[W]ASHINGTON — The law partner and stepfather of a prominent figure in the Vermont Republican Party is joining President Donald Trump’s legal team.
Trump hired Joseph E. diGenova Monday to be part of the team representing him in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a report in The New York Times.
Vermont Republican Party Vice Chair Brady Toensing is a partner in the Washington, D.C., firm diGenova founded with his wife, Victoria Toensing.
Brady Toensing would not comment Monday afternoon on whether he would be involved with diGenova’s effort on behalf of the president.
Toensing was the chair of Trump’s campaign committee in Vermont. In 2016 he prompted a federal investigation into Jane O’Meara Sanders’ handling of a land deal while she was president of Burlington College.
DiGenova has long been a prominent legal figure in Washington, including serving the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Victoria Toensing’s clients have included Erik Prince, founder of the security firm Blackwater, and Trump campaign co-chair Sam Clovis, according to the Times.
In television appearances, diGenova has offered a theory that a group of FBI agents and Justice Department officials conspired to frame Trump with allegations that his campaign conspired with Russian operatives to influence the 2016 election.
DiGenova comes on board as Trump has apparently shifted his approach to the investigation, attacking Mueller on Twitter over the weekend.
At press briefing Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reiterated his call for congressional action to protect the Mueller probe.
According to the Times, diGenova is not expected to be a central leader of the president’s team, but will likely “serve as an outspoken player” for Trump.
A White House media contact did not immediately respond to a request concerning diGenova’s hiring or whether partners in his law firm would be involved with his work.
