Attorney General Jeff Sessions has hired a private lawyer to deal with the ongoing investigations into possible collusion between Russian Federation and President Trump's campaign, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.
The lawyer, Charles Cooper, has confirmed he is Sessions' personal lawyer, but he didn't comment on the nature of the representation, the National Law Journal (sub. req.) and USA Today report.
Notably, Cooper was also previously considered for the role of solicitor general but withdrew his name from consideration stating that he was "unwilling to subject" himself, his family, and his friends to the confirmation process after witnessing Sessions' hearings.
The National Law Journal was the first to report the news.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has brought on board a private lawyer to represent him amid the Russian Federation investigations.
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Cooper, who clerked for Justice William Rehnquist on the Supreme Court, served in the Justice Department's civil rights division and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel.
Several other administration officials have recently retained attorneys. On March 2, Sessions announced that he was recusing himself from the Russian Federation investigation because of his role in the Trump campaign. Comey's remarks sparked speculation that Sessions' contact with Russian officials may have gone further than was initially reported.
During his appearance before the panel, Sessions denied any suggestion he colluded with Moscow operatives to sway the presidential election, calling the idea "an appalling and detestable lie".
In May, Sessions acknowledged that he did not reveal his meetings past year with Russian officials when he applied for his security clearance.
Sessions made headlines in early March, when he recused himself from any current or future investigations into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia, after it emerged that he had not disclosed two meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his Senate confirmation hearing.
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