Trump lawyers meet with special counsel in Jan. 6 case ahead of possible indictment

Thursday, July 27, 2023
WASHINGTON (KABC) -- Lawyers for former President Donald Trump met Thursday morning with special counsel Jack Smith's team as a potential indictment of the former president looms, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Posting later on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that "No indication of notice was given" during the meeting regarding a pending indictment.
[Ads /]
Trump attorneys John Lauro and Todd Blanche met with Smith's team following the receipt of a target letter alerting Trump he is a target of the special counsel's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Trump's attorneys met with Smith's team to make a case for why he shouldn't be indicted. Their meeting lasted an hour, sources told ABC News.

This investigation centers around the months when Trump had refused to accept the election loss to President Joe Biden.

The turmoil led to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.



This is the latest legal challenge facing the former president.
[Ads /]
Last month, Trump was charged by Smith's team with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving the presidency.

On Thursday, it was announced Trump and two others are facing additional charges in Smith's investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents.

RELATED: Trump, aide face additional charges in classified documents case as 3rd defendant is added

The charges came in a superseding indictment returned by a grand jury in the Southern District of Florida that adds one defendant and four charges to the prior indictment filed against Trump and aide Walt Nauta.

The new charges include allegations involving the handling of surveillance footage and charges related to Trump's unauthorized possession of a document that he was previously heard discussing on an audio recording.



In March, Trump was indicted in New York on charges of falsifying business records connected to hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

No former or current president had ever been indicted prior to Trump's being charged in the hush money case.
[Ads /]
Smith was appointed in November by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving the presidency.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing and claims the probes are a political witch hunt.

ABC News contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.