When federal prosecutors increase the pressure on key witnesses in any investigation, it’s generally because they have a more notable target in mind — such as, say, the witnesses’ boss. - MaddowBlog
With this in mind, the newest reporting from the Times added, “Prosecutors have indicated they are skeptical of an initial account Mr. Nauta gave investigators about moving documents stored at Mar-a-Lago and are using the specter of charges against him for misleading investigators to persuade him to sit again for questioning, according to two people briefed on the matter.”
Meanwhile, the same article also pointed to Kash Patel, who maintains a higher profile as a Trump loyalist, and who was designated by the former president as one of his representatives to the National Archives and Records Administration to deal with his presidential records. Patel also helped take the lead in promoting the idea that Trump declassified the relevant materials before leaving office., Patel recently appeared before a grand jury, as part of the investigation into the Mar-a-Lago scandal, but he reportedly cited his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Prosecutors are still exploring ways to force him to answer questions.
As for why the former president should find all of this unsettling, let’s not lose sight of the larger context: When federal prosecutors increase the pressure on key witnesses in any investigation, trying to secure their testimony, it’s not because they’re especially interested in the witnesses themselves. It’s generally because they have a more notable target in mind — such as, say, the witnesses’ boss.