Trump Organization asks House committee to cease investigations, citing an alleged conflict of inter

[demmiblue]

Source: WaPo

A lawyer for the Trump Organization has asked the House Judiciary Committee to cease any investigations related to it, claiming that the panel’s work has been tainted by its hiring of an outside lawyer whose firm has represented Trump’s company.

In a letter Monday to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Trump Organization lawyer Alan S. Futerfas objected to the committee’s hiring of Berry H. Berke on the grounds that his law firm, Kramer Levin, has represented the Trump Organization on an array of issues.

“This state of affairs violates recognized ethical obligations and irreparably taints the Committee’s work,” Futerfas wrote, adding that it “requires that the Committee cease and desist from any and all activities that are adverse to the Company.”

Futerfas raised similar concerns in a letter last week to House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), saying that his panel works closely with Nadler’s committee.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-organization-asks-house-committee-to-cease-investigations-citing-an-alleged-conflict-of-interest/2019/02/25/7d8e2462-3917-11e9-a2cd-307b06d0257b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0061df995135

[RandySF]

1. I don't see that working.

[OregonBlue]

33. It seems to me that every single Plump appoitment has serious

conflicts of interest if not out and out corrupt prior involvement in the departments they are appointed to.

[Lindsay]

2. It is to laugh -

the Trump Organization crying "conflict of interest."

[C_U_L8R]

3. Nice try.... sorry, no.

[dchill]

4. These people want to talk about "ethical obligations?"

Don't make me puke.

[Botany]

7. just like the ethics behind Trump U?

[dchill]

28. Just the name "Trump U" was a freaking warning!

[Leghorn21]

5. Ha ha haaa, whassuppp Allen Weisselberg, Trump Org CFO who worked with Fred starting in

the fuckin 19070’s??!!?

Ha ha ha, y’all yammer and whine away, Weisselberg’s got immunity, baby!!

[rurallib]

6. they are really grabbing at straws aren't they?

drown in your own swill, fuckers.

[stillcool]

8. that doesn't sound good..

why would the committee hire outside counsel that represented Trump?

[Kaleva]

12. Where does it say the lawyer represented Trump?

[stillcool]

19. in the 2nd paragraph

Organization lawyer Alan S. Futerfas objected to the committee’s hiring of Berry H. Berke on the grounds that his law firm, Kramer Levin, has represented the Trump Organization on an array of issues.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

20. If it's a large law firm, his work could have absolutely nothing to do with the Trump Org.

It's like when I tell people where I went to college (which had 22,000 students then) and they ask, "Do you know so-and-so?" (I usually tell them, "Yeah, they were my pusher at school.&quot

Unless they can prove a causal nexus between his work at the law firm and the Trump Organization, they're pretty much shouting at the wind.

Besides, using the words "ethics" and "Trump" in the same sentence is the ultimate oxymoron.

[Kaleva]

21. But that doesn't say the lawyer had anything to do representing Trump

or the Trump Organization.

[stillcool]

22. no...it says the law firm..

he worked for did. Seems like an easy fix, just replace the lawyer, but I'm surprised he was hired in the first place. I would think that kind of thing might come up on a resume, or interview. Though..it does sound like something one might do to throw a monkey wrench in things.

[Dave Starsky]

13. Because it's bullshit, that's why.

I find that not believing a single word that anyone in this administration says is 100% reliable as a rule of thumb.

[Scarsdale]

9. It will be interesting

to discover just what the tRump people are trying to keep hidden. If you have nothing to hide, why object? I do not remember Bill Clinton raising hell like this about the Lewinsky investigation. Hillary has been investigated every time she sneezed, yet never once did what these crooks are trying to do - shut people up.

[lagomorph777]

16. They don't realize shit like this just zeroes in the investigators.

[Botany]

10. One word answer

NO

[displacedtexan]

15. I was about to post my 1 word answer: Whitewater

Republican chickens are finally coming home to roost.

[Vinca]

11. So, worst case scenario, they let Berke go and continue on. Nice try. LOL.

[RAB910]

14. "violates recognized ethical obligations"

Isn't that the Trump administration mission statement?

[iluvtennis]

17. It was a conflict of interest to seat Neil Gorsch when that was an Obama seat to fill. Go pound

sand @GOP.

[sprinkleeninow]

27. 'Sand pounding' is an oldie but goodie. eom

[NastyRiffraff]

18. The sound you hear from the Judiciary Committee

is uncontrolled, rolling on the floor laughter. Maybe even some of the committee Republicans can see the humor.

[Mr. Smith]

23. Anything to stall the process...

[mackdaddy]

24. "Law Firm Rebukes Trump Org Claim Of Conflict In Lawyer's Work For House Committee"

However the firm, Kramer Levin, said in a statement that firm’s work for Trump Org “has involved only minor tasks for single purpose companies” and that none of the work “is related to the work Mr. Berke will be performing for the Committee.”

“No lawyer at the firm is currently working on any Trump-affiliated matter,” the firm said. “In making its baseless accusations, the letter that was submitted on behalf of the Trump Organization to the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees grossly misstated the facts of our prior representations and how the applicable ethical rules apply to those facts.”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/house-judiciary-trump-org-probes-conflict-of-interest

[KY_EnviroGuy]

25. K&R. Bingo! Thank you.

n/t

[pbmus]

26. 5 years from now....the Trump Family crimes will be locked in a file cabinet...

Last edited Tue Feb 26, 2019, 02:55 AM - Edit history (2)

In a dusty corner of the DOJ....

After fines and community service....

our nightmare of treasonous criminality will become another history channel series...

And Manafort will be out with ankle bracelet on community service...

In the USA, money talks, and criminals walk...

[Rollo]

29. This has Trump's classic gaslighting strategy written all over it...

FAIL

[Panich52]

30. Guess he thinks his old lawyers are as morally and ethically bankrupt as he is.

[Grasswire2]

31. What does he have to hide, anyway????

Open the books, if you are innocent.

[Qutzupalotl]

32. Stuck pig says what?