livingston
20×102mm Vulcan
White House lawyers face a Clinton-era legal trap in Russia probe
In Whitewater, communications with government attorneys were subject to review by special counsel — something Trump may avoid now by relying on his own lawyer.
President Donald Trump’s decision to rely on an outside lawyer as he confronts multiple Russia probes may help him avoid a trap that befell President Bill Clinton during the investigations of the 1990s: being forced to hand over notes or provide testimony about meetings that took place in the White House.
A pair of legal showdowns between Whitewater special prosecutor Ken Starr’s office and the Clinton White House two decades ago erased the idea that presidents and their aides are protected by attorney-client privilege when talking with government lawyers.
That means, effectively, that special counsel Robert Mueller — who’s overseeing the investigation into contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials in the 2016 election — would likely be able to get access to the notes or testimony regarding communications among Trump, his aides, and White House lawyers such as Don McGahn.
However, communications directly with Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s personal attorney who’s been tapped to lead the group of lawyers representing the administration in the Mueller probe and related congressional investigations, would be easier to shield.
White House lawyers face a Clinton-era legal trap in Russia probe
In Whitewater, communications with government attorneys were subject to review by special counsel — something Trump may avoid now by relying on his own lawyer.
President Donald Trump’s decision to rely on an outside lawyer as he confronts multiple Russia probes may help him avoid a trap that befell President Bill Clinton during the investigations of the 1990s: being forced to hand over notes or provide testimony about meetings that took place in the White House.
A pair of legal showdowns between Whitewater special prosecutor Ken Starr’s office and the Clinton White House two decades ago erased the idea that presidents and their aides are protected by attorney-client privilege when talking with government lawyers.
That means, effectively, that special counsel Robert Mueller — who’s overseeing the investigation into contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials in the 2016 election — would likely be able to get access to the notes or testimony regarding communications among Trump, his aides, and White House lawyers such as Don McGahn.
However, communications directly with Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s personal attorney who’s been tapped to lead the group of lawyers representing the administration in the Mueller probe and related congressional investigations, would be easier to shield.
White House lawyers face a Clinton-era legal trap in Russia probe