Fmr. Bush Ethics Lawyer Richard Painter Considering Run For Senate
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Washington insider who has been critical of President Donald Trump is eyeing a run for U.S. Senate.
Richard Painter was President George W. Bush's chief ethics attorney. Now out of politics, the former professor made national headlines after joining a lawsuit against President Trump for maintaining his international hotel business while in office.
At a news conference Wednesday, Painter said it's time take back our government from corruption and money.
"If I choose to enter this race, it will be to fix the problem of corruption in our government at the federal level where it is worst, and reaching into the states where we have seen campaign finance corrupt state government across the country," he said.
Painter did not officially launch a Senate campaign, but he did launch an exploratory committee to fill Al Franken's Senate seat.
That seat is now held by Democrat Tina Smith, who says she will run for re-election.
Painter said if he does run, he has not decided which party he will be a part of.
