Ty Cobb, a former White House attorney under Donald Trump said the discovery of an audio recording showing the former president bragging about keeping classified documents only strengthen the case against the former president and “eviscerates” his defense.
“I think they have their foot on his neck,” Cobb told CNN’s Erin Burnett during an interview on Wednesday.
The lawyer, who led the White House response to the Russia investigation in 2017-2018, was asked about a CNN report that the Justice Department has audio of Trump admitting he had classified documents after leaving the White House.
Cobb bluntly said that audio “eviscerates” Trump’s defense, in particular the notion that “merely by taking documents, he declassifies them or that he has the authority ― if he is playing with the ducks in the hot tub ― to declassify them in his own mind.”
“That argument is out the door,” he added while pointing out that the audio shows Trump knew he had “constraints” on what he could do with those documents.
He said there could be extra pressure on special prosecutor Jack Smith to focus on Trump’s possession of those documents ― but added that he doesn’t need to do so because the case for obstruction of justice is already strong.
The new revelation, he said, “makes the obstruction case more compelling.”
Watch the conversation below from CNN:
Former Trump WH lawyer Ty Cobb reacted to the news that the DOJ has audio of Trump admitting he took classified documents:
“It further enhances the obstruction case… I think they have their foot on his neck.”#LockHimUpAlready pic.twitter.com/Hs4f1CmlH1
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 1, 2023
