(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump is facing three additional charges in the case that accuses him of illegally possessing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Prosecutors accused the former president of trying to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal evidence,” citing recorded conversations in which Trump allegedly instructed employees to delete surveillance videos.
In an interview with NewsNation host Chris Cuomo, Liz Harrington, spokesperson for Trump, addressed the ongoing legal challenges faced by the former president.
“This is completely one-sided, once again, from a sham indictment that does not actually allege any crimes when you’re talking about the rule of law,” Harrington said. “Because it all falls under the Presidential Records Act.”
Harrington denied the allegations, additionally asserting that Trump had put out a statement on Truth Social saying nothing was deleted.
Harrington accused the Justice Department of corruption and interference in the electoral process, pointing to previous failed attempts to implicate Trump, such as the Russia investigation and the Mueller report.
“Everything that they’ve tried to whip up against President Trump has fallen apart,” she said.
Trump now faces a total of 40 criminal counts in the case.
To hear Trump tell it, taking and withholding classified documents was perfectly consistent with federal law.
“Under the Presidential Records Act — which is civil, not criminal — I had every right to have these documents,” Trump claimed in June.
But legal experts say Trump’s description of the law — which isn’t mentioned in the charges against him — is a flagrant misreading of the law.
Despite the legal challenges, Trump maintains a strong position in polls.
Harrington emphasized the importance of Trump’s policies, such as securing the border, reducing crime and achieving energy independence, which she characterized as traditional conservative values.
‘The American people are smart,” she said. “And they have an innate sense of fairness and justice. And they can see that this is an injustice. They know that the corrupt Justice Department is just going after President Trump meddling in this election to try to influence the 2024 election.”
While some suggested that legal controversies could hinder Trump on the debate stage, Harrington dismissed the idea.
“The reason why he’s thinking about not going is because why would he?” she said. “He’s up by 50 points.”
Harrington argued Trump’s popularity was surging, making the prospect of debates unnecessary.
“Why would he go to a network that has been propping up an opponent for months now?” she said. “It just doesn’t really make sense.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
