'Gearing up for battle': Trump lawyer says indictment 'abuse of power'
‘We are gearing up for battle’: Trump lawyer says indictment is a ‘complete abuse of power’ and admits he has ‘no idea’ what to expect on Tuesday – as president takes to the golf course with another member of his legal team
- Joe Tacopina, Donald Trump’s attorney, told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that the 76-year-old was ‘gearing up for battle’
- Tacopina said the charges against him – which are yet to be made public – were absurd, and said he expects Trump to be cleared
- The former president on Sunday was seen playing golf, accompanied by a member of his legal team, Lindsey Halligan
Donald Trump is ‘gearing up for battle’, his attorney said on Sunday, as the former president was spotted on the golf course with another member of his legal team ahead of his arrest on Tuesday.
Trump will present himself to officials on Tuesday for his arrest on the indictment issued by the grand jury on Thursday. They have been considering the former president’s payments of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The charges have not yet been made public, but Joe Tacopina on Sunday told ABC’s This Week that the 76-year-old was ‘a tough guy’ and ready to fight to clear his name.
‘He’s gearing up for a battle,’ Tacopina told host George Stephanopoulos.
‘This is something that, obviously, we believe is a political persecution and I think people on both sides of the aisle believe that.
‘It’s a complete abuse of power.’
Joe Tacopina, Donald Trump’s lawyer, said on Sunday that the former president and his legal team were ‘gearing up for battle’
Trump was playing golf in Florida on Sunday, accompanied by Lindsey Halligan, a member of his legal team
Trump and Halligan are seen together on Sunday morning
Trump on Sunday was seen at his Florida golf course with Lindsey Halligan, another member of his legal team.
Tacopina said that Trump was prepared for the case.
‘He’s a tough guy, and he’s someone who’s going to be ready for this fight. We’re ready for this fight,’ he said.
‘And I look forward to moving this thing along as quickly as possible to exonerate him – despite what it seems to be doing for him in the polls.’
Trump has seen a surge in donations since the indictment was confirmed on Thursday, with more than $5 million received.
A campaign official told Axios that Trump had received $4 million in the first 24 hours and over $1 million in the second 24 hours.
More than a quarter of those who donated in the first 24 hours were first-time donors.
‘This is someone who has run twice for president of the United States,’ said Jason Miller, a Trump campaign senior adviser.
‘There’s a whole new group of Trump supporters who are angered by what they see as this political persecution.’
On Sunday – Palm Sunday – a frond of leaves was placed at Trump Tower in Manhattan, with a note reading: ‘God bless President Trump’.
A Trump supporter left a Palm Sunday frond outside Trump Tower in Manhattan
Fences are seen around the Manhattan building. Trump will be in lower Manhattan on Tuesday for his arrest
Tacopina told George Stephanopoulos that he hopes the case is resolved swiftly
Tacopina said that they think the charges are absurd.
‘This case is not even legally sufficient. Factually, it’s a joke,’ he said.
The New York-based lawyer, whose previous clients include rapper Meek Mill and baseball star Alex Rodriguez, said that he did not know how Tuesday would unfold.
Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to be criminally charged.
‘I’ve done a million arraignments in that courthouse with celebrities and whatnot, but this is a whole different thing,’ Tacopina continued.
‘We have Secret Service involved. I understand they’re closing the courthouse for the afternoon.
‘I just don’t know what to expect to see.’
The former president was wearing his usual MAGA baseball cap and Trump polo shirt
Dressed in his usual golfing attire of MAGA cap and Trump-branded polo shirt, the former president was out on the course on Sunday morning
Trump, pictured on Sunday, is said to be ready for the legal fight ahead
Trump and Halligan are seen on the Florida course on Sunday morning
Tacopina said he hopes Trump can ‘get in and out of there as quickly as possible.’
Trump is due in court at 3:15pm on Tuesday, and intends to deliver a speech from Mar-a-Lago later that evening.
‘For me, as a litigator, as a lawyer, I want this to be done as smoothly and quickly as possible and begin this fight to to really put justice back on course,’ he said.
Trump is already accusing the judge, Juan Merchan, of being biased.
Trump claimed Merchan was ‘hand picked’ by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, and ‘HATES ME.’
Merchan presided over last year’s tax fraud trial of The Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, its former chief financial officer.
Tacopina, however, said he did not think Merchan was conflicted.
‘I have no reason to believe this judge is biased,’ he said.
‘I’ve not been before him on this matter, so we have to let this process play out.’
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