GOP attorney Theodore Olson won't join Trump legal team

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill



BY BRETT SAMUELS - 03/20/18 01:26 PM EDT

Attorney Theodore Olson will not join President Trump’s legal team, one of his legal partners said Tuesday afternoon.

Ted Boutrous, who works with Olson at the Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher law firm, responded quickly to a Washington Post report earlier Tuesday that said Trump had extended an offer to the veteran attorney.

Link to tweet

Olson served as the U.S. solicitor general under President George W. Bush and is considered a star attorney in Washington. He had previously turned down an offer to join the Trump administration.

The reported offer to Olson came as the Trump legal team takes a more aggressive approach toward special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/379338-gop-attorney-theodore-olson-wont-join-trump-legal-team

---

From an earlier OP which I self-deleted after posting the above. -- Don

Trump legal team seeks to add star GOP attorney Theodore B. Olson

Source: The Washington Post


By Robert Costa and Carol D. Leonnig March 20 at 11:29 AM

President Trump’s legal team has reached out to Theodore B. Olson, one of the country’s most high-profile and seasoned litigators, to join forces amid mounting challenges in the probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

The addition of Olson would come as Trump, feeling more vulnerable to the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, has told confidants that he wants to recruit top-tier talent and shake up his group of lawyers, the people said.

Olson, 77, who served as solicitor general in the George W. Bush administration and has long been considered a legal superstar, would bring deeper ties to the Justice Department and more experience on landmark cases than any of Trump’s current lawyers.

Olson is said to be reviewing the offer while weighing potential conflicts with his clients at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he is a partner, one person close to him said. Another person familiar with the discussions said Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway recommended Olson to the president this week, but it was unclear whether Olson would accept. He previously declined an offer to join the team.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-legal-team-seeks-to-add-gravitas-with-offer-to-star-gop-attorney-theodore-b-olson/2018/03/20/571f1e46-2c41-11e8-8ad6-fbc50284fce8_story.html?utm_term=.b46a6283b319

[MBS]

1. Excellent. n/t

[Botany]

2. So Trump will have to stay with Dewey, Cheetum, and How.

"I can confirm that @gibsondunn and Theodore B. Olson will not be
representing @realDonaldTrump"

[Tiggeroshii]

5. You justvhit me with some grade A, heavy duty nostalgia.

I miss those guys.

[lagomorph777]

19. Yeah. Me too.

[hlthe2b]

8. awww... I miss the Car Guys... RIP Tom Magliozzi

You brought me a lot of Saturday AM laughs.

[cilla4progress]

27. Me, three.

I do believe they play re-runs on NPR.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. Translation, Olson is a patriot.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Whatever else you might think of Olson, he has a solid reputation

as a very competent lawyer. I can't imagine why he'd want to risk soiling that reputation by representing Trump - and he'd just end up constantly fighting with Trump himself and Trump's current, not-so-competent lawyers. And he probably wouldn't get paid, either. I was surprised when I heard on the news earlier this morning that Trump had hired Olson, and I concluded that even if that were true the relationship wouldn't last long. But I guess it never happened at all.

[Dave Starsky]

15. He argued AGAINST gay marriage bans before the Supreme Court.

Despite his association with Shrubco, he's not all bad. And as you said, he has a solid reputation and is well-respected among his peers. No way would he be associated with this sinking, burning garbage trawler.

[SunSeeker]

18. Well, his reputation wasn't so solid after Bush v. Gore.

Arguing that counting votes amounted to "irreparable harm" entitling Bush to an injunction was disgustingly vile. He salvaged his reputation by successfully arguing for marriage equality before the Supreme Court, after the ignominy of arguing to stop the Florida vote count in Bush v. Gore. After Olson helped install that birdbrain into the White House, Olson's wife died in one of the planes that went down in 9/11. Maybe Ted now fears karma. Karma aside, no self-respecting lawyer would want to go down in history as the guy who got Trump off.

[lagomorph777]

21. Sounds like Ted got Instant Karma.

Apparently it worked.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. True, but he also argued successfully in favor of same-sex marriage.

In 2009, he joined with David Boies, his opposing counsel in Bush v. Gore, to bring a federal lawsuit, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, challenging Proposition 8, a California state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. His work on the lawsuit earned him a place among the Time 100's greatest thinkers. In 2011, Olson and David Boies were awarded the ABA Medal, the highest award of the American Bar Association. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Olson

As a legal mind he's no slouch, and I'm sure he realizes that Trump, for many reasons, is a hopeless case - and he's not about to waste his time or risk his reputation on that hot mess of a president.

