Special counsel Jack Smith’s recent plea deal with Mar-a-Lago IT expert Yuscil Taveras may be the catalyst that prompts more of Donald Trump’s close allies to turn against him, according to a statement by former White House ethics expert Norm Eisen during a CNN discussion on Wednesday.
Taveras, who allegedly received instructions from property manager Carlos de Oliveira to destroy certain surveillance footage, is directly linked to the classified documents case. Oliveira, alongside Trump and his aide Walt Nauta, has been indicted in connection with this, according to the Raw Story.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer posed the question on everyone’s mind: “Could this plea deal encourage other co-defendants linked to Trump to negotiate with the prosecution, potentially receiving leniency or even avoiding charges?”
Drawing on his three decades of experience representing criminal defendants, Eisen expressed surprise that both Nauta and Oliveira haven’t yet made any moves to cooperate. He noted their unwavering loyalty to the former president. But, Eisen highlighted that Taveras’s deal might just be the “first domino” to set off a chain reaction among other involved parties.
While discussing the advantageous terms of Taveras’s plea deal, Eisen added, “Others may not be as fortunate as Taveras in striking a deal. He’s simply cooperating without any sanctions.”