Trump attorney: Manhattan trial, DC indictment must be dismissed after immunity, documents rulings

Former President Trump’s lead attorney in his Manhattan and Florida legal cases says all of Trump’s criminal charges should be dismissed after a Florida federal judge said prosecutors acted improperly in their special counsel appointment, and after the Supreme Court issued its broad ruling on presidential immunity.

Attorney Todd Blanche told Hugh Hewitt in a radio interview Tuesday that Trump’s criminal hush money conviction should be thrown out because prosecutors used evidence that violated the Supreme Court’s concept of presidential immunity established in a ruling last month.

“Look, the Supreme Court unequivocally said that a president, not just President Trump, but any president is entitled to a significant immunity when it comes to his job,” Blanche said. “And there was some key testimony that was offered by the people … that is absolutely immune and never should have been said to anybody, much less to a jury in Manhattan.”

“And so we, this conviction, in our view, should have never happened in the first place,” he continued. “But just under the Supreme Court’s decision, it should be dismissed, in our view, immediately.”

Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business documents in May, in relation to claims that he illegally covered up hush money payments made to hide an alleged past affair. Trump’s legal team, led by Blanche, has filed an appeal to the conviction.

Blanche also lauded the recent dismissal of Trump’s classified documents case in Florida. Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Monday that special counsel Jack Smith was appointed improperly, making his prosecution invalid. The ruling was broadly criticized as unfounded by legal experts and will be appealed.

“Yesterday was a phenomenal day for the rule of law, in my view, for President Trump, for his family, for Walt Nauta, for Carlos, you know, the other defendants that were charged,” Blanche said, referring to Trump staffers.

“[Jack Smith] has not been nominated by the president,” Blanche said. “He has not been confirmed by the Senate. And we have a United States Constitution. And the United States Constitution says you cannot do that.”

Trump also faces a second federal prosecution by Smith over his alleged actions surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, as well as a Georgia state criminal case over alleged election interference. Both have been brought into question after the Supreme Court immunity ruling.