Trump Eyes Loyal Jewish Soldier As Lawyer, Defender In Russia Probe

Image by Getty Images
Marc Kasowitz, whose law firm has long represented President Trump, might also serve as his counsel as the White House confronts the growing Russia scandal.
The president is said to be interviewing several candidates to head an outside legal team on his behalf as Congress and the FBI dig in on their inquiry into ties between the president’s campaign and the Kremlin.
Kasowitz’s law firm, Kasowitz, Benson, Torres and Friedman, has been a go-to source for Trump for decades – and one of its partners, David Friedman, currently serves as the president’s ambassador to Israel.
But there could be complications in picking Kasowitz as the point man on Russia. Joe Lieberman, who is currently under consideration to be the next FBI director, is now a counsel at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres and Friedman.
Choosing Kasowitz as head of Trump’s legal team and Lieberman as the man to lead the government agency probing the matter could lead to serious ethical questions.
But it’s far from a done deal for Kasowitz – according to the Washington Post, Trump is talking with three other candidates, including big names like former George W. Bush solicitor general Theodore B. Olson.
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
