Former Trump Aid Calls B.S. On Foreign Agent Accusation

Written By BlabberBuzz | Wednesday, 21 July 2021 11:45 PM
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Former Trump Aid Calls B.S. On Foreign Agent Accusation

Tom Barrack, a former Trump adviser, has been accused of trying to influence foreign policy while Former President Trump was running for office in 2016 and after being elected president.

The 74-year-old investment firm founder served as a key adviser to the former US president's 2016 campaign, and was considered a top fundraiser.

Barrack, who served as Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee chair, was arrested and charged on Tuesday with being an agent of the United Arab Emirates between April 2016 and April 2018. A spokesman for Mr Barrack said he planned to plead not guilty.

He is the latest ex-Trump official to face federal charges.

Also charged in the seven-count indictment were two other defendants: Matthew Grimes and a UAE citizen, Rashid Al Malik, who is still at large.

The three men are accused of seeking to advance the interests of the UAE government both by influencing Trump officials and through media appearances.

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Barrack is also being accused of obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements during a June 2019 interview with federal law enforcement agents.

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"As alleged, the defendants, using their positions of power and influence in a presidential election year, engaged in a conspiracy to illegally advance and promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates in this country, in flagrant violation of their obligation to notify the Attorney General of their activities and in derogation of the American people’s right to know when a foreign government seeks to influence the policies of our government and our public opinion," Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis stated in a press release.

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Barrack, the founder of Colony Capital and Trump’s longtime friend, will be fighting the charges, his attorney, Matt Herrington told Fox News. "Tom Barrack made himself voluntarily available to investigators from the outset. He is not guilty and will be pleading not guilty today," Herrington insisted.

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Barrack appeared Tuesday afternoon in front of the federal court in Los Angeles, where he was arrested, and ordered detained pending a detention hearing on July 26. The government is seeking to then bring him to the East Coast as the case is being prosecuted out of the Eastern District of New York.

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"The conduct alleged in the indictment is nothing short of a betrayal of those officials in the United States, including the former president," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark Lesko.

According to prosecutors, Barrack went as far as providing the UAE government officials with sensitive information about the views and reactions of senior U.S. government officials following a White House meeting between officials of the two countries.

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It's yet another indication that during Trump's campaign and the early days of his presidency, nations sought to take advantage of the novice nature of Trump's political team to gain influence over US foreign policy - both above the table and under it.

Barrack and Trump reportedly have had a falling out, but their ties run deep. If he wants to talk about Trump's past activities, prosecutors may be inclined to listen.

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