Trump Lawyers Up As Russia Probe Noose Tightens — Hires ‘Aggressive’ Jewish Attorney
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
President Trump has tapped an “aggresive” longtime Jewish legal adviser to serve as his private attorney while a special counsel investigates whether his campaign worked with Russia in last year’s election.
Fox Business News and ABC first reported that Trump hired Marc Kasowitz, a New York-based trial lawyer known as a tenacious litigator, to represent him in a Justice Department investigation headed by former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller.
The appointment of a private attorney may indicate that Trump is seriously considering the impact the federal investigation could have on him personally and that he may wish to protect himself should others in his administration turn against him.
“He can be aggressive – he’s got that in him for sure,” said John Quinn of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, who has worked with and opposite Kasowitz. “He also can be smooth as silk, respectful and deferential.”
Kasowitz has represented Trump for more than 15 years but he is not known as a criminal defense lawyer. During last year’s presidential campaign, Kasowitz threatened to sue the New York Times if it did not retract a story about women who accused Trump of touching them inappropriately. The Times did not retract the story.
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