'Shouting match' erupts between lawyers at Trump's classified docs hearing: report
A "shouting match" erupted Wednesday during a hearing in former President Donald Trump's ongoing classified documents case, according to a new report.
The Florida federal courtroom devolved into chaos as lawyers grew increasingly upset over a defense attorney's contested claim he'd been threatened by a prosecutor, according to the Independent.
The argument centered on a previous meeting between prosecutor Jay Bratt and Trump-funded attorney Stanley Woodward, who represents the former president's co-defendant and body man, Walt Nauta, according to the report.
While Woodward has claimed Bratt threatened his potential nomination to a judgeship in violation of Justice department policy, special counsel Jack Smith has argued in court filings unsealed last month that the story doesn't add up.
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"The allegations told an implausible, if not ludicrous tale," Smith replied in April, "in which a career prosecutor who had served the Department with distinction for more than 30 years concocted a plan to threaten an attorney."
For his part, Woodward claims Bratt mentioned a potential nomination to the D.C. Superior Court then said, "I wouldn't want you to do anything to mess that up."
In his reply, Smith noted the alleged threat took place in August 2022, about nine months before Woodward raised any complaint.
Wednesday's hearing was scheduled to allow Nauta's legal team to make their argument that Smith's team had vindictively and selectively charged him, according to the report.
Trump-appointee Judge Aileen Cannon did not immediately issue a ruling on that particular issue, CNN reports.
This is one of four criminal court cases facing the former president, who is currently standing trial in New York City on charges he falsified business records to conceal hush money payments ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in each of these cases.