Trump Hires ‘Additional Firepower’ for Legal Defense As Arraignment Looms

Todd Blanche, a white-collar defense attorney, has been hired to be part of Trump’s legal team ahead of his arraignment Tuesday, according to Fox News Digital. A source informed the conservative corporate outlet that Blanche’s hire was intended to bring “additional firepower” to Trump’s legal team.

Mr. Blanche previously represented Paul Manafort, who was Trump’s former campaign chairman, in court. Mr. Manafort was charged and pleaded guilty to foreign lobbying, witness tampering, tax fraud, and conspiracy. Mr. Manafort previously worked in Ukraine as a consultant to the Party of Regions party which represented Russian Ukrainians and was in power until the Maiden Revolution in 2014. Mr. Manaford was sentenced to serve prison time after his conviction.

Some internet personalities have expressed their disapproval of this hire. Mark Groubert, a reporter, screenwriter, and co-host of America’s Untold Stories series, took to Twitter to sarcastically write “Blanche did a GREAT job with Manafort case. Jeesh.”

Trump hires new defense attorney on eve of NYC arraignment https://t.co/p28VBWqUTU #FoxNews
Blanche did a GREAT job with Manafort case. Jeesh.

— Mark Groubert (@lordbuckly) April 3, 2023

Richard Baris, an accomplished pollster and political pundit, suggested the former president should hire Alan Dershowitz. He wrote that “Hiring @AlanDersh, is a no-brainer here.”

Hiring @AlanDersh, is a no-brainer here. https://t.co/VnRdfNro85

— Rich Baris "The People's Pundit" (@Peoples_Pundit) April 3, 2023

Mr. Dershowitz has been an active defender of Mr. Trump even though he disagrees with the former president politically. Dershowitz has referred to this whole process of prosecuting Mr. Trump as “banana republic time” and has compared the political prosecutions to how Southern prosecutors used to go after civil rights advocates.

Mr. Dershowitz recently tweeted out that “Trump comes to NY to face injustice.”

Trump comes to NY to face injustice. Watch the Dershow on RUMBLE. Stay tuned this week for all the developments. We should get the indictments tomorrow. Leave comments and questions in the chat. https://t.co/k7okfbE0ff

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) April 3, 2023

Zerohedge reports that Trump’s legal team has already made known what its first motions to the court would be since news of the arraignment hit. Joseph Tacopina, another member of Trump’s legal team, announced yesterday that he plans to file “a host of motions…including…a motion to dismiss based on selective prosecution and prosecutorial misconduct.” He also announced that the defense team will consider filing a motion to change venue after seeing the indictment.

WATCH: Democrat Lawmaker Triggered by Marjorie Taylor Greene at Trump Indictment Protest

The judge, Juan Merchan, overseeing the Trump case does not exactly inspire confidence in his ability to be impartial. Trump accuses Mr. Merchan of being “highly partisan…a well known Trump hater…an unfair disaster on previous Trump related case” in a post on Truth Social.

Robert Barnes, a civil rights attorney, also notes the judge’s record with concern as well as a record of judge shipping by anti-Trump prosecutors.

Mr. Barnes back in 2019 noted this phenomenon of a judge’s adverse appearance in all major trials relating to Trump affiliates. He wrote “How did the SAME federal judge in a district of 21 judges manage to get “randomly assigned” the email case, the Manafort case and the #RogerStone case? By the flagrant misuse of “related case” listing from team #Mueller to make sure their deferential Obama-appointed judge oversaw.”

How did the SAME federal judge in a district of 21 judges manage to get "randomly assigned" the email case, the Manafort case and the #RogerStone case? By the flagrant misuse of "related case" listing from team #Mueller to make sure their deferential Obama-appointed judge oversaw

— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) February 1, 2019

More recently Mr. Barnes emphasized that previous statement by writing “#TrumpIndictment assigned to judge known for his bias against Trump. Prosecutor likely the source of such rigged judicial assignment through something called “related case” notices which would be an abuse of prosecutorial power. Recusal should be sought of Judge & prosecutor.”

In effect, Mr. Bragg, the Manhattan DA overseeing the indictment, stands accused of going judge shopping in order to find the most biased judge to help him convict Mr. Trump on his weak case.

One can hope that Mr. Trump’s legal team is fit for the task at hand.