For Trump Aides Caught in Russia Probe, Legal Bills and Paranoia
By Shannon Pettypiece
September 20, 2017, 4:00 AM EDT
Four months as a communications adviser to Donald Trump’s campaign have turned Michael Caputo’s life upside down.
Since congressional investigators decided they wanted to interview Caputo as part of an investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, he’s drained his children’s college fund to pay more than $30,000 in legal fees. He bought guns for his home and office after receiving death threats. He worries about the stress on his wife and daughters.
The Russia investigations by Special Counsel Bob Mueller and five congressional committees appear to have focused on prominent Trump associates including his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. But outside the spotlight, a large cast of peripheral characters are finding themselves drawn into the probe, incurring legal fees that can run up to $1,000 an hour and infecting people in the West Wing and Trump’s orbit with a deep paranoia.
“Everyone is facing this. I talk to them all. I know they are worried and I think it is awful," Caputo said. “We heard about this happening during the Clinton investigations. Those stories loom heavily over us.”
Trump is using campaign funds to cover his legal costs. The Trump campaign also made a $50,000 payment to the law firm representing Donald Trump Jr.
Dozens of People
Members of the House Intelligence Committee have said there are dozens of other people they’re interested in hearing testimony from, including White House aides and campaign advisers. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has informed the White House that his team is planning to interview at least four current and former White House aides. He’s also summoned associates of those at the center of the investigation, such as Manafort’s personal spokesman Jason Maloni, who was called before a grand jury last week.
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https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-20/for-trump-aides-caught-in-russia-probe-legal-bills-and-paranoia
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