Manatt’s Jack Quinn, a partner in the firm’s government and regulatory practice, spoke to CNN about Acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and his potential involvement in the ongoing Department of Justice investigation of President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.
When asked why Whitaker refused to discuss whether or not he had conversations with President Trump about the investigation into Michael Cohen, Quinn said Whitaker was most likely “determined to avoid revealing anything about communications with the president.” He also said Whitaker may have been relaying important information from the investigation back to the president.
“To me … the focus of the hearing was on whether he was interfering … be it in the Southern District of New York or with the special counsel, [with the intent] to obstruct the investigations of either of those offices,” said Quinn. “I think what was missing here was his role as the periscope. He was there more to report back to the White House what he was learning because he had a line of vision into these investigations.”