The letter Trump mentioned on the air Thursday night about his interests in Russia was written by his attorney, from a firm that was recognized as “Russia Law Firm of the Year” in 2016, NBC Producer Frank Thorp noted.
I know.
Thorp linked to the letter regarding Trump’s business interests obtained by NBC News’ Peter Alexander NBC:
So this letter from Trump's attorney RE: Russian biz interests (obtained by @PeterAlexander) is dated March 8 –> pic.twitter.com/ubJjBhP6rS
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) May 12, 2017
Sen Graham's office confirms this is the letter they received, even though it was dated March 8th –> https://t.co/7gLn00ufiy
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) May 12, 2017
The law firm that sent the letter RE: Trump's biz interests in Russia was recognized as "Russia Law Firm of the Year" in 2016: pic.twitter.com/t7yBFpl1Hn
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) May 12, 2017
When Trump first used his lawyer from this firm to deny he had interests in Russia in January of this year, Snopes decided that it wasn’t that big of a deal. Their ruling was, “The award title referred only to Moscow office of a U.S.-based firm which has dozens of offices in the U.S. and around the world.”
That was before the Russia investigation became as known as it is now to people who weren’t following it then, but indeed it might be no big deal.
But it’s odd.
And it doesn’t look good.
And if I wrote this in a screenplay no one would believe it.
For someone who thinks he understands show business, Donald Trump is incredibly bad at optics. Donald Trump is under FBI investigation for possibly colluding for Russia, which did interfere in the U.S. election on Trump’s behalf.
Fortune noted at the time, “According to Morgan Lewis’ website, the firm’s Moscow office staffs more than 40 lawyers who are well known in the Russian market and ‘have deep familiarity with the local legislation, practices and key players.'”
Trump cited the letter on the air as if it were some kind of legal document, the end of the story. But in fact it is nothing of the sort. A “certified” letter is a way of certifying it was received. The certification has zilch to do with the content of the letter, yet Trump presented his “certified” letter as proof of his innocence Thursday evening in his Lester Holt interview.
The letter is not a legal document, it was not written under penalty of perjury. It is simply a claim by a law firm that was called Russia Law Firm of the Year last year. The year Donald Trump won the presidency.
Trump could use the help of a crisis PR firm located here, in the U.S., with no Russian ties whatsoever.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
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