Regardless of whether Michael Cohen was ever formally his attorney, Sean Hannity has hired at least two other lawyers with close ties to the White House and has frequently had them appear on his Fox News Channel show.
According to a report Tuesday in the Atlantic, Mr. Hannity was represented by both Jay Sekulow and Victoria Toensing in a brief dispute over sexual-harassment claims by a conservative activist.
The liberal magazine said it had obtained a copy of a cease-and-desist letter sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, radio station KFAQ and received last May 25. The letter concerns statements made by Debbie Schlussel the previous month on the station’s “Pat Campbell Show,” in which she said Mr. Hannity had acted “creepy” towards her, including by inviting her to his hotel room, the Atlantic reported.
Mr. Hannity quickly and publicly called Ms. Schlussel’s claim “100 percent false and a complete fabrication.” The letter, according to the Atlantic, tells KFAQ the statements “are false and defamatory” and warned that “continued publication will result in further exposure to liability because of continued harm to Mr. Hannity’s impeccable reputation.”
The letter identifies both Mr. Sekulow and Ms. Toensing as “Counsel for Sean Hannity.”
According to the Atlantic, Ms. Toensing acknowledged in a phone conversation that she represented Mr. Hannity “at that time” but refused to say whether she still does.
“I’ve just learned in the press that anybody who is Sean Hannity’s lawyer is going to be blasted so I think this phone call is over,” she said.
Mr. Sekulow, who had no immediate comment to the magazine, works as President Trump’s attorney on matters relating to Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Mr. Sekulow had said earlier this year he would add Ms. Toensing and her husband and law partner Joseph diGenova to his team, but conflicts of interest unrelated to Mr. Hannity prevented that.
“The President is disappointed that conflicts prevent Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing from joining the President’s Special Counsel legal team,” Mr. Sekulow said in a statement last month. “However, those conflicts do not prevent them from assisting the President in other legal matters. The President looks forward to working with them.”
All three have frequently appeared on Mr. Hannity’s program, often to comment on the Mueller probe and/or White House issues.
Fox News provided the Atlantic with an example of Mr. Hannity saying last May during an appearance by Mr. Sekulow that his guest had done legal work for him. But the article did not mention any such clips involving Ms. Toensing’s or Mr. diGenova’s appearances.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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