Former Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks took the stand Friday to give emotional, tearful testimony on her own role in the Trump circle during the alleged hush payment scheme on trial in Manhattan.
And there was a particular line that Hicks gave in court that clearly indicated that, for all her loyal service to the former president, she is distancing herself from him now, legal expert Lisa Rubin explained on MSNBC Friday evening.
"Right out of the gate, she said she paid for her own lawyers," said anchor Nicolle Wallace. "Why does that matter?"
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"A number of other Trump-affiliated witnesses had their witness paid for by the Trump Organization," said Rubin. "The defense elicited that it was going to be true of other witnesses. The former controller of the Trump Organization, who is instrumental in the actual falsification of the business records that's been charged as a crime, I imagine that's true for him too. You heard her say, I paid for my own counsel. That's as clear a break as anything from Trump."
What she is effectively saying, Rubin added, is that "I don't need them to pay for me, even though I worked for the Trump Organization, because I'm paying my own way."
Witnesses for Trump's various legal defenses have often had attorneys tied to the former president's inner circle. In one of the most notorious cases, former White House official Cassidy Hutchinson was represented by Trumpworld-affiliated Stefan Passantino, but dropped him for another attorney. Reporting subsequently indicated Passantino had counseled Hutchinson to falsely claim she couldn't recall details for the House January 6 Committee. Passantino denies this, and filed a lawsuit against former federal prosecutor and legal commentator Andrew Weissmann for suggesting on cable news that he committed that misconduct.
Watch the video below or at the link here.
Lisa Rubin reveals biggest sign Hope Hicks is making a "break" from Trump www.youtube.com
