'We have a history': Ex-Trump lawyer throws Joe Tacopina under the bus

Tim Parlatore, a former attorney on former President Donald Trump's legal team who left over frustrations that Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn was standing in the way of building a legal defense for the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, threw fellow Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina under the bus during an interview on Friday with MSNBC's Ari Melber on "The Beat."

The discussion of Tacopina was prompted by Parlatore declining to discuss the details of Epshteyn's behavior, saying, "the whole narrative about Boris, what his role is, that's more of a political conversation."

"I would push you on that," said Melber, himself an attorney. "You are going to choose what you say. There are people who care about the issues here. If somebody that close to the former president is pushing things that are false or complicating it, that's of public interest. Dealing with documents as well as what happens in the case. I did want to also play another lawyer. I take your answer there. Joe Tacopina, he came on this program. We discussed the New York case. Which now has been charged. What you are about to see from Mr. Tacopina was before the indictment, which is about fraud. It's about to simplify it, lying. In that interview, look at what he said."

"It was a confidential settlement," said Tacopina in the clip. "If he acknowledged that, he would be violating the confidential settlement. Is it the truth? Of course it's not the truth."

"Do you think he is serving the president well in a case that's about fraud by saying, of course they didn't tell the truth?" Melber asked Parlatore.

"Look, Joe Tacopina and I have significant history together," said Parlatore. "I represented ... [a man] who was represented by Joe Tacopina. We litigated the case over the fact that Joe Tacopina became a witness against him in his criminal case. Do I — I don't want to comment on the things that he has done specifically in this New York case. Obviously, we have a history. I am not somebody who would recommend him as a lawyer to handle a case like that. Nor did I recommend that. The decision to bring him on was not mine. It's my understanding at this point that Todd Blanche has taken over lead on that case. I would refer you to Todd on that."

"You think Todd is calling more shots than Mr. Tacopina?" asked Melber.

"That's my understanding," said Parlatore. "Certainly, if you look at the setup on the table at the arraignment, you have Todd, Susan next to him and then down in the far end of the table where the associates would normally sit is where you have Joe Tacopina and Boris."

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Tim Parlatore throws Joe Tacopina under the busyoutu.be