Chris Kise, Florida former solicitor general who served on Transition Gov. Ron DeSantis teamsigned to represent Donald Trump in in criminal case which resulted in in FBI search of in former presidential home in Mar-a-Lago, according to two sources with knowledge of discussion.
kise, who declined to commentnegotiations began with Trump shortly after the FBI raid of his estate in Palm Beach, August 8. A lot others criminal defense lawyers said they could not represent former the president in Southern District of Florida, referring to the all-consuming work of represents Trump or his reputation like a stingy troubled customer with a history of presence of competing advisors who backstab one another, according to five people with knowledge of legal efforts.
Other lawyers declined because their firms wanted to avoid political backlash of representing such a disconnected figure, according to those in Trump Orbit who say it Kise is thinking about leaving the firm of Foley and Lardner, where he briefly represented Venezuela. government two years ago, when hostilities with The United States fled to get to work.
Kise has won four cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and many cases in the Florida Supreme Court, and he also It has reputation like a skilled political fighter with a knife. Last few days of 2018 Governor’s raceKise widely publicized damaging information about Democrat Andrew Gillum secretly accepting free Broadway tickets show “Hamilton” from undercover FBI agents, in violation of Florida ethics laws. gillum, who denied wrongdoing, went on almost lost to DeSantis and was accused earlier of doing so year after an FBI investigation.
“Chris is a 360-degree lawyer: appellate, civil, criminal state and federal – he can do it all,” he said. former Florida Senator George LeMieux who was the boss of staff to then Attorney General of the Republic Charlie Crist in 2003 when office appointed Kise as public attorney general.
Brian Ballard, lead lobbyist and fundraiser for Trump and DeSantis told NBC News that “Chris is not only my friend, he one of the best lawyers i have ever met met. His unique experience perfect for help [former] President Trump.”
Ballard also was the main fundraiser in 2006 for DeSantis current political Opponent, who now in Democratic Party and is a member of US house. After Christ left governor’s mansion, kise went on advise transition team for his successor as Republican governor, Rick Scott, and advised DeSantis on the transition after he succeeded Scott.
Kise’s hiring comes at a crucial moment for Trump. His legal representation was widely derided in recent weeks for suggesting baseless conspiracy theories that the FBI planted evidence during a search on the deceased and unconventional way he filed a lawsuit for a special master review some of the documents that were seized in Search.
But despite mockeryTrump-appointed federal judge agreed to hear special master issue Thursday when Kise is expected to appear in Federal Court West Palm Beach for in first time as Trump’s lawyer.
“I wish nothing except best for Kise but hope is not strategy when it comes to work for Trump. I hope he has good contract,” he said. one advocate who represented former president, but not want talk on record because of political implications of crossing it.
Kise’s exact name is unclear. Boris Epstein continues to be Trump’s top legal adviser and de facto in-house counsel who helped hire lawyers Jim Trusty and Evan Corcoran.
During the course of a year, a case that began as a dispute over records with The National Archives turned into a full blown up criminal investigation that led to an unprecedented search and seizure by the FBI of numerous secret documents and secret records. Trump claims the search was unreasonable and it was legal in possession of documents, and defense argued by many legal experts.
Trusty and Corcoran who no need live in Florida is expected to remain on in team for now, but those who understand that legal prosecutions involving classified and confidential records say that Trump may need specialized counsel habitual with criminal cases involving classified documents, if charged.
