Trump hiring Lieberman associate to represent him in FBI Russia probe

President Donald Trump reportedly is hiring his longtime lawyer — who heads the Manhattan firm where former Sen. Joe Lieberman works part time — to represent him in the FBI investigation of Trump campaign links to Russia, according to people familiar with the decision.

The hiring of lawyer Marc Kasowitz could further erode Lieberman’s bid to succeed James Comey as FBI director.

Trump fired Comey earlier this month amid varying explanations that included Trump’s resentment of “this Russia thing.”

The White House had no immediate comment on Kasowitz’s hiring. Those who confirmed the decision requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the move.

Democrats, including Sen, Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., had pointed to Lieberman’s association with Kasowitz as an inherent conflict of interest.

Trump himself had confirmed last week that Lieberman, 75, who served as U.S. senator from Connecticut for 24 years, was the leading candidate to succeed Comey.

Were Lieberman officially chosen to run the FBI, and with Kasowitz chosen to help with Trump’s legal advice, both men — the one leading the organization investigating possible Russian collusion and the one offering Trump legal counsel on that very issue — would hail from the same firm, a likely conflict of interest.

But Trump did not nominate him before taking off last Friday on his first overseas trip. Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and other Democrats said they preferred a nominee with deep law enforcement experience, not a political figure.

Kasowitz, who has known Trump for decades, has represented Trump in numerous cases, including on his divorce records, real estate transactions and allegations of fraud at Trump University. He is a partner at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman in New York.

Kasowitz also represented Bill O’Reilly, the veteran Fox News commentator fired due to allegations of sexual harassment.

Staff writer Dan Freedman and the Washington Post contributed to this report.