Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and his wife Jane Sanders have hired lawyers following calls for an investigation into a loan Jane Sanders took out to expand Burlington College while she was serving as president, according to reports.
Jeff Weaver, campaign manager for Sanders’ 2016 political campaign, confirmed the senator and his wife have lawyered up, Politico reported.
Rich Cassidy, a longtime Bernie supporter and Burlington resident has reportedly been hired to represent Sanders, while Washington defense Attorney Larry Robbins will be defending Jane Sanders.
The complaint involving Jane Sanders was made in January of 2016 and alleges that while president of Burlington College she conflated donor numbers on a 2010 loan application for $10 million to expand the school.
Burlington College ceased operations in May 2016 after failing to meet accreditation standards and falling into bankruptcy. Sanders served as president from 2004 to 2011.
The complaint was filed by Brady Toensing, a Vermont chairman for the Trump campaign, to the U.S. attorney for Vermont.
“I filed a request for an investigation in January 2016 and an investigation appears to have been started right away,” Toensing told CBS News. “It was started under President Obama, his Attorney General, and his U.S. Attorney, all of whom are Democrats.”
Weaver also told CBS News Toensing’s claims that Sen. Sanders used his influence to sway the bank to give Jane Sanders’ then-place of employment the loan is “baseless” and “false.”
Prosecutors reportedly may also be investigating Sanders’ office over allegations that he used his influence to help sway the bank to approve the loan.
