Don Jr.'s lawyer tries and fails to downplay NYT report: Email exists -- but is 'much ado about nothing'

Donald Trump Jr.’s lawyer Alan Futerfas on Monday issued a statement on the bombshell New York Times report asserting that in his view, “this is much ado about nothing.”

Late Monday, the Times reported that the eldest son of Donald Trump was informed via email that he would be meeting someone with information detrimental to Hillary Clinton—and that the information came from the Russian government.

But in a statement, Futerfas—who Trump Jr. hired Monday after an explosive Times report on Sunday first detailed the meeting between he, Jared Kushner, Paul Manafrot and a Russian lawyer, tried to downplay Trump Jr.’s knowledge of the meeting.

“Near the end of the 2016 Republican primaries was an intensely busy time for Don Jr.,” Futerfas said in a statement. “During this busy period, Robert Goldstone contacted Don, Jr. in an email and suggested that people had information concerning alleged wrongdoing by Democratic Party frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, in her dealings with Russia.”

Futerfas argued Trump Jr.’s “takeaway” was that the information was “potentially helpful to the campaign” and came from “someone he knows.”

“Don, Jr. had no knowledge as to what specific information, if any, would be discused,” Futerfas asserted.

“The bottom line is that Don, Jr. did nothing wrong,” he added.

Read the full statement below, via Twitter: