Former President Trump pleaded not guilty at a Miami federal courthouse, yesterday, to 37 federal felony counts related to his alleged refusal to hand over classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Trump made his first appearance in court for the case in Miami and pleaded not guilty. The former president did not speak directly to the judge, as his lawyer entered the not guilty plea in the courtroom.
Trump was indicted, last week, on the 37 counts by Special Counsel, Jack Smith. The FBI seized 102 documents from Trump with classification markings in August.
Alina Habba, one of former President Trump’s lawyers, said the indictment of her client is “the type of thing you see in dictatorships.”
“We are at a turning point in our nation’s history,” Habba said outside the Miami federal courthouse, where Trump appeared at 3:00 p.m.
“The targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships, like Cuba and Venezuela. It is commonplace there for rival candidates to be prosecuted, persecuted and put into jail.”
Trump was indicted last week on 37 federal counts resulting from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his alleged retention and refusal to turn over classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Habba argued the indictment of Trump shows a double standard in the justice system, where Democrats, such as Hillary Clinton and President Biden, have yet to be similarly prosecuted for mishandling of classified material.
None of them were president, who as the head and sole member of the executive branch, has the power to summarily declassify documents,” Habba said.
“The decision to pursue charges against President Trump, while turning a blind eye to others, is emblematic of the corruption that we have here.”
The 2024 presidential frontrunner turned himself in to the federal court, yesterday. The indictment accuses Trump of failing to comply with demands to return classified documents — including plans for a retaliatory attack on an unnamed foreign power — that he had gathered in Mar-a-Lago. Other documents detail defense and weapons capabilities of the U.S. and details of the U.S. nuclear programme.
“The unauthorised disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods,” the indictment said.
It also accused him of storing the documents in a bathroom and other places at the residence, and of even bragging and showing off the documents to visitors. In one instance, he is said to have told people about a document, “as president, I could have declassified it,” and,
“Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret.”
Trump arrived at the courthouse amid a circus outside the building, where protesters and supporters gathered. He dismissed the charges as politically motivated by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice.
“On my way to courthouse. Witch-hunt!!! Maga,” Trump posted on Truth Social, as his motorcade rode on the highway.
