For quite a while, it seemed as if Michael Cohen was the former Donald Trump lawyer most opposed to his former client. The controversial attorney served as Trump’s fixer and an executive at the Trump Organization, before ultimately rejecting the former president and describing himself as a “fool” for having trusted him.
But Ty Cobb is now giving Cohen a run for his money.
Cobb, of course, represented Trump during the investigation into the Russia scandal. Shortly before the two parted ways, the then-president published a tweet that read, “I have full confidence in Ty Cobb.”
Evidently, the feeling is not mutual. As we discussed a few months ago, Cobb denounced his former client’s election lies, telling NBC News in July, “The Big Lie has been good only for Trump and has brought him millions in donations, which some evidence suggests may have been mishandled. The Big Lie, and the related violence, election interference and other perceived misconduct, was and is an affront to this nation and its first principles.”
The lawyer added at the time that the former president had become “a disaster for the Republican Party.”
In a new interview with CBS News’ Major Garrett, Cobb went much further. CNBC reported:
Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb called ex-President Donald Trump a “deeply wounded narcissist” who acted in a “criminal” manner when he pushed then-Vice President Mike Pence to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win. In a new interview, Cobb also said Trump’s conduct on Jan. 6, 2021, while a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol, could — at least theoretically — lead to him being barred from seeking the presidency.
“There is a simple way to disqualify President Trump,” the former prosecutor said. “[Trump] clearly violated the 14th Amendment of the Constitution’s Article III when he gave aid and comfort and three hours of inaction with regard to what was happening on the grounds of the Capitol.
“That clearly gave aid and comfort to the insurrectionists,” Cobb added, explaining that declarations from the House and Senate could therefore bar Trump from running again for elected office.
The attorney went on to say that elements of Trump’s Jan. 6 scheme were “criminal,” adding, “This was the first time in American history that a president unconstitutionally tried to remain in power illegally, and in my own view … I believe that would merit prosecution.” Circling back to our earlier coverage, in recent years, there’s been ample discussion about what, if anything, it might take for those caught up in Trumpism to conclude that they’ve been scammed. Who, if anyone, will they listen to? Clearly, these voters will not be persuaded by pundits. Or lawmakers. Or historians. Or prosecutors. Or committee reports. Or special counsel investigations. Perhaps, however, they’ll consider listening to those who worked side by side with Trump, and who now see him a menace?
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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