Michael Van Der Veen, Donald Trump's Defense Attorney, Finds 'TRAITOR' Scrawled on Home

BY MATT CANNON ON 2/15/21 AT 5:31 AM EST

Vandals struck at the family home of Donald Trump defense attorney Michael van der Veen over the 

weekend.

Pictures taken by local media show the word "TRAITOR" spray-painted in red across the entrance to the 

driveway of the Pennsylvania property. Arrows pointed toward the home.

Eggs were also thrown at the front door of the property, investigators told Newsweek.

It happened around 8 p.m. on Friday, the day Trump's lawyers wrapped up their case, at the residence in 

West Whiteland Township, approximately 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia, according to police.

"[Van der Veen's wife] came home saw it in the driveway and called the police," Detective Scott Pezick 

told CBS Philly on Sunday.

Police presence has been increased in the neighborhood, Pezick said, and the homeowner has since hired 

private security to protect the property.

West Whiteland Township Police Department has been contacted for comment.

Asked about the vandalism on Fox News Saturday, the attorney said: "To answer your question, my entire family, my business, my law firm are under siege right now. I don't really want to go into that, though."

That appeared to be a reference to demonstrations held outside van der Veen's law office in downtown Philadelphia over the weekend.

Demonstrators called the lawyer a "fascist" and chanted, "When van der Veen lies, what do you do? Convict. Convict," the newspaper said.

Julie Shaw, criminal justice reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer, tweeted a video of the scene on Friday, reporting that seven protesters were with the Refuse Fascism organization.

Earlier on Friday, Trump's attorney had a heated exchange with Bernie Sanders when the senator asked if he agreed with Trump's stated belief he had rightfully won re-election—a claim based on provenly false claims of widespread election fraud.

Another of Trump's attorneys, Bruce Castor, has also spoken about demonstrations at his home and 

suggested lower-profile members of Trump's defense team had also been subjected to what he 

called "very unsettling" acts.

"My house was the subject of unrest," Castor said, during a separate interview with 

Fox News Saturday. "These people are lawyers and they expect to do their jobs without having fear for their personal safety."

"If the country has reached the point where somebody needs a lawyer that lawyer is themselves attacked, 

where are we going to be going forward when somebody truly is in need of counsel and can't find one because they're afraid to defend a person who represents what half the country thinks an unpopular cause?"

Trump was ultimately acquitted of the charge of inciting an insurrection on January 6 at the U.S. Capitol.

 The Senate voted 57-43 to acquit.

https://www.newsweek.com/michael-van-der-veen-donald-trumps-defense-attorney-traitor-home-1569292