Former President Donald Trump’s criminal defense team is already prepared to defend his indictment.
In an interview aired Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Trump attorney Joe Tacopina claimed that he expects to file to dismiss the allegations against his client.
“We will take the indictment. We will dissect it. The team will look at every, every potential issue that we will be able to challenge, and we will challenge,” he added.
“And of course, I very much anticipate a motion to dismiss coming because there’s no law that fits this.”
The allegations against Trump are sealed and will stay so until Tuesday, when he is set to be arraigned.
It is believed that the accusations come from alleged breaches of campaign finance law involving payments made to pornographic performer Stormy Daniels.
Tacopina claimed that the defense team will not seek dismissal at the arraignment since doing so would be “showmanship.”
Before requesting a complete dismissal, Trump’s defense team would evaluate the legal basis behind the allegations, according to the attorney.
The attorney said that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is likely to prosecute Trump for breaches of federal campaign finance law – allegations that federal officials have not attempted to bring against him.
The allegations against Trump were denounced by Tacopina as a biased abuse of power.
“Whether you sit on the right or the left or you’re a supporter or detractor of Donald Trump, this should really bother you,” he added, according to the interview transcript.
“This should really shake the core of what we believe our justice system should be about. It should not be weaponized to go after political opponents.”
The timing of the accusations, according to Tacopina, marked “a day that, in my opinion, the rule of law in the United States has died.”
BREAKING: @realDonaldTrump's lawyer Joe Tacopina's interview with @CNN @DanaBashCNN on the indictment in NYC. WATCH pic.twitter.com/mDaYWIGgrl
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) April 2, 2023
It is rare for Trump to be charged with a crime.
A past president has never been prosecuted or convicted of a crime.
According to the transcript, Tacopina reiterated that Trump will plead not guilty on Tuesday.
“[W]e will very loudly and proudly say ‘not guilty,’” he said.