Trump Lawyer Defends His Use Of Social Media

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into Russia's actions in the 2016 elections. (all times local):

9:05 a.m.

A member of President Donald Trump's outside legal team is defending Trump's use of social media.

On Friday, Trump tweeted that he was being "investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt."

Attorney Jay Sekulow appeared on several news programs Sunday and Monday to say Trump is not under federal investigation.

On "Fox & Friends" Monday, Sekulow says that when people study the 2016 presidential election, they'll look back at Trump's communications as "the most successful utilization of social media platforms and communication in our lifetime."

Sekulow says "I don't tell him what to write or not write. I'm his lawyer."

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8:50 a.m.

Attorney Jay Sekulow is defending President Donald Trump's use of social media, even though Sekulow himself has denied d, even though Trump's recent tweets .

Sekulow is responding on "Fox and Friends" to a statement that Trump's tweets can make it harder for others to do their job.

Sekulow says that when people study the 2016 presidential election, they'll look back at Trump's communications as the most successful utilization of social media platforms and communication in our lifetime."

Sekulow says the president has a social media platform that can reach 107 million people and "I don't tell him what to write or not write. I'm his lawyer."

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8:40 a.m.

An attorney for Jared Kushner says she advised the president's son-in-law to review his legal team after her former law partner was appointed as special counsel.

In a statement, Jamie Gorelick said she told Kushner to get "independent advice of a lawyer" on whether to "continue with us" after Robert Mueller was tapped to lead an FBI investigation into possible ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.

Gorelick is a partner at the WilmerHale law firm. Mueller left his position at the firm to lead the investigation.

The Justice Department has said Muller's work at the firm does not disqualify him from leading the investigation. The department said last month that under professional responsibility rules, Mueller may participate in matters involving his former firm's clients as long as he wasn't involved in representing them and has no confidential information about them.

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7:50 a.m.

Rep. Jim Himes, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence committee, says "we are a ways yet from being able to conclude anything" when it comes to his committee's investigation into Russia's actions in the 2016 election.

Himes says interviews are still being scheduled and documents being reviewed. He says that President Donald Trump, Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and Democratic lawmakers should not be presuming an outcome.

Himes says the notion the investigation has been going on too long "is just crazy" and "we're talking about the very core of our democracy here."

Himes says it's important for the committee to conduct its investigation right rather than quickly. He spoke Monday on CNN.

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7:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser may be getting new legal representation as the special counsel investigation into Russia's election meddling heats up.

Jared Kushner has been represented on business matters and other issues by Jamie Gorelick. In a statement, Gorelick says that after the appointment of the special counsel, she advised Kushner "to obtain the independent advice of a lawyer with appropriate experience as to whether he should continue with us."

It's unclear where that process stands. Kushner has been discussing the matter with Abbe Lowell, a prominent trial lawyer.

Kushner's contacts with Russians during the transition have been scrutinized as part of the widening probes into whether Trump's team coordinated with Moscow during the election. Kushner has denied any improper contacts with Russia.

The New York Times first reported that Kushner was weighing other legal options.

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3:30 a.m.

A member of the president's outside legal team says Donald Trump is not under federal investigation. The denial comes days after Trump appeared to confirm he is being investigated, sending a tweet complaining that he is the target of a "witch hunt."

Attorney Jay Sekulow is stressing that "the president has not been and is not under investigation." He said the tweet last Friday from Trump was specifically directed at a story in The Washington Post about the expanding probe into Russia's election meddling.

Sekulow says that Trump hasn't been notified of any investigation. Asked about the possibility that an investigation has developed and the president just doesn't know, Sekulow says, "I can't read people's minds."

Sekulow appeared on a series of Sunday morning news programs.