The misconduct claims might gather strength against Halligan and other prosecutors if the Justice Department brings flimsy charges against other Trump foes, said Kevin O’Brien, a white collar partner at Ford O’Brien Landy LLP and a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn.
“This is going to get worse with each new case, because it establishes a pattern,” he told Law360. “Once might be a mistake. But the third time, fourth time — we’re talking about a systemic effort to punish the people [Trump] perceives to be his enemies.”