An attorney for former president Donald Trump, Alina Habba, appeared to make a big flub during an interview, admitting that her client “doesn’t do what’s popular or what’s right.”
Ms Habba was speaking on Newsmax on Thursday, and was asked to react to a clip of Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp’s dismissal of calls from members of his own party to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. In the clip, Mr Kemp says, “Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis’ actions, or lack thereof, warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission.”
“Alina, what do you make of these Republicans who are not standing on the right side of history and that are going against Trump?” the host asked.
“I don’t care who you want to stand behind,” Ms Habba said, adding that she’s a lawyer and is serving as a legal spokesperson.
“I’m not a politician, but these are individuals who have a duty to their constituents, and if you’re going to wait years and years and years and then prosecute someone when your own state has crimes and real issues, I think you really need to evaluate your position, your morals, and your values,” she added.
“I think that they’re trying to make a name for themselves,” she continued. “Unfortunately, politicians are, you know, elected officials. Elected officials have to do what’s popular and sometimes not what’s right, and that’s a problem.”
Ms Habba continued, “That’s, I think, why people get nervous with Trump. He doesn’t do what’s popular or what’s right.”
Fumbling after recognising she seemed to make a mistake, Ms Habba then quickly corrected herself: “Er, I should say he only does what’s right, he doesn’t do what’s popular.”
She then continued, speaking at her usual quick pace: “And you’ve got somebody like Kemp trying to make a name for himself — and he frankly has —he’s made headlines because he’s going against the leading candidate for the Republican Party and, frankly, the leading presidential candidate, period.”
The Georgia governor rejected the calls from a fellow Georgia Republican to have a special legislative session of the General Assembly to impeach Ms Willis following her indictment of the former president — and 18 others — regarding alleged election subversion attempts in the state. Mr Trump faces 13 counts, including racketeering, filing false documents and attempting to coerce public officers to violate their oaths.
“As long as I’m governor, we are going to follow the law and the Constitution — regardless of who it helps politically,” Gov Kemp said on Thursday.
