During a recent court proceeding, Trump attorney Todd Blanche raised concerns about the New York District Attorney's office not pressuring federal prosecutors to provide additional documents related to Michael Cohen. The presiding judge, Juan Merchan, expressed impatience with the situation.
Merchan questioned why Trump's legal team did not request more documents from the Southern District of New York after receiving an initial production in May. He pointed out that Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, should have been aware of the process.
The judge highlighted that defense attorneys have the same rights as prosecutors to access relevant documents and suggested that Trump's team could have pursued additional information earlier in the case.
Blanche contended that it was the responsibility of the District Attorney's office to secure the documents in question. However, Merchan disagreed, emphasizing that neither the defense nor the prosecution should rely on external parties to gather evidence.
The exchange underscored the tensions surrounding the disclosure of key materials in the legal proceedings. Merchan's insistence on proactive document retrieval reflects the court's expectations for thorough preparation and timely information sharing.
