawyer points out 'richest' moment of Judge Cannon's scheduling hearing

Trump's former attorney says the classified docs judge has only herself to blame for letting so much time suck away.

During a hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Friday, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon appeared indecisive about landing on a date to set trial for former President Donald Trump's criminal classified documents case.

"I think it's the richest thing that happened today was when she said you know, pointed to all the motions that were pending as a reason for why it was going to be difficult to be prepared," said Ty Cobb, who appeared on CNN's "Out Front" and represented the 45th president during the Mueller investigation. "Well, Jack Smith and his team proposed a schedule months ago that would have resolved half of those motions and had the case ready to go on a schedule that would have ended before now."

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"And she rejected that and she delayed all the serious work that is necessary under the Classified Procedures Act."

Cobb is convinced that Cannon is going to to continue to keep delaying the trial "repeatedly to get beyond the election."

The case accuses the ex-president of obstruction for stashing boxes and boxes of classified files he took with him from the White House to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, after being defeated in the 2020 presidential election.

Cannon had requested Trump's attorneys and Special Counsel Jack Smith to offer scheduling proposals this week to calendar the case sometime before 2025.

"This case can be tried this summer,” Smith's team member, Jay Bratt, said while pushing for a July 8 trial date.

Trump's attorney Todd Blanche offered an August 12, but stressed, “We very much believe that a trial that takes place before the election is a mistake and should not happen. The easy solution is to start this trial after the election.”

Cannon remained uncommitted but said, “a lot of work remains to be done.”

"So I think the trial date, even the Trump proposed today is highly unlikely," he said. "I think they only propose the August date as a chess piece in the D.C. case, they would love to have her schedule August date as knowing that she'll move it to hold off Jack Smith in D.C."

"And I think that's I think that was their game plan and I think that they're likely to succeed in that."

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'The mafia way': Ex-Trump lawyer explains Alina Habba's handling of E. Jean Carroll case

Working for The Don means doing his bidding.

That is how Ty Cobb, former President Donald Trump's attorney during the Robert Mueller special counsel investigation, described his former client.

"I think she's handled [the case] in the mafia way," he said during an appearance on CNN's "Out Front" with Erin Burnett. "She has done his bidding."

ALSO READ: Trump goes silent on ‘serious voter fraud’ after long trashing New Hampshire as ‘rigged’

"She portrayed his narrative of victimization and made outlandish claims and she lost. So she is a loser."

Habba and Trump have vowed he would appeal the jury's award for columnist E. Jean Carroll of $83.3 million for defamation after she came forward to accuse him of sexually abusing her inside of a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room back in the mid-1990s.

Habba has also been defending Trump in the $370 million civil fraud trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James that threatens to ban the real estate tycoon from being able to do business in the state. On Friday, Habba tweeted, "This is far from over. We are just getting started. #MAGA #TrumpDerangementSyndrome"

On Tuesday Trump announced on Truth Social that he was shopping for an appellate attorney to help him beat back the whopping sum.

Raw Story's attempts to reach Habba were not immediately returned.

Cobb said Trump's public announcement he was searching for another esquire was predictable.

"I'm not surprised that Trump is looking for appellate representation," he said.

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Ty Cobb's 'severely misguided' Trump defense shredded by fellow legal eagle

Donald Trump's former attorney Ty Cobb received strong criticism Wednesday after he appeared on CNN and argued the former president had the "winning hand" under the constitution.

Cobb, a vocal critic of the former president, argued the 14th Amendment's insurrectionist ban did not apply to Trump because U.S. presidents are not technically officers.

"I'm sad to say on this one that I believe that the president's lawyers are correct constitutionally," he said during an appearance on CNN's "Out Front" with Erin Burnett on Wednesday. "Other people disagree."

Fellow legal wiz George Conway was quick to declare himself among those nay-sayers in a X thread that went viral Wednesday night.

Conway said Cobb's contentions that "the president of the United States is not an officer" were "severely misguided."

