Ty Cobb—the dapper former defender of Donald Trump—predicted a less than favorable outcome for the former Republican President. Cobb served as White House counsel from July 2017-May 2018 and reported directly to Trump.
In an appearance on CNN, Cobb told host Erin Burnett jail is likely in Trump’s future as a result of the documents discovered at Mar-A-Lago.
Burnett and Cobb were discussing a report that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) were providing 16 records to Special Counsel Jack Smith showing Trump knew the correct process for declassifying documents.
You can see an excerpt here:
Cobb said:
"I would not necessarily expand the case to try to prove the Espionage Act piece of it because there's so much evidence of guilty knowledge."
But not because it wasn't provable, but rather because it was unnecessary.
Cobb added:
"[All the Department of Justice need to prove a crime occurred is] show that Trump moved these documents at various times when DOJ was either demanding them or actually present."
"[And Trump] filed falsely with the Justice Department, had his lawyers file falsely with the Justice Department, an affidavit to the effect that none existed."
"[The Trump affidavits were] shattered by the documents that they then discovered after the search and the many other misrepresentations that he and others have made on his behalf with regard to his possession of classified documents."
In other words, an initial discovery can be attributed to an error made by movers or staff.
But subsequently moving the documents at Mar-A-Lago or other Trump properties then lying repeatedly in legal filings cannot.
Cobb stated the obstruction case against Trump was "tight."
Cobb concluded:
"Yes, I do think he will go to jail on it."
Others concurred with Cobb's assessment.
Cobb—who told The Atlantic in December 2020 he accepted the Trump administration position to serve the United States, not Trump—hasn't spoken fondly of his time in the Trump administration or of his former employer.
In a CBS News interview, Cobb previously said of Trump:
"I believe former President Trump to be a deeply wounded narcissist, and he is often incapable of acting other than in his perceived self-interest, or for revenge."
"I think those are the two compelling instincts that guide his actions."
Cobb also stated Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, involvement in the January 6 insurrection and attempts to obstruct the investigations into both should merit criminal prosecution.
