Trump lawyers meet with Justice Dept. officials as charging decision nears in Mar-a-Lago case

By ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump were meeting with Justice Department officials on Monday as a decision nears on whether to bring charges over the handling of classified documents at the former president’s Florida estate. The Trump lawyers two weeks ago requested a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland to raise concerns about what they alleged was prosecutorial misconduct and overreach by the team led by special counsel Jack Smith. But a defense attorney meeting with Justice Department officials is also often used as an opportunity to try to persuade them against bringing criminal charges.