Trump ally Tom Barrack found not guilty of illegal lobbying

Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A federal jury in Brooklyn on Friday found longtime Donald Trump ally Tom Barrack not guilty in Brooklyn on charges of illegal foreign lobbying.

Barrack, the billionaire businessman who once served as chairman of the former president's inaugural committee, was accused by federal prosecutors of improperly acting as a foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates.

Two former Trump administration officials testified in the trial that dragged on for nearly two months followed by three days of deliberations. In the end, Barrack was acquitted of conspiracy, obstruction and lying to the FBI.

A jury found Barrack's co-defendant Matthew Grimes, a former Trump aide, not guilty of acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Randall Jackson, Barrack's attorney, said during the closing argument that "nothing nefarious" went on in his client's dealings with UAE leadership, adding that he has dealt with public officials of more than 100 countries for years before Trump.

Federal prosecutors built their case around texts and email messages Barrack and Grimes exchanged with an Emirati businessman named Rashid Al Malik. Prosecutors said Malik was the middleman in their dealing with Emirati officials.

The messages showed UAE officials giving feedback to Barrack about what he and Trump should say in media interviews over energy policy during a 2016 campaign speech.