Come May 31, Great Bend native Ty Cobb will retire from his post as legal counsel to President Donald Trump, ending his nearly year-long gig in the White House.
“There’s no denying this job is different than any other legal assignment I’ve had,” Cobb said. This says a lot since he’s made a career high-stakes cases from corporate mergers to prosecuting organized crime boses.
“It’s never been casual,” the 67-year-old attorney said. “But, this was unique in terms of responsibilities, obligations and personalities.”
However, Cobb said the furor over his departure from the Trump administration has been largely exaggerated in the national media. “Getting an accurate read on anything here (in the nation’s capitol) is impossible.”
There had been reports of Cobb clashing with the president in recent weeks over Trump’s combative posture with the Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s on-going Russia investigation.
The White House point person on Mueller’s investigation, Cobb informed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly last week that he would leave his post. His retirement was announced Wednesday, but had been discussed for several weeks, White House officials said.
Also on Wednesday, Trump hired Emmet T. Flood, a Washington lawyer who represented Bill Clinton during his impeachment. Flood replaced Cobb.
“Emmet Flood will be joining the White House staff to represent the president and the administration against the Russia witch hunt,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sandersin a statement. “Ty Cobb, is a friend of the president, who has done a terrific job.”
Cobb said his replacement was part of talks with the White House prior to his departure and Flood is a good man for the job. “I wanted them to have someone in place before I left.”
There are reports that Flood will take a adversarial stand in dealings with Mueller.
Cobb, a renowned international attorney and 1968 Great Bend High School graduate, was named to the Trump White House legal team last July.
He was a key adviser, coordinating the administration’s dealings with Mueller.
He also represented a number of individuals in government investigations during the Clinton administration. In 2006, he represented former CIA official Mary McCarthy, who was fired after she was accused of providing classified information to reporters. No charges were brought against McCarthy.
He was a 2015 GBHS Hall of Fame inductee.
Cobb said he has had offers about future job opportunities, but “now, I want to take time to honor my family,” Cobb said, adding he also wants to get in some fishing. This job, as well as his entire career, have often gotten in the way of family time.
He will remain at the White House until the end of the month, after which he will return to his Kiawah Island, S.C., home. Although he intended to remain in South Carolina, he remains a Kansan at heart.
“I never go a day without talking about Kansas,” he said. He will be back in Great Bend in September for his 50th class reunion.
