Many of you have already heard that we have engaged new counsel for the next phase of litigation. This preeminent legal team is formidable, aggressive, and principled. We are fortunate to have the non-profit, public-interest organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and Joseph Cotchett and Frank Pitre with the law firm of Cotchett, Pitre, Simon & McCarthy representing us. CREW has an extensive track record of successfully routing corruption and dishonesty in government. Frank and Joe have an incredible history of representing underdogs and fighting to protect civil rights. In addition, Erwin Chemerinsky, noted Constitutional law scholar and professor at Duke University School of Law, will continue to serve in the case as co-counsel.

The defendants have and will no doubt continue to try to distract us from what is truly at issue here. But we must not lose sight of the principal question: Do the American people want individuals who threaten our national security and violate the very rights that they are charged with upholding, to remain above public inquiry or legal consequences for their actions? Our response is a firm and resounding ‘no’. Our elected and appointed officials should be eager - even impatient - to dissolve any suspicions or controversy surrounding their actions. In this case, they are staying the course that they have been on for too long – one of obstruction and obfuscation.