Attorneys representing former president Donald Trump are reportedly in contact with the Justice Department in hopes of shielding conversations with his former advisers from the criminal probe into his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
According to CNN, Mr Trump’s lawyers have had “direct communication” with prosecutors with the Washington, DC US Attorney’s office who are working under Thomas Windom, the federal prosecutor overseeing cases related to January 6.
The talks between the Trump legal team and the DOJ have so far been focused on whether Mr Trump may use executive privilege — a legal doctrine that protects communications between and among a president and his close advisers — to keep a grand jury from hearing about conversations he had with his former White House aides.
Earlier this week, multiple news outlets reported that one of the two Washington, DC grand juries investigating January 6 has issued subpoenas to two of Mr Trump’s former White House lawyers, ex-White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his former deputy, Patrick Philbin.
Both Mr Cipollone and Mr Philbin opposed Mr Trump’s myriad schemes to keep himself in power despite losing the 2020 election, and witnesses who’ve testified before the House January 6 select committee have said both attorneys strenuously opposed Mr Trump’s plan to accompany a riotous mob of his supporters to the Capitol on the day of the attack.
Mr Trump’s legal team has also reportedly informed him that he could face indictments as a result of his push to overturn the 2020 election and remain in the White House against the wishes of American voters.
The former president could also face criminal charges arising from an investigation led by the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney’s office, which is focused on his attempt to pressure Georgia election officials to “find” enough non-existent votes to reverse Joe Biden’s 2020 election win in the Peach State.