WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump were meeting with Justice Department officials on Monday as a decision nears on whether to bring charges over the handling of classified documents at the former president’s Florida estate.
The Trump lawyers two weeks ago requested a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland to raise concerns about what they alleged was prosecutorial misconduct and overreach by the team led by special counsel Jack Smith. But a defense attorney meeting with Justice Department officials is also often used as an opportunity to try to persuade them against bringing criminal charges.
A CBS News reporter posted a photo on Twitter of Trump’s lawyers entering the Justice Department headquarters in Washington. It was not immediately clear who the lawyers were meeting with.
The investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago is believed to be near its end, with a charging decision likely soon. Prosecutors have placed a broad cross section of witnesses, including lawyers for Trump and close aides, before a grand jury.
