2023-06-14 00:45:11
Former President Donald J. Trump denied in federal court in Miami on Tuesday that he risked revealing defense secrets and obstructing justice by taking classified documents with him when he left the White House. Mr Trump, who faces 37 criminal charges in the case, has pleaded not guilty through his attorney.
Trump arrived at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in downtown Miami from its neighboring Doral complex as many media and supporters watched. In a surreal scene, he was booked and escorted to a 13th-floor courtroom, where he sat with his arms crossed at the defense table. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman read the indictment and asked Mr Trump how he wanted to plead. “We are most definitely entering a not guilty plea,” said Todd Blanche, one of Mr Trump’s lawyers.
Message received. I can help you rewrite this text into an article. Here is a rewritten version of the first paragraph: Trump denies endangering defense secrets by taking classified documents Miami – Former President Donald J. Trump denied in Miami federal court on Tuesday that he risked revealing secrets of defense and obstructed justice by taking classified documents with him when he left the White House. Mr Trump, who faces 37 criminal charges in the case, has pleaded not guilty through his attorney. Mr. Trump arrived at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in downtown Miami from his nearby Doral complex, as many media and supporters looked on. In a surreal scene, he was booked and escorted to a 13th-floor courtroom, where he sat with his arms crossed at the defense table. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman read the indictment and asked Mr Trump how he wanted to plead. “We are most definitely entering a not guilty plea,” said Todd Blanche, one of Mr Trump’s lawyers.
Trump is the first former president to be indicted in a classified documents case. He is accused of taking boxes containing secret documents with him when he left the White House in January 2021, and refusing to return them to the government despite repeated requests from the FBI and federal prosecutors. He is also accused of lying to investigators and trying to hide the documents with the help of his personal assistant, Walt Nauta.
Nauta, who is also charged in the case, appeared before Judge Goodman but did not plead guilty. His lawyer has asked for two weeks to find a local lawyer who can represent him. Judge Goodman ordered Mr. Trump and Mr. Nauta not to discuss the case with each other or with witnesses, except through their attorneys.
Message received. Here is a rewritten version of the second paragraph: Mr. Trump is the first former president to be indicted in a classified documents case. He is accused of taking boxes containing secret documents with him when he left the White House in January 2021, and refusing to return them to the government despite repeated requests from the FBI and federal prosecutors. He is also accused of lying to investigators and trying to hide the documents with the help of his personal assistant, Walt Nauta. Mr Nauta, who is also charged in this case, appeared before Judge Goodman but did not plead guilty. His lawyer has asked for two weeks to find a local lawyer who can represent him. Judge Goodman ordered Mr. Trump and Mr. Nauta not to discuss the case with each other or with witnesses, except through their lawyers.
Mr. Trump’s case was assigned to Judge Aileen M. Cannon, who had previously handled a complaint by Mr. Trump against the FBI’s search of his Florida estate and club, Mar-a-Lago. Judge Cannon, who was appointed by Mr. Trump, sided with Mr. Trump in the case, but her decision was overturned by an appeals court that harshly criticized his legal reasoning.
Trump was represented in court by Christopher M. Kise, a former solicitor general from Florida, and Mr. Blanche, a prominent defense attorney from New York. His legal team has seen changes since two other lawyers representing him resigned shortly after the indictment was issued. The special counsel assigned to the case, Jack Smith, was also present at the hearing.
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