Many on Capitol Hill were shocked to see Emmet Flood, President Donald Trump’s White House attorney, attending Thursday afternoon’s classified hearing with the Dept. of Justice and select members of Congress.
The meeting itself was highly unusual: the DOJ bowing to the president and Congress to share confidential and classified documents about an informant who spoke with several Trump campaign officials before the election.
More unusual: Flood’s attendance, which has shocked legal and political experts.
“John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, whom Mr. Trump asked to help organize the meetings, attended both sessions, as did Emmet T. Flood, a lawyer representing Mr. Trump in the Russia investigation,” The New York Times reports, noting Flood supposedly left after initial remarks.
“Their presence was highly unusual in a sensitive congressional oversight briefing, and it raised the specter that top aides to the president could gain access to closely held information about an investigation of the president and his associates.”
CNN’s Manu Raju posted this stunning video:
Even more stunning was White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee’s response when asked why Flood was allowed in the room.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports Sanders said Flood “will be joining the White House staff to represent the president and the administration against the Russia witch hunt.”
“The Russia witch hunt.”
CNN National Security Analyst Sam Vinograd offered this spot-on assessment:
More to come.
This story has been updated to correct that Flood is not the President’s personal attorney, but a White House attorney.
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