A federal judge on Thursday ordered a hearing for three lawyers representing one of the individuals indicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe to explain why they want to withdraw as Richard Gates’s legal counsel in the midst a high-profile criminal proceeding.
Earlier this month, Shanlon Wu, Walter Mack and Annemarie McAvoy said that there were “irreconcilable differences” with Gates that affected their ability to represent the former Trump campaign aide. {mosads}
{mosads}Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered the closed hearing to take place on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to a filing. {mosads}
Mueller in October charged Gates and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort with tax fraud, money laundering and conspiracy against the United States.
Gates and Manafort, who are longtime business partners, both pleaded not guilty to the dozen charges brought against them.
Reports throughout February, however, have increasingly begun to indicate that Gates is considering taking a plea deal with Mueller, who is investigating Russia’s election interference and whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow.
Paying the hefty price tag of a high-powered legal team in a drawn-out legal battle appears to be weighing on Gates, according to the reports.
Mueller also reportedly made a new filing under seal in the case against Manafort and Gates recently, although the nature of that document is not publicly known.