Trump administration officials are hiring private lawyers at a quickening pace, bracing for an avalanche of congressional investigations if Democrats take one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections just two weeks away.
From cabinet secretaries to midlevel staffers, people who work for President Trump are calling law firms in search of legal advice, the Wall Street Journal reported. Lawyers say the inquiries signal unease that Democrats will investigate everything from alleged pay-to-play pardons to the Kennedy Center renovation and Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding.
Letters that could become subpoenas
Democrats have already sent letters to Jared Kushner, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Kennedy Center leadership and recipients of presidential pardons, according to reports. Lawyers say those letters could become subpoenas as soon as February if the party wins control. The probes, which party leaders have already previewed, could interfere with Trump’s agenda for his remaining two years in office.
Judd Stone, co-founder of the Austin-based law firm Stone Hilton, said his firm began receiving sporadic calls of this nature in June, with the frequency steadily increasing since, according to reports. Former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told the Journal that most of Trump’s current staff has never been through a congressional investigation. Corporate clients with ties to the administration have also flooded law firms for advice.
High personal stakes
Administration officials personally face legal, reputational and financial risks if they are roped into the inquiries, according to reports. The White House has dismissed the prospect as a decade-long witch hunt. But with polls pointing to possible Democratic gains and Democratic leaders openly previewing their investigative agendas, the race to secure counsel is on, and it is only expected to intensify as Election Day approaches.
