Trump ally's trial on foreign agent charges kicks off with jury selection

A federal judge on Monday began questioning potential jurors in Brooklyn for the trial of Tom Barrack, the private equity executive and onetime fundraiser for former President Donald Trump charged with acting as a foreign agent without notifying the U.S. government as required.

A federal judge on Monday began questioning potential jurors in Brooklyn for the trial of Tom Barrack, the private equity executive and onetime fundraiser for former President Donald Trump charged with acting as a foreign agent without notifying the U.S. government as required. Barrack, the 75-year-old former chairman of the firm now called DigitalBridge Group Inc, worked for the United Arab Emirates to influence Trump's campaign and administration between 2016 and 2018 and advance the Middle Eastern country's interests, according to federal prosecutors.

Barrack, who headed Trump's inauguration committee and was a frequent White House guest, has pleaded not guilty, as has his former assistant and co-defendant Matthew Grimes. The two defendants intend to argue that their interactions with UAE officials were part of their work for DigitalBridge, then known as Colony Capital. Another co-defendant, Emirati businessman Rashid Al Malik, is at large.

The trial is expected to focus on allegations that UAE officials gave Barrack input about what to say in television interviews, what then-candidate Trump should say in a 2016 energy policy speech, and who should be appointed ambassador to Abu Dhabi. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan told potential jurors not to "exaggerate potential unavailability" to try to get out of service.

"You're going to find this trial, if you're chosen as a juror, to be particularly interesting," Cogan told them. Cogan, prosecutors and defense lawyers are interviewing prospective jurors one-by-one about whether their views on topics ranging from Trump to Middle East politics would affect their ability to be fair. A pool of 39 prospective jurors deemed qualified is to due to be selected before a jury of 12, with four alternatives, is picked.

Prosecutors have said Barrack, Grimes and Al Malik never told the U.S. attorney general they were acting as UAE agents as required under federal law. Barrack's lawyers have said the U.S. State Department, and Trump himself, knew of his contacts with Middle East officials, showing that Barrack did not intend to be a foreign agent. Barrack was arrested in Los Angeles but has remained free on bond pending trial. Barrack was charged https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-advisor-presidential-candidate-among-three-defendants-charged-acting-agents-foreign last year with acting as a foreign agent and conspiracy - counts that could bring 10 and five years in prison, respectively, though the sentence would be determined by the judge based on a range of factors. Barrack also was charged with obstruction of justice and making false statements in an FBI interview.

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