According to a court document, US federal prosecutors intend to call former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as a witness in Thomas Barrack's trial on allegations of illegally working as a foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates. Barrack was a past fundraiser for former President Donald Trump.
Barrack's counsel stated in a letter to the court presiding over the trial that Tillerson will be called to the stand on Monday.The US State Department and Trump knew of Barrack's connections with Middle Eastern officials, demonstrating that Barrack did not aim to be a foreign agent, according to Barrack's attorneys, who also said that having Tillerson appear would ensure the defense had enough time to cross-examine him.
According to the prosecution, Barrack, 75, never informed the US attorney general that he was liaising with UAE officials as required by federal law.
Tillerson would be the first member of the Trump administration's cabinet to testify in the third week of the New York City trial.Dubai's "wish list"
The billionaire Barrack is accused of working as an unregistered foreign agent for the UAE, obstructing justice, and lying to the FBI about his dealings. Barrack served as an adviser to the Trump campaign and administration as well as the chairman of Trump's inauguration committee.
Allegations that Barrack used his friendship with and access to Trump to help the UAE government are at the heart of the case. According to the prosecution, Barrack allegedly tried to advance a "wish list" of UAE foreign policy stances between 2016 and 2018.
On September 19, the jury selection phase of the trial began. Prosecutors revealed emails and texts from Barrack and a friend during the first week of the trial, demonstrating how UAE officials advised on what then-candidate Trump should say in a 2016 address on energy policy.
Barrack, who was charged in July 2021, has asserted his innocence. His legal team claims that his interactions with Emirati authorities were necessary for him to manage the private equity business Colony Capital, which is now known as Digital Bridge Group, and that there is no proof that he consented to follow UAE orders.
Without registering such efforts in the Foreign Agents Registration Act database maintained by the Justice Department, it is against US law to lobby on behalf of a foreign government or entity.In the period between 2017 and 2018, Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil CEO, served as Trump's secretary of state for just over a year.
Trump terminated him via tweet. Trump tweeted in March 2018 that "Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State." "He'll do an amazing job! Rex Tillerson is appreciated for his service.Trump is currently dealing with a number of legal issues, including a civil lawsuit by New York prosecutors over allegedly fraudulent business practices and a Justice Department investigation into his potential handling of classified documents. Barrack's trial, which is anticipated to last a few weeks, is taking place at the same time.
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