Attorney who represented Trump aide, J6ers tapped by Trump for high-ranking DOJ position
Woodward has served as an attorney for those within Trump’s circle, including Trump’s aide Walt Nauta, who was indicted alongside Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.
Longtime attorney for allies of President Donald Trump, Stanley Woodward, has been selected by Trump to serve as the next associate attorney general, the third-highest role in the Department of Justice. His nomination was received in the Senate on April 29, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
While Woodward has not represented Trump, he has served as an attorney for those within Trump’s circle, including Trump’s aide Walt Nauta, who was indicted alongside Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. Woodward currently serves as a White House lawyer, per the Washington Examiner, and has also represented January 6 defendants.
In the case of Nauta, Woodward represented the Trump aide in former special counsel Jack Smith’s Mar-a-Lago documents prosecution. Woodward was an early supporter of moving to dismiss the case due to the appointment of Smith. While the case against Trump was dismissed in July after the judge came to a similar conclusion, the charges against Nauta were not dropped until January. Nauta’s case was indefinitely delayed after Woodward discovered inconsistencies with Smith’s handling of discoveries and evidence.
Among those January 6 defendants Woodward represented were Federico Klein, Kelly Meggs, Connie Meggs, Ryan Samsel, Jay Johnston, and Lee Stutts.
In the case of Klein, Woodward was able to secure pre-trial release, which paved the way for others to receive such release pending their trials. In the case of Stutts, Woodward was able to secure pre-trial release on the eve of Trump’s inauguration, on which January 6 defendants were pardoned.
Woodward represented Johnston, the voice actor from Bob’s Burgers who played character Jimmy Pesto. In sentencing, Woodward was able to obtain favorable terms that would have seen Johnston eligible for early release on good behavior.
In the case of Samsel, Woodward was able to argue three times for his transfer from detention centers in the wake of abuse allegations and for him to be able to obtain metical treatment. He was also able delay Samsel’s sentencing until after Trump’s inauguration.
Woodward also represented both Meggs, a husband and wife. During Kelly Meggs’ October 2022 trial, Woodward was involved in a scooter accident that sent him to the hospital, four days after which he returned to the courtroom to represent his client. He was able to reduce Meggs’ sentence after successfully arguing that a sentencing enhancement did not apply to his client. Woodward picked up Connie Meggs as well after the prosecution demanded that she testify against her husband.
Other clients of Woodward include Peter Navarro, Dan Scavino, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, and others.
In an early April press release stating Trump’s intent to nominate Woodward and others, the Department of Justice wrote, “Stanley is a high-profile litigator and co-founder of Brand Woodward Law, LP, where he represented numerous prestigious clients in complex, high-stakes litigation, including multiple federal jury trials. Previously, he worked at a multinational law firm where his experience included the representation of multiple international corporations in defense of alleged violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as serving as coordinating counsel to companies involved in nationwide federal litigation.”
