- Alina Hubba said she declined to represent Donald Trump in the E. Gene Carroll rape allegation, according to court filings.
- But Trump’s new attorney, Joe Tacopina, told an insider that she would stay.
- Hubba told an insider that she remains committed to Trump.
donald trump’s Trusted Attorney Alina Habba Her legal partner, Michael Madaio, said she plans to decline to represent the former president in the pending rape lawsuit against him. Court filings show.
The correspondence stems from a lawsuit filed by author E. Gene Carroll alleging that Trump raped her in the changing rooms of the Bergdorf Goodman department store in the 1990s. On Tuesday, defense attorney Joe Tacopina will join Trump’s legal team heading into a possible trial, court records show.
Attorney Roberta Kaplan, representing Carroll, said: said in a letter on Tuesday Hubba’s office “told us that they intended to drop this case, leaving Mr. Tacopina as sole attorney.”
In an interview with Insider Wednesday, Tacopina said Hubba and Madaio had “not dropped the lawsuit” and that Kaplan was “under the wrong impression.”
“I can’t take her place,” Tacopina said. “I am attending as lead counsel to hear the case.”
In a statement provided to the insider, Hubba told the insider that he was dedicated to representing Trump in court.
Hubba told the insider, “While I appreciate attempts by the left-wing media to fabricate every story to fit their own narrative, I am very happy that Joe is stepping in and helping me.” has handled half a dozen cases for the President, and I am the only person in the President’s room other than the President’s family.”
Tacopina’s hiring comes two weeks after a federal judge in Florida. Licensed Hubba and Tramp In another case, they fined them $1 million.
In that Florida lawsuit, Trump conspired with Hillary Clinton, then-FBI Director James Comey, and a number of Democratic Party officials to launch a Justice Department investigation into his Russian ties, which would lead to the 2016 election. Trump won the 2016 election.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks dismissed the action, Blamed Trump and Hubba For “using the court as a stage for political drama and grievances.”
Following the sanctions order, Habba dropped another lawsuit pending before the same Florida judge alleging New York Attorney General Letitia James targeted Trump for political reasons.James is suing Trump and the Trump Organization in New York state court $250 millionthey claimed to have committed financial fraud by lying about property values to evade taxes.
Habba also represents Trump in a New York Attorney General’s case, but it’s not going well: James seek sanctions against her In response to the Attorney General’s “meritless” response to the lawsuit, The Trump Organization claims it doesn’t actually exist as a legal entity It’s just a branding shorthand. The judge overseeing the case previously held Trump in contempt of court for refusing to sit down for a deposition.
Hubba did not appear in court Wednesday morning for a hearing on James’ sanctions allegations. Her legal partner, Madaio, refused to explain why she did not attend.
“She couldn’t be here,” Madaio told an insider.
Former President Donald Trump is sitting for depositions in the New York Attorney General’s case.
insider
Carroll has filed two lawsuits against Trump.Trump made no changes to his legal team in Carroll’s initial lawsuit. Currently being decided Whether to advance the suit. Trump’s attorneys and the Justice Department are fighting to remove Trump as a defendant under federal law that prevents public officials from being personally sued for conduct on the job.
Changes in Trump’s legal team Carroll’s Second Lawsuit, where writers accuse Trump of rape.Experienced with Tacopina high profile caseHe has represented the Washington Commanders NFL team and Natalie Holloway’s murder suspect, Joran Van Der Sloat, and has worked with high-profile clients such as A-Rod, rapper Meek Mill, and A$AP Rocky.
Although it is common for litigants to hire new attorneys as the case moves to trial, it always means that the previous attorney withdraws from the case or cedes the position of lead counsel to someone else. It does not mean that
Taposina said the facts at issue in both of Carroll’s lawsuits were identical, and he may end up defending both lawsuits.
“At the end of the day, it’s the same terrible trial, right? It’s whether or not this happened,” Tacopina told an insider.
Lawyer Roberta Kaplan, representing Carol, wrote: letter filed in court on Tuesday “This last-minute replacement of attorneys is another tactic to try to slow down the process.”
Habba denied trying to slow the case, but requested a meeting with the judge to discuss “schedule-related issues,” she replied.
Correction: February 1, 2023 — An earlier headline in this article stated that Alina Hubba planned to decline to defend Donald Trump in the E. Gene Carroll rape case after Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan was not attributed to The story is also supplemented by comments from her Joe Tacopina disputing claims that Habba is planning to withdraw.
Laura Italiano contributed to the report.
