Former federal prosecutor: 'Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe' Trump legal claims
Former federal prosecutor Neal Katyal disparaged former President Trump’s legal claims on why he should not be prosecuted, “Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe” Trump's defense.
The former Principal Deputy Solicitor General under President Obama scrutinized Trump’s arguments on why he should not face prosecution in a hush-money payment case where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, during a Thursday appearance on MSNBC.
“Altogether, chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe these claims,” Katyal told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell. “These are claims that the guy can’t see straight. I mean, in what constitution on Earth would permit that seven-fold kind of argument for absolute impunity? It’s a recipe for disaster.”
Earlier Thursday, Judge Juan Merchan rejected Trump’s request to dismiss all 34 counts in the hush-money case related to paying adult film star Stormy Daniels.
It's the latest development in one of four cases in which the former president is under indictment. He faces one federal indictment and one in Georgia for election interference related to the 2020 presidential election. He also faces a federal indictment over the mishandling of classified records.
Katyal went through the former president’s seven tiers of arguments against the prosecution during his MSNBC appearance.
Before he was in the Oval Office, Trump lied and hid his crimes, Katyal argued. When elected into office, he claimed he could not be indicted for his past crimes while he was in the White House. Katyal then said Trump “committed more crimes in office,” and used the immunity argument. He then committed crimes to remain in office and said “I can’t be prosecuted while I’m president," Katyal claimed.
“Then, sixth, he leaves office and he’s prosecuted,” Katyal continued. “And he says, “I can’t be prosecuted because I was president at the time and I’m absolutely immune for acts I took while I was president at the time.”
“And then, seventh, finally, for acts for when he wasn’t president, he’s now saying he can’t be prosecuted for those either… because he’s running for president again and is a presidential candidate.”
When Katyal wrapped up his breakdown of Trump’s arguments, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell said the former president's arguments sounded "unreasonable."
“Well, gee, Neal, when you put it that way, it sounds kind of unreasonable,” O’Donnell said.