El Chapo prosecutors seek to bar Trump’s ‘flipper’ remarks

NEW YORK – Prosecutors want a judge to keep lawyers for Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman (wah-KEEN’ ehl CHAH’-poh gooz-MAHN’) from using President Donald Trump’s negative comments about government co-operators to help defend the notorious Mexican drug lord.

A recent filing by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn only refers to Trump as a “government official.” But it cites his well-publicized comments that he might like to see what he called “flippers” outlawed because they lie to protect themselves.

Several co-operators are expected to testify at Guzman’s drug-trafficking trial later this year.

The president made the remarks after the guilty plea by his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Cohen has since sought to co-operate in the Russia investigation.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from defence lawyers on Monday.