WH hires lawyer who handled Clinton impeachment
WASHINGTON — Facing critical decisions in the Russia investigation, President Donald Trump has hired Emmet Flood, a veteran attorney who represented Bill Clinton during his impeachment process.
The White House announced the hiring not long after announcing the retirement of lawyer Ty Cobb, who had been the administration’s point person dealing with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. It’s the latest shakeup for the legal team grappling with unresolved questions on how to protect the president from legal and political jeopardy.
Cobb informed White House chief of staff John Kelly last week he would retire at the end of May. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Cobb had been discussing the decision for “several weeks.”
She said later Flood would be joining the White House staff to “represent the president and the administration against the Russia witch hunt.”
The law firm of Williams & Connolly confirmed Flood was leaving to join the White House staff.
Cobb did not personally represent the president, but he was a critical adviser, coordinating dealings with Mueller, functioning as a point person for document and interview requests and working closely with Trump’s personal lawyers.
His retirement comes as the president’s legal team has been negotiating the terms of a possible sit-down between Trump and prosecutors.