Trump Legal Team Departure Opens Gaps in Mueller Probe Defense
- Sekulow is expert in constitutional law, not criminal defense
- ‘It’s a very dangerous situation,’ a former prosecutor says
John Dowd.
Photographer: Jin Lee/Bloomberg
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The shrinking of Donald Trump’s legal team has opened a gap in criminal law expertise that could expose the president to legal risk if he agrees to be interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The abrupt departure of Trump’s lead attorney John Dowd has left Jay Sekulow -- a lawyer specializing in First Amendment and religious freedom cases -- in charge of legal strategy and negotiations with Mueller over a possible interview of the president. Sekulow’s constitutional law background could help him wage a fight to block questioning by Mueller or limit its scope, but he has no experience guiding a client through a complex criminal investigation.