Trump Calls Out ‘New York Times’ For ‘False Story’ About Legal Team Then Proves Them Right Days Later
Donald Trump contradicted himself when he added controversial lawyer and alleged conspiracy theorist Joseph diGenova to his legal team handling the Russia case. Trump previously tweeted, in response to an article published by a popular news publication more than a week ago, that he was not planning on changing anything with his team of lawyers.
Trump made it clear that the New York Times article he was pertaining to was a “false story” or “fake news,” as he has been calling any piece of news that he deems untrue. Interestingly, the president may have to eat his own words as he just appointed diGenova as his new lawyer on Monday in addition to Ty Cobb, John Dowd, and Jay Sekulow, CNBC reported.
“The failing New York Times purposely wrote a false story stating that I am unhappy with my legal team on the Russia case and am going to add another lawyer to help out. Wrong,” Trump tweeted on March 11.
“I am VERY happy with my lawyers, John Dowd, Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow. They are doing a great job and have shown conclusively that there was no Collusion with Russia.. just excuse for losing,” Trump continued.
Trump went on to accuse the Democratic National Committee, the Democrats, and “Crooked Hillary” as the ones guilty of collusion. The president also called Maggie Haberman, the author of the New York Times story, a “Hillary flunky.” Trump also implied that Haberman was in no position to report about his decisions since she has not been given access to the president.
Pres. Trump expands his legal team, adding veteran DC attorney Joe diGenova, who has been a fierce defender of the president on cable TV. https://t.co/oUtqF71Dal pic.twitter.com/43o6c7PP3c
— ABC News (@ABC) March 19, 2018
In the New York Times article, the author stated that Trump met with veteran lawyer Emmet T. Flood to discuss the possibility of joining his legal team. Flood previously represented an embattled Bill Clinton during the impeachment case filed against him in the late 1990s.
While Flood was not named to his team of lawyers, Trump still hired one, which conflicted with his previous statements on social media. Based on his recent actions, Trump is taking every precaution as the case regarding the supposed Russian collusion continues.
Trump’s choice for his new lawyer is a curious one as Joseph diGenova is no stranger to controversy.
In 1997, diGenova said that a country “could conceivably benefit from the indictment of a president,” pertaining to former President Bill Clinton, who was in his second term and being investigated at the time. DiGenova may be forced to go against his own words in his new role as defender of the sitting president.
Despite this, Trump probably still chose to add the veteran Washington lawyer because diGenova has shown support for him. The former U.S. attorney for the District of Colombia believes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department are conspiring against Trump.
According to diGenova’s supposed conspiracy theory, a group of FBI agents is behind the Russia investigation, which was concocted to keep Trump from becoming president, according to the New York Times.
“There is a brazen plot to illegally exonerate Hillary Clinton and, if she didn’t win the election, to then frame Donald Trump with a falsely created crime,” diGenova told Fox News in a January interview. “Make no mistake about it: A group of FBI and DOJ people were trying to frame Donald Trump of a falsely created crime.”
The claims made by diGenova have yet to be proven.
