On Thursday, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) announced that he will begin investigating the alleged intimidation tactics utilized by the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing two different prosecutions of former President Donald Trump.
As reported by Just The News, the decision was sparked after Jordan learned of an incident in which Smith’s office allegedly tried to entice an attorney representing one of the defendants in the classified documents case against Trump, in an effort to force him to convince his client to cooperate with the prosecution.
“Last year, Jay Bratt—one of your senior prosecutors and top aides—allegedly improperly pressured Stanley Woodward, a lawyer representing a defendant indicted by you, by implying that the Administration would look more favorably on Mr. Woodward’s candidacy for a judgeship if Mr. Woodward’s client cooperated with the Office of the Special Counsel,” said Jordan, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, in a statement. “This attempt to inappropriately coerce Mr. Woodward raises serious concerns about the abusive tactics of the Office of the Special Counsel and the Department’s commitment to its mission to uphold the rule of law and ensure impartial justice.”
Woodward is the lawyer for Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran who served as President Trump’s butler in the White House and has continued to serve him since he left office. Nauta has pleaded not guilty and has refused to cooperate with prosecutors.
“When Mr. Woodward arrived” for a meeting with Bratt, Jordan continued, “Mr. Bratt threatened him that Mr. Nauta should cooperate ‘because he had given potentially conflicting testimony that could result in a false statement.’ Mr. Bratt commented that he did not take Mr. Woodward as a ‘Trump guy’ and indicated that he was confident that Mr. Woodward ‘would do the right thing.'”
“Mr. Bratt referenced Mr. Woodward’s pending application for a judgeship on the D.C. superior court, implying that the Biden Administration would perceive Mr. Woodward’s application more favorably if Mr. Nauta was a cooperating witness for the Special Counsel against President Trump,” Jordan revealed.
Following this meeting, Bratt filed a motion claiming a conflict of interest due to Woodward simultaneously representing Nauta and other witnesses with interests that might possibly compete with each other. Woodward also represented Yuscil Taveras, the IT worker at Mar-a-Lago who has also been charged in the classified documents case, and has agreed to work with the prosecution.
Jordan pointed out that Brat had filed his motion only after Woodward had decided to cut off any further contact with the Department of Justice (DOJ), unless his client is either charged or given an immunity deal. Jordan has asked Smith and his office to hand over any and all documents related to his office’s communications with Woodward, as well as any internal communication about him, and anything relevant to Woodward’s judgeship application.