A marathon day of proceedings in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case took a dramatic turn when a morning hearing in front of Judge Aileen Cannon devolved into a shouting match among attorneys. In the afternoon, a series of arguments led the judge to question whether the case’s legal complexities might be too challenging for jurors to grasp.
The contentious exchanges began during a morning proceeding in Fort Pierce, Florida, scheduled for Walt Nauta, one of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants. Nauta was set to argue that special counsel Jack Smith’s team had selectively and vindictively charged him. However, the hearing quickly shifted focus to a longstanding dispute over an August 2022 meeting between prosecutor Jay Bratt and Nauta’s defense attorney, Stanley Woodward. Woodward has alleged in court that Bratt tried to pressure him into persuading Nauta to cooperate against Trump by threatening to influence a potential judgeship nomination. Judge Cannon did not rule on Nauta’s motion to dismiss the case on these grounds.
In the afternoon session, Cannon heard a motion from all three defendants claiming the indictment had technical flaws warranting dismissal of the charges. Cannon expressed skepticism about these arguments and raised concerns about a jury’s ability to understand the case’s legal intricacies during a trial.
“Real people have to decide these issues,” Cannon remarked.
Prosecutor Accuses Defense Attorney of Making a ‘Garbage Argument’
Nauta claims he was criminally charged in retaliation for refusing to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents at his estate.
“I had been recommended for a judgeship, that’s beyond dispute,” Woodward stated on Wednesday. “There was a folder about defense counsel on the table” during the meeting, he said, alleging Bratt referenced that judgeship recommendation.
Woodward claimed the implication was clear: he needed to convince Nauta to cooperate, or face consequences.
Prosecutor David Harbach countered, accusing Woodward of “procedural gamesmanship” and making a “garbage argument” about the meeting. Harbach vehemently denied Woodward’s account, calling it a “fantasy” and banging his hand on the lectern for emphasis. “It did not happen,” Harbach insisted.
Heated Proceedings Amid Other Legal Battles
The heated proceedings occurred as the Manhattan hush money case against Trump nears its conclusion and pretrial activity begins anew in the federal classified documents prosecution in Florida. The hearing was the first before Cannon since she indefinitely delayed the trial, which had been set to begin this week. It has been over a month since the judge last held a public, in-person hearing in the case, though at least one sealed proceeding has occurred since then.
Trump is charged with taking classified national defense documents from the White House after leaving office and resisting government efforts to retrieve them. Trump, Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira have all pleaded not guilty.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Harbach criticized Woodward for waiting months to report the alleged incident and for repeatedly changing his account of the conversation.