Vice President Mike Pence has hired his private lawyer for legal assistance and investigations into Russia's role in the US elections 2016 and the contacts of Trump's campaign headquarters with the Russian side.
As the office of the VP announced on Thursday, Richard Cullen, a lawyer from Richmond, Virginia, who heads the law firm McGuire Woods, was entrusted to represent his interests. In the past, Cullen was the Attorney General of Virginia.
After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my "collusion with the Russians," nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2017
Trump trusts Mueller
The investigation itself on behalf of the US Justice Department is being carried out by former FBI Director Robert Mueller.
A representative of the White House, Sarah Sanders, on Thursday confirmed that Trump trusts him and does not intend to change anything. Officially, Mueller is a "special adviser" to the Ministry of Justice, but by tradition, he is usually called a special counsel.
Pence's lawyer role
A statement from Pence's office said that Cullen was hired to "help him answer the questions" of Mueller. "The Vice-President is fully focused on fulfilling his duties and advancing the presidential agenda," the document said. Pence added that he "expects an early completion" of the proceedings.
The Washington Post reported that Cullen will not be paid from taxpayers' funds. The lawyer was selected from several candidates, his selection took several weeks.
The personnel decision itself is presented as a confirmation of the readiness of the vice-president to render all possible assistance to the investigation, reported by the newspaper.
Till now personal questions concerning this investigation have not risen for Pence. His name was mentioned mainly in connection with the fact that former national security assistant Michael Flynn allegedly did not fully inform him about his telephone contacts with the Russian ambassador in Washington.
Mostly because of this, Flynn was forced to resign, having worked at a high post in the White House for less than a month.
Lawyers hired by the former VPs
According to the publication, Marc Kasowitz initially told staff of the White House that there is no need to hire his own additional lawyers. But now Pence's move can push the employees of the White House to do the same thing as soon as possible, at least for the sake of precaution," the publication believed.
The Washington Post also recalled that the appeal of the Vice President to the services of a private lawyer is not unprecedented. The same thing was done by Spiro Agnew (vice-president in the administration of Richard Nixon), Albert Gore (under Bill Clinton), Richard Cheney (under George W. Bush).
Russian's interference
Trump and the Russian leadership have repeatedly denied information about Russia's interference in the US elections. Since there is no way to find traces of a "collusion" between the Trump environment and Russia, the democratic opposition and the US media close to it have recently begun to assert that the president and his aides tried to cover up traces of contacts with Russians and thereby prevented the administration of justice.
Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
On Thursday, the president commented on Twitter allegations of relations with the Russian Federation and wrote that he had nothing to hide. He recalled that business contacts with Russian partners were at one time with his accusers, including the "Hillary Clintons family."
