A former prosecutor criticized a defense attorney representing Donald Trump for what he considered to be a foolish and telling statement made on live television regarding the charges against the former president related to the events of January 6th. Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, appeared on both Fox News and Newsmax to assert that Trump had asked then-Vice President Mike Pence to pause the Electoral College voting and allow state legislatures to scrutinize the results before certifying them. Lauro argued that Trump did not obstruct the due process of government or use forceful measures to prevent Pence from going to Capitol Hill.
Lauro’s remarks were characterized by former Justice Department prosecutor Andrew Weissmann as an admission rather than a defense during an appearance on MSNBC. Weissmann explained that when a defense lawyer makes a statement on behalf of their client, it can be considered an admission of guilt. He further suggested that if Trump were to testify, his statement could be used against him during cross-examination. Weissmann expressed his belief that Lauro’s statement on television was a rookie mistake and not a wise move.
The indictment in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the 2020 election alleges that Trump, along with a co-conspirator suspected to be attorney John Eastman, held a meeting with Pence two days prior to the Capitol insurrection. The purpose of the meeting was to convince Pence, based on false claims of election fraud, to reject or return Biden’s electoral votes to the states instead of counting them. Following the dispersal of the rioting mob, the person believed to be Eastman allegedly emailed Pence’s counsel, urging him to consider violating the Electoral Count Act and adjourning for 10 days to allow state legislatures to complete their investigations.
Lawrence O’Donnell, the host of the show, claimed that the clip from Fox News showed Lauro quoting Trump committing a crime. He highlighted that the indictment describes the Trump-Pence meeting as a criminal conspiracy and suggested that Lauro inadvertently uttered the words spoken by Trump. The full video of O’Donnell’s show can be watched below.