Former Maryland Assistant State Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Trusty, who withdrew from representing President Donald Trump in the Mar-a-Largo classified documents case in 2023, is providing political and legal commentary on CNN regarding the President-elect’s cabinet nominations.
[Note: In his request to withdraw from the Trump criminal case, Trusty cited “irreconcilable differences between Counsel and Plaintiff and Counsel can no longer effectively and properly represent Plaintiff.”]
Trump’s team announced this week that it will allow FBI background checks on his nominees, a process that is normally customary. When asked on CNN if he thinks all the nominees should be vetted by the FBI, Trusty said, “Yeah, I think it’s a tough spot not to do that.”
Former Trump attorney Jim Trusty says it'd be “a conspicuous inconsistency" if his team submits some names to the FBI but not others. "I don’t think that’s a great look. I think senators that are on the edge are probably going to be distrustful of that kind of cherry-picking.” pic.twitter.com/GrpoFpyAa7
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 4, 2024
Trusty warned that it would be “a conspicuous inconsistency” if Trump’s team submits some names to the FBI, but not others. He said: “I don’t think that’s a great look. I think senators that are on the edge are probably going to be distrustful of that kind of cherry-picking.”
(Writing about the situation Trusty envisions, Semafor headlined a Dec. 3 article: “Despite agreement, Trump nominees may seek to avoid FBI background checks.”)
Prior to representing Trump, Trusty was the Chief of the DOJ Organized Crime and Gang Section for six years (2010-2016). He wrote that he was “privy to the consideration and development of DOJ policies and criminal justice legislation, and I would routinely be involved in discussing some of the Department’s biggest criminal investigations.” He added, “I regularly had a role in the FBI undercover review process and ATF’s undercover process.”