[SunSeeker]

28. Yes, that's what I said. I agree, NOW he has a solid reputation.

Getting more solid by the minute after turning down Trump. LOL

[Princess Turandot]

34. He's also quite steamed right now abt the Trump Administration's...

...solicitor general's decision to not support an appeal to SCOTUS regarding a recent federal court that makes it harder for victims of deliberate attacks to sue foreign terrorist organizations. (He's representing the families involved in the case, and of course, his wife was on the plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/11.)

[Polly Hennessey]

6. I might not always agree with Ted Olsens politics

but he is not a fool. Good news for today.

[hlthe2b]

7. I really did think he was too smart to do so...

but I'm sure there was some arm twisting by some influential RWers.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Will Trump take the time to blast off a Ted Olson attack Tweet?

He owes his minions an explanation for why George W. Bush's savior in the 2000 election recount trial won't give him the same service.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. First thing that came to my mind too!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. When scum like Ted Olson knows better than to work for Trump,

there's some small hope yet.

[DownriverDem]

22. Not Total Scum

Sometimes folks are not seen clearly. Ted did fight for marriage equality.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

38. Maybe not total. But still scum.

I seem to think he subscribed to some of the more ridiculous 9/11 theories.

In any case, he is not a friend to liberals and progressives, even if he did fight for marriage equality.

But at least he knows better than to join the Trump administration, I'll give him credit for that. And if even Ted Olson isn't willing to go there, things are marginally looking up for us.

[Dave Starsky]

11. Ha ha! Of course he won't.

Because he's competent, likes to be paid, and appreciates when his clients listen to his advice and don't run their mouths.

[PatSeg]

12. I didn't think he was

stupid enough to join the Trump circus. This is a man who joined with David Boies (opposing counsel in Bush v Gore) to challenge Proposition 8 in California. Unlike most of Trump's legal team, Olson is a real attorney.

[truthisfreedom]

13. Its in my best interest not to represent an obvious felon.

[DownriverDem]

14. Pro LGBTQ

If I remember correctly Olson was involved in the fight for marriage equality. His wife was on the PA plane on 9/11.

[Gothmog]

17. Olson and Boise were the lead attorneys in the Calif. Prop 8 case

Ted Olson is a damn fine attorney

[Boomerproud]

25. He was also lead attorney for Bush V Gore

I will never forgive nor forget.

[Gothmog]

16. I would have been surprised to see a class attorney joined Trump's team of idiots

[duforsure]

20. No surprise here,

Olson's smart enough to not get tangled up with these treasonous criminals. No one except a few who are desperate will work for him now.

[Paladin]

23. Olson has his faults, but being stupid enough to sign on with trump isn't one of them. (nt)

[cilla4progress]

29. Good news

That leaves him with only quacks.

Anyone else notice how most of trump's "professionals" all look just a tad off?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. Trump would be lucky to get someone as competent or as ethical as Saul Goodman.

[exboyfil]

31. The new guy who is on record saying that Presidents

can be indicted. Sweet.

[still_one]

32. He would have lost all integrity by doing so

[WhiteTara]

33. Glad to see he draws the line somewhere.

[DinahMoeHum]

35. He probably didn't get his $$$$ up front. . .

. . .knowing how Trump is such a skinflint in that matter.

[CanonRay]

36. Very good...he's an excellent attorney

too good for the Orange Moron.

[Cirque du So-What]

37. Boutrous Boutrous Golly!

Olson probably doesn't want his name associated with this debacle.

[herding cats]

39. Not surprising

It's going to be interesting to see who Trump can manage to get to represent him.

[getagrip_already]

40. He's 77... what would possibly motivate him to join hitlers pr team?

With trump, his lawyers are just communications directors and staff therapists. He doesn't listen to or take legal advice, he doesn't pay them, and he often throws them under the bus without a second thought.

No serious lawyer would go near that client without serious motivation. The only people he can attract are just publicity hounds and whacko's who want some credibility they can resell later.

The only surprising thing is that it was handed to the press before it was a done deal. Who would tell the press that they were about to hire a rock star attorney without first getting them to accept? Trump of course.

Nobody with any sense would though.

[Vinca]

41. Olson is way too sane for that crowd.