Following in the footsteps of Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence has hired an outside attorney to represent him in the government's probe of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, the Washington Post reported. Pence - whose name has never previously been mentioned in any Russian-linked affairs - has retained Richard Cullen, a Richmond attorney from McGuire Woods, who previously served as a US attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.
“I can confirm that the Vice President has retained Richard Cullen of McGuire Woods to assist him in responding to inquiries by the special counsel,” Pence spokesman Jarrod Agen said in a statement. "The Vice President is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the President’s agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter."
According to the WaPo, Pence - who will not use taxpayer money to pay for the attorney - picked the lawyer earlier this week, after a several-week selection process that included interviews with several possible choices. The retention comes several weeks after President Trump hired attorney Marc Kasowitz as outside counsel to defend him in the ongoing Russia probes.
As a reminder, it was Pence's claim in February that he was misled by Michael Flynn regarding Flynn's contacts with Russian officials, that ultimately led President Trump to fire Flynn.
Meanwhile, as reported earlier, Trump lashed out following yesterday's report that special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the federal probe of Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, had expanded his investigation to include an inquiry into potential obstruction of justice by Trump. The president slammed the alleged probe on Twitter, questioning why Hillary Clinton wasn't the subject of the Russia-related investigations but he was.
“Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?” Trump wrote, referencing the past probe into Clinton’s private email server she used as secretary of State. Following James Comey's recent testimony, Democrat Dianne Feinstein said that Congress should investigate if former AG Loretta Lynch had indeed pressured Comey to cover for Hillary Clinton as he suggested. That particular suggestion appears to have gone nowhere.