OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Trump attorney and spokeswoman Alina Habba has been removed from a case involving a former Trump Organization ranking official, according to a Tuesday report.
Citing an April 7 court filing, Newsweek reported that Habba “has been replaced by her ‘dear friend’ Armen Morian as the attorney representing Allen Weisselberg, a former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, in an ongoing legal case.”
In addition to Habba, Morian is another longstanding legal associate of former President Donald Trump.
On April 7, Weisselberg submitted a notice to change attorneys form to Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over the civil fraud case brought against Donald Trump and some of his associates by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In remarks to Newsweek, Habba said the change was agreed upon mutually, confirming that she departed on good terms and described Morian as “a dear friend.”
Habba said the change in Weisselberg’s representation was mutually agreed confirming they’d departed on good terms, and described Morian as “a dear friend.”
Referring to their respective law firms, Habba Madaio & Associates LLP and Morian Law PLLC, the filing stated: “IT IS HEREBY CONSENTED THAT MORIAN Law PLLC, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10165, be substituted as counsel of record for Defendant, Allen Weisselberg, in place and stead of Habba Madaio & Associates LLP, 112 West 34th St, 17th & 18th Floors, New York, NY 10120.”
Habba and Morian both signed the document.
In an interview last week with Newsmax TV’s Rob Schmitt, lawyer Habba alleged that there is a “coordinated effort” between officials in the Democratic super-majority state and the Biden administration to legally hamstring the current president’s political rival.
Habba has also accused U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland of being the “puppeteer” behind President Biden’s Justice Department. She claims that the Department is working with Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office to revive the case against Trump, which had been dropped five years ago by the federal Southern District Of New York.
“[Garland’s] the puppeteer, effectively, and so is the current president, or resident, as I call him, in the White House. Truly, there is obviously a coordinated effort. There’s no question about that,” Habba told Schmitt.
“Back in the day, this case was looked at, it was investigated, charges were not brought. Indictments were not made because they knew the case was not real,” Habba said. “Then [Trump] ran for office. They bring the charges. If you look at that timeline alone, I wanna know how they’re gonna wipe this story away because it speaks volumes. You didn’t bring the charges. You said there was no story.”
Trump was still president when the Southern District opted not to pursue charges.
“And then he runs for office, and they bring an indictment on this case,” Habba added. “And that case that’s going forward in April is another disgrace and shows the demise of the state of New York, which I used to love.”
Meanwhile, Bragg has appointed Matthew Colangelo, a former senior official in Biden’s Department of Justice, as an assistant district attorney.
“It’s disgusting. Just look at the White House log,” Habba said. “If anybody wants to tell me something’s not coordinated, explain to me why a state official, who is supposed to be elected by their state and work for their state constituents, is now working with the White House administration.
“It makes no sense,” she added.
WATCH:
Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, this week declined Trump’s request to postpone the start of the former president’s criminal trial in Manhattan.
Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records that he says were intended to hide hush money payments made to hide the reality of his extramarital affairs.
The former president entered a not-guilty plea on every charge. Trump has attempted to postpone the criminal charges against him despite being indicted in four different jurisdictions.
