New court records suggest that Donald Trump will be momentarily without one of his most loyal and high-profile defense lawyers while he has surgery.
Christopher Kise, a former Florida solicitor general who has won four U.S. Supreme Court decisions, played a crucial role in the former president’s ongoing papers lawsuit and the New York civil fraud case, which Trump is appealing.
Related posts
Kise is scheduled for surgery on Monday, April 29, and will be unavailable until at least May 14, according to a notice filed with the court on Wednesday.
“The attorney’s unavailability may remain during the post-surgery recovery period, which will restrict his ability to work and travel during that time,” it noted.
The petition did not specify the purpose of the surgery or how long Kise’s recovery period would endure.
In the case, Trump faces 40 accusations, including violations of the Espionage Act. He denies them all.
Trump’s other criminal case, known as the “hush money” trial, began last week.
Kise also represented Trump in his three-month civil fraud trial in New York, which concluded on February 16 with a $454 million judgment. Trump is appealing the decision in the case, which he has labeled a “witch hunt.”
The Context
FBI investigators raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in August 2022, recovering boxes containing secret information that authorities claim they were unable to retrieve. Trump sought Kise’s advice days after the raid.
However, we have not yet announced a precise trial date.
Aileen Cannon, the Trump-appointed judge overseeing the case, is currently considering various applications to dismiss the case as the prosecution and defense argue over whether the names of government witnesses can be disclosed.
Todd Blanche leads Trump’s five-person legal team, which includes former federal prosecutor Emil Bove, former Assistant US Attorney Lazaro Fields, and, most recently, Blanche associate Stephen Weiss.
Kise, along with another prominent Trump lawyer, Alina Habba, has been representing the former president in his New York civil fraud lawsuit.
On Monday, Kise helped overcome a challenge from New York Attorney General Letitia James to the legitimacy of Trump’s $175 million bond, which prevents the state from seizing his assets.
During a 20-minute session, Kise battled with the judge, Arthur Engoron, calling his arguments “hypothetical…wildly speculative” and stating of New York prosecutors: “It appears that no matter what we do, they’re going to find fault with it,” according to the Associated Press.
What’s Next?
In a recent update regarding the documents case, Judge Cannon has issued an order for the release of the grand jury testimony of Trump’s co-defendant, his driver Walt Nauta. The testimony will be made available with partial redactions by April 26. It is important to note that Carlos De Oliveira is the other defendant in this case, and both individuals maintain their innocence, denying all charges against them.
