TELEGENIC: When it comes to lawyers, Trump has a type

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You don’t have to be an effective lawyer, you just have to be able to play one on TV to get into the good graces of Donald Trump and land on his legal team. Another of his former attorneys is speaking out about the experience, and about what really matters to the former president.

This lawyer, anonymous for purposes of publication, adds their voice to that of Michael Cohen, who has spoken openly — and even written two books — about his experiences working for the former president.

They aren’t the only ones dropping revelations, either, since at least one — Evan Corcoran — is being ordered to share more information with a grand jury, and others, including Rudy Giuliani, have already been interviewed by a different grand jury in Georgia.

The unnamed attorney says Trump likes to pick his legal representation based more on their skills in the court of public opinion than in the actual courtroom, specifically focusing on those who are willing to go on television for him and “say things that lawyers…can’t say in a courtroom.”

In fact, he likes to pick attorneys based on their television performances.

From The New York Times:

“The same lawyer cited Mr. Trump’s lawsuits against the journalist Bob Woodward and the Pulitzer Prize Board as actions that any experienced lawyer would have known would get him or her “laughed out of court.”…The Woodward and Pulitzer lawsuits were advocated nonetheless by [attorney Boris] Epshteyn, according to two of the former president’s advisers, because Mr. Epshteyn is “the good news guy,” who relays to Mr. Trump only what he thinks will please him…”

They’re referring to a lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward for publishing recorded interviews with Trump — recorded interviews that, according to Law & Crime, include Trump’s acknowledgment that Woodward can use the material as he deems fit, and to another against the Pulitzer Board for defamation, based on the notion that refusing to pull prizes from journalists who reported on Trump’s Russia connections during his 2016 campaign is supporting a “debunked” narrative, according to MSNBC.

These aren’t the only examples of Trump attorneys supporting him in matters that have no real chance of success.

The aforementioned Giuliani, along with Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis, have faced sanctions, and in Giuliani’s case, the yanking of his license to practice, for pushing meritless election cases, and Alina Habba, one of his top choices for TV appearances, is facing sanctions over the frivolous lawsuit against Hillary Clinton.

These are just a few of at least 17 who’ve been sanctioned for actions on Trump’s behalf, according to Business Insider, and of course, Michael Cohen went to prison for actions taken in Trump’s employment.

It seems those are the risks, when an attorney’s employment relies on, as Trump’s anonymous former legal representative describes it, being able to do his employer’s bidding without ever “pushing back.”

Steph Bazzle covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph.

Stephanie Bazzle

Steph Bazzle is a news writer who covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph. Sign up for all of her stories to be delivered to your inbox here: