前总统唐纳德·特朗普的知情人士告诉美国广播公司新闻，随着对他的调查增加，团队正在启动一项法律辩护基金，旨在帮助处理前总统和他的盟友面临的法律法案的冲击。
周日，美国广播公司新闻报道称，一个支持特朗普的超级政治行动委员会花了4000多万美元的诉讼费熟悉一份详细说明费用的文件的消息人士告诉美国广播公司，他将在2023年上半年为特朗普、他的顾问和其他人辩护。
拯救美国政治行动委员会的申请文件预计将于周一公布。
消息人士称，目前，法律基金不打算支付特朗普自己的账单。
消息人士称，该法律辩护基金将被称为爱国者法律辩护基金公司。预计该委员会将由迈克尔·格拉斯纳(Michael Glassner)领导，他此前曾在特朗普2016年和2020年的竞选活动中担任多个高级职务。
Lynne Patton在特朗普组织和特朗普政府中都是特朗普的亲密助手，她也将参与该基金。
特朗普发言人提供了一份关于国防基金原因的声明。
“为了保护这些无辜的人免受经济损失，防止他们的生活被完全摧毁，一个新的法律辩护基金将帮助支付他们的律师费，以确保他们有代表反对非法骚扰，”声明说。
新协议的消息最早是由纽约时报.
随着特朗普面临越来越多的法律问题，包括替代起诉书上周由联邦大陪审团在特别顾问杰克·史密斯对川普卸任后处理机密文件的调查中提交。
取代起诉书指控特朗普和另外两人——特朗普Mar-a-Lago庄园的维护负责人卡洛斯·德·奥利韦拉(Carlos De Oliveira)和特朗普的助手沃尔特·诺塔(Walt Nauta)——犯有两项妨碍罪，理由是被告试图在2022年夏天删除Mar-a-Lago的监控录像。
6月，特朗普不服罪检察官说，他一再拒绝归还数百份包含从美国核机密到国家国防能力等机密信息的文件。他否认了所有指控，并谴责调查是政治迫害。Nauta之前也受到指控，他也不认罪。他们两人都没有对新的指控认罪。
德奥利维拉将于周一出庭。
特朗普在纽约州法院另外面临34项指控，涉及堵嘴的贿赂在2016年大选前付给成人电影女演员斯托米·丹尼尔斯。在那起案件中，他不服罪。
他也是史密斯调查的目标1月6日前后的事件以及他为推翻2020年选举失利所做的努力。
他否认有不当行为，并一再声称受到政治迫害。周六，在宾夕法尼亚州伊利的一次竞选活动中，他说，“这些是荒谬的起诉，他们所做的一切都是希望大规模的选举干预。”
特朗普和他的盟友一直在推动支持者捐款拯救美国，经常使用关于2020年大选的虚假说法，并征集捐款，以谴责对前总统、他的商业交易和他在1月6日的行动的多项调查。
据报道，拯救美国超级政治行动委员会(Save America super PAC)过去收取了数千万美元，并帮助特朗普或他的盟友支付了法律费用。
Trump team launching legal defense fund to help pay legal bills
Former PresidentDonald Trump'steam is launching a legal defense fund aimed at helping to handle the onslaught of legal bills the former president and his allies face as the investigations into him mount, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
On Sunday, ABC News reported that a super PAC supporting Trumpspent more than $40 million on legal costsin the first half of 2023 to defend Trump, his advisers and others, sources familiar with a filing detailing the costs told ABC.
The filing from the Save America PAC is expected to be released on Monday.
For now, the legal fund is not meant to cover Trump's own bills, the sources said.
The legal defense fund will be called the Patriot Legal Defense Fund Inc., the sources said. It is expected to be led by Michael Glassner, who has previously served in multiple senior roles on Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
Lynne Patton, who has been a close aide to Trump at both the Trump Organization and in Trump's administration, will also be involved in the fund.
A Trump spokesperson provided a statement about the reasons for the defense fund.
“[A]nd to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, a new legal defense fund will help pay for their legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment," the statement read.
News of the new pact was first reported by theNew York Times.
Mounting legal costs come as Trump faces mounting legal troubles, including asuperseding indictmenthanded up last week by a federal grand jury in special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving office.
The superseding indictment charges Trump and two others -- Carlos De Oliveira, head of maintenance at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, and Trump aide Walt Nauta -- with two obstruction counts based on allegations that the defendants attempted to delete surveillance video footage at Mar-a-Lago in the summer of 2022.
In June, Trumppleaded not guiltyto 37 criminal counts related to his handling of classified materials, after prosecutors said he repeatedly refused to return hundreds of documents containing classified information ranging from U.S. nuclear secrets to the nation's defense capabilities. He has denied all charges and denounced the probe as a political witch hunt. Nauta, who was also previously charged, also pleaded not guilty. Neither of them has pleaded to the new charges yet.
De Oliveira is set to appear in court on Monday.
Trump separately faces a 34-count indictment in New York state court related tohush moneypaid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.
He is also a target of Smith's investigation into theevents surrounding Jan. 6and his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.
He has denied wrongdoing and repeatedly claimed political persecution. At a campaign stop in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, he said, "These are ridiculous indictments, and all they're doing is hoping for massive election interference."
Trump and his allies have consistently pushed supporters to donate to Save America, often using false claims about the 2020 election and soliciting donations to rebuke the multiple investigations into the former president, his business dealings and his actions on Jan. 6.
The Save America super PAC has, in the past, reported taking in tens of millions of dollars and has helped cover legal bills for either Trump or his allies.
