A judge in Florida has barred a convicted fraudster from submitting a court brief in the classified documents case involving former President Donald Trump.
Judge Aileen Cannon denied Frank Edwin Pate’s application to file an amicus “friend of the court” brief in support of Trump. Pate, who is currently serving his time in the La Tuna federal prison camp in Texas, contended that he had the right to submit his brief on behalf of Trump based on the First Amendment and the supremacy clause.
Donald Trump is currently confronting 40 federal charges related to his management of classified materials obtained from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, subsequent to his departure from the White House in January 2021. The allegations against him involve impeding the endeavors of federal authorities to recover the said materials. Trump has entered a plea of not guilty for all the charges and is expected to be the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
U.S. courts often receive requests like this, and Pate’s request to file is unrelated to Trump or his attorneys. Cannon responded briefly on March 12, stating that Pate does not have the right to enter the case.
Just one day after Pate submitted his comprehensive legal brief to Cannon, she made her decision to enter it into the case.
Pate, who ran a fraudulent foreign currency investment scheme, is currently serving a 17-year sentence. In addition, he has been ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution to seven investors whom he defrauded.
According to court records, it was revealed that Pate carried out a fraudulent scheme targeting seven individuals who had entrusted him with their money for the purpose of foreign currency trading. The FBI, in a statement made during Pate’s sentencing in 2015, stated that the scheme orchestrated by Pate resulted in investments totaling over $3.4 million over the course of several years. Shockingly, instead of utilizing the funds as intended, Pate diverted a significant portion of the money for his own personal expenses.
On Tuesday, Newsweek sent an email to Trump’s attorney, seeking a comment.
Pate has gained a reputation as someone who frequently files lawsuits. In fact, just last year, the appeals court handling his own case took the step of prohibiting him from filing any more appeals due to the frivolous nature of his latest attempt.
The court issued a warning to Pate, stating that if he were to file another notice of appeal regarding the 2016 judgment or any other frivolous, repetitive, or abusive pleadings, he would face potential sanctions. These sanctions could include dismissal, monetary penalties, and limitations on his ability to file pleadings in this court or any court under its jurisdiction.
The judge in Fogle’s appeal, in this case, denied Pate’s written motion to dismiss the Fogle case.
