Defense Attorney Asks Marco Rubio To Autograph Book During Court Testimony: ‘Is That Allowed?’

AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked in court on Tuesday to autograph an attorney’s book following testimony in a case involving his longtime friend, former Republican congressman David Rivera.

Rubio appeared in a Miami court on Tuesday morning, where he gave testimony about his relationship to Rivera and their work in opposing Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, who is now in custody in the United States and facing narcoterrorism charges.

Rivera is currently facing charges of money laundering, conspiracy, and more. Prosecutors allege Rivera was given a $50 million contract to lobby President Donald Trump’s administration to ease its hardline stance against the country. The contract was allegedly put in place by Delcy Rodríguez — then the foreign minister and the now acting president — and paid through state oil company PDVSA.

Rubio reportedly testified that he had always known Rivera as a “vociferous anti-communist voice” and recounted two meetings in 2017 in which the lawmakers, who were once roommates in Florida, discussed potential regime change in Venezuela.

According to Rubio, Rivera convinced him to meet with Venezuelan businessman Raúl Gorrín to get a letter intended for Trump. Rubio testified that Rivera had shown him an account with millions in it and indicated that Maduro could be ready to step away and allow a new election to be held. Rubio called the eventual meeting a “total waste of time” where he received no letter.

Rubio said he was unaware of any contract Rivera received, and he would have refused the meetings had he known.

The oddest moment to come from Rubio’s three-hour testimony was a moment where Rivera’s defense attorney Ed Shohat asked the secretary of state to sign a copy of his 2021 memoir, An American Son, according to the Miami Herald and others.

“Is that allowed?” Rubio asked Judge Melissa Damian after receiving the request.

“I don’t know,” the judge admitted and laughed as Rubio signed his memoir for Rivera’s lawyer.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!