Trump's newest defense lawyers didn't last the weekend

[_MeDotOrg]

When Trump hired diGenova from Fox news on Friday, the spin on Fox was this was a great thing for the President. John Woo (of the famed torture memo), wrote enthusiastically on the Fox website:

John Yoo: At last! Trump finally assembles a top legal team to deal with Mueller probe

Get that? At last! FINALLY a good legal team! Donald Trump will not longer be held back by timidity and incompetence. Doud himself was not going quietly, warning that diGenova had potential conflicts of interest:

But concerns have arisen about potential conflicts of interest for both diGenova and his wife and law partner, Victoria Toensing, who was also under consideration to join the team, according to CNN. One source told the news network that no one had officially been hired.
The potential conflicts were flagged to Trump's legal team by Dowd before he resigned, CNN reported

So perhaps sour grapes on Friday, but it was a hearty wine by Sunday:

President Trump has decided not to hire two lawyers who were announced last week as new additions to his legal team, leaving him with a shrinking stable of lawyers as the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, enters an intense phase.

“The president is disappointed that conflicts prevent Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing from joining the president’s special counsel legal team,” Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said in a statement on Sunday morning. “However, those conflicts do not prevent them from assisting the president in other legal matters. The president looks forward to working with them.”

So Trump brings two lawyers on board who quite possibly helped precipitate John Dowd's decision to leave, despite Dowd's caution about a conflict of interest. Trump hires them anyway. Dowd leaves. A conflict of interest in confirmed. DiGenova and his wife both leave.

Anyone believe that there is a lot of all-star legal talent that still wants to work with Donald Trump?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Anyone believe that there is a lot of all-star legal talent that still wants to work with Donald Trump?

Well. That depends on how much money he's willing to throw at them, and how bad they want to have their names tied to defending an impeached President who will go down as possibly one of the worst, most buffoonish oafs to ever hold the office.

- Doc

[_Doctor Steuss]

According to Trump: Tweet Link

[_Xenophon]

According to Trump: Tweet Link

My favorite reply has to be "Thank you Mr President for making it legal to support our troops again!!!". Complete with Liberia's flag and all! I'm assuming it is a parody account but man did he give me a chuckle.

[_Doctor Steuss]

According to Trump: Tweet Link

My favorite reply has to be "Thank you Mr President for making it legal to support our troops again!!!". Complete with Liberia's flag and all! I'm assuming it is a parody account but man did he give me a chuckle.

Oh man, I've never really gone through Twitter comments before. I'm dying.

Yes. Ah the good old days when we threw Christians to the Lions and only slaves served in the army. While it's true citizens got to sell textiles and have orgies all night. May we make Rome great again

[_Some Schmo]

A smart lawyer would only take on Drumpf as a client after confirming payment of a hefty retainer (something in the 7-8 digit range). I would never work for that asshole without receiving payment first; I learn for others' mistakes.

To be honest, I could have shortened that sentence to, "I would never work for that asshole." He doesn't have enough money to make it worth it to me. There isn't enough money in the world. I'm not a cheap sellout like his entire staff is. Working for Drumpf reminds me of that episode of Seinfeld where they couldn't get the BO smell out of the car. Once you've worked for Drumpf, you are forever tainted.

[_MeDotOrg]

Here's a weird coda to the whole story: Donald Trump had never met diGenova before he hired him. Yup. Trump hired him purely on the basis of what he had seen on Fox.

Trump did not closely research diGenova or even consult with top aides, including Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and White House counsel Donald McGahn, before agreeing to hire him.

Trump had hoped diGenova could serve as a surrogate in television interviews and play the role of attack dog in criticizing the Mueller probe.

Sekulow approached diGenova two weeks ago about joining the team, but it turned out that he and his wife run a law firm that represents clients with interests that would conflict with those of the president.

So Trump hired diGenova without even bothering to check with his own lawyers, who had already discovered a conflict of interest. In so doing he lost his lead attorney, John Dowd. Trump seems a lot more concerned about the sizzle (lawyers who look good on Fox) than the steak (lawyers who are adept at negotiating with the Special Counsel's office).

If there's an Art of the Deal here, I'm having a hard time seeing it.