All three of Trump's new lawyers have spent decades on organized crime cases, racketeering, and complex white collar criminal defenses

  • Trump hired criminal defense attorneys Martin and Jane Raskin 
  • Marty Raskin has experience dealing with the mob and complex racketeering cases as a federal prosecutor
  • He served on an organized Crime and Racketeering Section
  • One case involved a complex securities fraud involving pension fraud and kickbacks
  • His wife, Jane,  was a lawyer with Organized Crime and Racketeering Section's Boston Strike Force 
  • Both are experienced courtroom lawyers  who have handled white collar criminal defense cases
  • Rudy Giuliani famously helped go after the 'Commission' of leading New York City crime families
  • The legal move comes after the FBI raided offices of longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen 

President Donald Trump is entering the next phase of the Robert Mueller probe with a new team of lawyers experienced in white collar criminal defense and complex organized crime prosecutions involving racketeering and other crimes.

Trump's legal team revealed the changes in rapid-fire announcements Thursday, more than a week after the FBI raided longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen. 

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani drew the headlines due to his role as a top campaign surrogate for Trump – though he made his bones in the law through prosecutions of top mob figures of New York's Five Families. 

But another pair of lawyers,  Martin Raskin and his wife Jane Raskin, also have experience in complex cases involving mob figures, racketeering, and fraud. 

Martin Raskin served as a special attorney with the federal Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, where he was assigned to the Miami Strike Force. He has joined Trump's team fending off the complex Mueller probe

Martin Raskin served as a special attorney with the federal Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, where he was assigned to the Miami Strike Force. He has joined Trump's team fending off the complex Mueller probe

Martin Raskin served as a special attorney with the federal Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, where he was assigned to the Miami Strike Force.

He also served as the Chief of the Criminal Division for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. 

One case he worked on involved a complex securities fraud involving pension fraud and kickbacks.

The case involved the arrest of 120 people who according to the government were 'engaged in a scheme to bribe officials of unions to invest pension fund assets in corrupt investment vehicles.' An investment of $1 million was to get a $150,000 kickback, according to the scheme.

Raskin's wife and law partner Jane, was a lawyer with Organized Crime and Racketeering Section's Boston Strike Force

Raskin's wife and law partner Jane, was a lawyer with Organized Crime and Racketeering Section's Boston Strike Force

Jay Sekulow is a First Amendment specialist

Jay Sekulow is a First Amendment specialist

Raskin is listed as working for a defendant, Lionel Reifler.

He had a criminal record going back to 1969, the Florida Sun-Sentinal reported, after a guilty plea for mail fraud and conspiracy involving market trades.

According to a New York Times business column, Reifler, of Boca Raton, got involved with a brokerage firm with alleged mafia ties. 

Rudy Giuliani makes a speech during celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018

Rudy Giuliani makes a speech during celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018

Trump is making changes in his legal team following the firing of John Dowd, and an FBI raid of lawyer Michael Cohen

Trump is making changes in his legal team following the firing of John Dowd, and an FBI raid of lawyer Michael Cohen

He testified 'that he was once dangled out a seventh-story window by mobsters upset about an unpaid debt,' according to the Times.

Among other clients he represented were people charged with a slew of crimes ranging from money laundering, cocaine distribution, rackateering, criminal enterprise, conspiracy, witness intimidation, obstruction, perjury, interstate transport of stolen property, and counterfeiting.  

According to a report in McClatchy the pair represented high-profile defendants that included immigration agents charged with extorting drug kingpins, as well as mob suspects.  

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump walks with former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (L) through the new Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, U.S., September 16, 2016. Giuliani worked in the Justice Department and as a U.S. Attorney going after mob figures

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump walks with former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (L) through the new Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, U.S., September 16, 2016. Giuliani worked in the Justice Department and as a U.S. Attorney going after mob figures

Marty Raskin

Marty Raskin

Jane Raskin, who is also now representing Trump, also has experience dealing with mob cases. 

According to her bio on her firm's web site, she was a trial lawyer in Boston with the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section's Boston Strike Force. 

 Trump's other outside lawyer, Jay Sekulow, primarily has First Amendment experience.

'Jane and Marty are highly respected former federal prosecutors with decades of experience. They have a nationwide practice and reputation for excellence and integrity,” Sekulow said in a statement Thursday.

The lawyers armed with experience in complex criminal litigation came days after the FBI went after a variety of documents in the possession of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, reportedly including his business dealings including his Taxi Medallion business. 

Trump immediately revved up criticism of special counsel Robert Mueller, although he told reporters this with both Mueller and deputy director Rod Rosenstein are still here. 

Fired FBI Director James Comey in his new book compared President Trump's request for loyalty to mob informant  'Sammy the Bull' Gravano.  

He writes at length in his book about his time earlier in the career trying to roll up mobsters, including when he reported to Giuliani in the Southern District of New York.

Advertisement

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.