Cobb argues that Section 3 only applies to office holders, and officers are appointed and not elected. He also says that presidents don't pledge to uphold the constitution, but to protect it, therefore lifting the presidency above Section 3.

Conway begged to differ.

"The fact that the president appoints various officers of the United States does not mean he or she is not an officer," Conway wrote. He also notes the Constitution "refers to the presidency dozens of times as an 'office'!"

His followers agreed.

"Since the POTUS is referred to as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive," wrote @karenelizabeth60. "Trump was an officer. The End."

"If you have to swear into an Oath of Office, then you are an officer," added Scott Harrison. "Can’t be more simple than that."

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Trump's former lawyer explains what the Supreme Court will do in Colorado ballot case

The Supreme Court is going to reinstate Donald Trump to be on the presidential election ballot, his former lawyer said Tuesday.

Ty Cobb, who used to be former President Trump's attorney, appeared on CNN's "Out Front" to weigh in on the decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to scratch Trump from the ballot based on his alleged incitement of a mob on Jan. 6, 2021, to lay siege on the U.S. Capitol. He thinks the High Court will reverse this swiftly and without contention.

"So I think this case will be handled quickly," Cobb said. I think it could be 9-0 and the Supreme Court for Trump."

Today's 4 to 3 ruling in Colorado at least for now has Trump being the first presidential candidate in U.S. history to be be found unfit for the White House under a Civil War-era law in the 14th Amendment that bars officials who engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding office.

ALSO READ: A neuroscientist’s guide to surviving Christmas with Trump-loving relatives

Cobb continued to explain that the legal arguments in favor of keeping Trump off the ballot in the primaries and the ultimate election next November won't hold up.

He cited three Supreme Court decisions who scrutinized the amendment "do not conclude that the officers in this context include the president or the Vice President."

That spells out a likely reversal when the Supreme Court looks at the case and should Trump, who is currently the GOP frontrunner, become the nominee, he would have to be voted in or out.

"Trump would have to be beaten at the ballot box, and I think sadly, that's the case, and it will be a race to get there," Cobb explained. "The Supreme Court will not hesitate to move quickly to this."

"They know what the stakes are and they know what their responsibility is."

The lawyer who hasn't held his admonishing tongue toward Trump, believes the result actually will boost Trump's messaging and inspire his MAGA base.

"This vindicates his insistence that this is a political conspiracy to interfere with the election and that he's the target and the people shouldn't tolerate that in America," he said. "It's doodah, but that's how he tries to sell this."

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'Litany of all the lies': Trump's ex-lawyer on why former president ducked testifying

Former White House attorney Ty Cobb is convinced reason finally won out over Donald Trump's ego Monday.

Cobb appeared on CNN Monday night to discuss the former president's decision not to take the stand in his $250 million civil fraud trial.

"He was not an effective witness, no matter you know, what the PR is from the other side," Cobb said. "He's not going to get cross-examined much on what he's going to say, he will get taken through a litany of all the lies that he's told during the relevant period for this trial."

Cobb noted the 45th president, when he took the witness stand back in early November, acknowledged mistakes, including the inflated valuation of Trump Tower sprawling apartment and also noted that about 95% of assets listed in a 2014 financial condition statement didn't adhere to generally accepted accounting principles.

"He really has nothing to add to the evidentiary pile, in this case, at this stage in the game," Cobb said. "He's already testified and in an unhinged manner, he made multiple, multiple admissions that severely damaged this case."

That case was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who contends the Trump Organization defrauded lenders by inflating the value of company assets.

While Trump denies wrongdoing, Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled the former president is liable for fraud. The trial will determine damages.

Cobb also argued Trump's testimony would not have been likely to help him in his bid for the White House in 2024.

"I'm sure they would probably take the top 40 hits and expose him as someone with no credibility," Cobb said during an appearance on CNN's “Erin Burnett OutFront."

"That doesn't help him politically."

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