The arraignment of Waltine Nauta — Donald Trump’s personal aide who was also indicted in the classified document case — was delayed on Tuesday because Nauta has not yet hired a lawyer who can practice in Florida.
In a brief 10-minute hearing Tuesday morning, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres rescheduled the arraignment hearing for July 6.
Nauta appeared alongside Trump in a Miami courthouse on June 13, when the former president pleaded not guilty to a 37-count indictment accusing him of illegally retaining classified documents and hiding them from federal authorities.
Two weeks later, Nauta still has not hired Florida counsel and was unable to tell the judge if he would plead guilty or not guilty to the six charges against him — a necessary step in criminal proceedings.
The government has accused Nauta of moving boxes filled with top-secret government materials for the former president at his Florida residence and private club and then helping hide them from federal officials who demanded them back.
Stan Woodward — Nauta’s lawyer who appeared in court Tuesday, but is not a Florida lawyer — told the magistrate judge that his client spent hours at Newark airport unsuccessfully trying to get to Miami for the hearing.
Nauta — a loyal body man in the White House who continued to work for Trump in Florida after he left office — was jointly indicted with the former president on five criminal charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, concealing a document and scheming to conceal a material fact in a federal investigation. Nauta, 40, was also charged with making false statements to law enforcement.
Trump and his valet Walt Nauta: Forever linked as co-defendants
He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him.
In a brief 10-minute hearing Tuesday morning, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres rescheduled the arraignment hearing for July 6.
Nauta appeared alongside Trump in a Miami courthouse on June 13, when the former president pleaded not guilty to a 37-count indictment accusing him of illegally retaining classified documents and hiding them from federal authorities.
Two weeks later, Nauta still has not hired Florida counsel and was unable to tell the judge if he would plead guilty or not guilty to the six charges against him — a necessary step in criminal proceedings.
The government has accused Nauta of moving boxes filled with top-secret government materials for the former president at his Florida residence and private club and then helping hide them from federal officials who demanded them back.
Stan Woodward — Nauta’s lawyer who appeared in court Tuesday, but is not a Florida lawyer — told the magistrate judge that his client spent hours at Newark airport unsuccessfully trying to get to Miami for the hearing.
Nauta — a loyal body man in the White House who continued to work for Trump in Florida after he left office — was jointly indicted with the former president on five criminal charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, concealing a document and scheming to conceal a material fact in a federal investigation. Nauta, 40, was also charged with making false statements to law enforcement.
Trump and his valet Walt Nauta: Forever linked as co-defendants
He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him.
