In a significant development surrounding the investigations into former President Donald Trump’s actions to overturn the 2020 election, it has been revealed that Mike Roman, a former campaign official who worked closely with Trump, has entered into a cooperative agreement with Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe. This latest revelation comes amidst Trump’s impending trial on 37 counts related to violations of the Espionage Act and underscores the ongoing developments in Smith’s investigations.
CNN journalists Zachary Cohen and Kaitlan Collins broke the news, reporting that Roman, though not widely recognized by the general public, had reached a proffer deal with Smith’s team. Collins appeared on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 to provide further insight into this development. She explained that Roman’s cooperation holds particular significance because it may exempt him from the formal grand jury appearance, which he was initially subpoenaed for earlier this year. Additionally, Roman’s phone was seized by investigators a few months ago. These factors imply that Roman might have the opportunity to provide information in a more informal setting.
Collins emphasized that Roman’s involvement in the fake elector scheme makes his cooperation crucial. This aligns with the recent focus of Smith’s team on this particular aspect of the investigations into the events surrounding January 6, when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of the election results. Roman, as a campaign aide, played a role in coordinating efforts with campaign advisers and attorneys in seven states where Trump had lost, as they sought to develop an alternate set of electors.
The full implications of Roman’s cooperation and the extent of the information he can offer to Smith’s team remain to be seen. Nevertheless, Collins highlighted the increased activity in the January 6 case, leading to speculation about potential indictments in the near future.
During her conversation with guest host John Berman, Collins revealed that the January 6 committee had sought to interview Roman previously. However, he had asserted his Fifth Amendment rights on various matters, including questions about his interactions with Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. While Roman denied any communication with Giuliani before the 2020 election, he invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination when asked about post-election conversations with the former mayor.
BERMAN: So Kaitlan, what have you learned?
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: Yes, my colleague Zach Cohen and I have now learned that Michael Roman — who is not a household name, but he was a campaign official on the Trump 2020 campaign — is now cooperating with prosecutors from Jack Smith’s team, not the team that is investigating the documents investigation, which, of course, we’ve seen playing out in Miami. This is the one into January 6 and the efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the election results.
And why it matters that Mike Roman is now cooperating is that he may not have to appear before the grand jury in a formal way. He did get a subpoena earlier this year. They did seize his phone a few months ago. So two notable factors there, obviously. He could speak to them in a more informal setting.
And it is notable, because he is someone who was involved with the fake elector scheme and we know that is what Jack Smith’s team has been zeroing in on in recent weeks and in inquiries they’ve had with certain witnesses, people they brought before the grand jury, that has been something that they’ve been talking about.
And this campaign aide is someone who was part of the coordination effort with advisers for the campaign, attorneys for the campaign in these seven states that Trump lost where they were trying to develop this alternate set of electors.
And so it remains to be seen what his cooperation could mean, what he could offer to Jack Smith’s team. But it is notable, as we have seen, You know, we’ve all been talking about the documents case, but there has been quite an uptick in activity when it comes to the January 6 case, raising the question of whether or not we could see indictments soon.
BERMAN: All right, a cooperating witness for the January 6 case, it seems perhaps in the area of fake electors. What happened with Mike Roman? The January 6th committee wanted to talk to him, yes?
COLLINS: Yes. He was someone who he pled the fifth for a lot of it. He did say and make some comments to them. They asked about Rudy Giuliani a lot. Rudy Giuliani has been someone they’ve asked about in a lot of these interviews, as well as the other attorneys that you saw on TV at the time.
He is someone who said he would speak about how he did not talk to Rudy Giuliani before the 2020 election, but when he was asked about speaking to Giuliani after the 2020 election, he used his Fifth Amendment rights.
BERMAN: That’s interesting. So you have sort of a selective pleading the Fifth on certain things when you do and when you don’t.
