Amidst Donald Trump turning up the heat on special counsel Robert Mueller, it was reported this week that the President was adding Joseph DiGenova and Victoria Toensing to his legal team.
FOX News reports:
President Trump retained the law firm diGenova & Toensing this week to represent him in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling and potential collusion with Trump campaign associates in the 2016 presidential election, sources told Fox News on Thursday.
Reports this week suggested Joseph diGenova had joined Trump’s outside legal team, alongside Jay Sekulow, but a source confirmed to Fox News that his wife and law partner, Victoria Toensing, also would represent the president.
Toensing served as deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division of the Justice Department under the Reagan administration, and as an assistant U.S. attorney in Detroit. Toensing was chief counsel for then-Sen. Barry Goldwater, who sat as chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
On Sunday, attorney Jay Sekulow announced the two lawyers would not be joining the team, citing conflict issues.
Joseph DiGenova and Victoria Toensing not joining @realDonaldTrump's legal team. https://t.co/dTKLt4Frnl pic.twitter.com/WjQG5j4CRJ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 25, 2018
CBS News reports:
“The President is disappointed that conflicts prevent Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing from joining the President’s Special Counsel legal team. However, those conflicts do not prevent them from assisting the President in other legal matters. The President looks forward to working with them,” said Sekulow.
Sekulow had announced diGenova’s addition to the legal team last week, saying in a statement that he had “full confidence that he will be a great asset in our representation of the President.”
Mr. Trump denied Sunday morning that he was having trouble finding lawyers to represent him in the Russia probe:
“Many lawyers and top law firms want to represent me in the Russia case…don’t believe the Fake News narrative that it is hard to find a lawyer who wants to take this on. Fame & fortune will NEVER be turned down by a lawyer, though some are conflicted. Problem is that a new……….lawyer or law firm will take months to get up to speed (if for no other reason than they can bill more), which is unfair to our great country – and I am very happy with my existing team. Besides, there was NO COLLUSION with Russia, except by Crooked Hillary and the Dems!” Trump tweeted Sunday.
Many lawyers and top law firms want to represent me in the Russia case…don’t believe the Fake News narrative that it is hard to find a lawyer who wants to take this on. Fame & fortune will NEVER be turned down by a lawyer, though some are conflicted. Problem is that a new……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2018
….lawyer or law firm will take months to get up to speed (if for no other reason than they can bill more), which is unfair to our great country – and I am very happy with my existing team. Besides, there was NO COLLUSION with Russia, except by Crooked Hillary and the Dems!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2018
