A controversy has arisen over former President Donald Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, and his alleged consultation with Stormy Daniels in 2016.
In a 2018 interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, Tacopina indicated that he may have had an attorney-client relationship with Daniels. However, Tacopina now denies any history or interactions with Daniels.
National security lawyer Bradley Moss argues that if Tacopina did consult with Daniels, it would be “ethically suspect” for him to represent Trump in the face of a criminal investigation into hush-money payments to Daniels.
Other legal experts agree that the American Bar Association and New York State ethics rules would not allow it.
Tacopina has represented high-profile clients in the past but apparently no longer wants to claim Daniels on his CV. Tacopina has made the TV rounds defending Trump on the investigation into hush-money payments, but former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner says that the ethical rules apply even on the airwaves.
In an email to Law&Crime, Tacopina claims there is no conflict and there was no attorney-client relationship.