Veteran federal prosecutor, best known for investigating the fraudulent energy behemoth Enron, has been recruited by special counsel Robert Mueller to help with the ongoing probe into Trump’s campaign and its ties to Russian intelligence. As Reuters explains, Weissmann has a special set of skills that may be needed right now.
Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.
Securing the cooperation of people close to Trump, many of whom have been retaining their own lawyers, could be important for Mueller, who was named by the Justice Department as special counsel on May 17 and is investigating, among other issues, whether Trump himself has sought to obstruct justice. Trump has denied allegations of both collusion and obstruction.
With the Trump crew all lawyering up, Mueller might have felt the need to have someone who can figure out the best way to apply pressure. And the praise for Weissmann is pretty hardcore. Kathryn Ruemmler was White House counsel for former President Barack Obama and explained that Weissmann’s handling of former Enron treasurer Ben Glisan was both masterful and fearless.
Other prosecutors might have feared Glisan's testimony could contradict their theory of the case, Ruemmler said, but Weissmann's gamble paid off when the former executive became a key witness.
"He's not afraid to lose, and that is sometimes an unusual quality," Ruemmler said of Weissmann.
“Losing” isn’t an option our country can afford right now.