Story highlights Spicer referred questions for the first time to the newly named outside lawyer

"We are focused on the President's agenda," Spicer said

Washington (CNN) The White House on Wednesday took its first public steps to cordon off response efforts to the Russia probe from the day-to-day work of the administration, acknowledging openly that President Donald Trump had hired an outside attorney to handle the swirling controversy.

Asked at an off-camera briefing for reaction to upcoming congressional testimony from fired FBI Director James Comey, press secretary Sean Spicer referred questions for the first time to the newly named outside lawyer.

"We are focused on the President's agenda," Spicer said. "Going forward, all questions on these matters will be referred to outside counsel Marc Kasowitz ."

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Trump hired Kasowitz last week to lead a legal team focused on steering the President through the various investigations into Russia's election meddling. The probes have come increasingly close to Trump's inner circle, with investigators requesting documents from Trump's campaign associates and the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner under scrutiny for his contacts with Russian officials.

Trump has repeatedly and angrily insisted that there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia, and has decried reports about the matter as false.

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