MR. LEVY: Understood.
MR. GOWDY: Mr. Simpson, were you aware that Perkins Coie was retained by the DNC?
MR. SIMPSON: I'm aware. I was aware of that and have been for years that they have -- they were one of the main lawyers for the Democratic party, yes. I don't have any specific awareness --
MR. GOWDY: That wasn't my precise question. With respect to this fact pattern, with respect to your firm being retained, were you aware that Perkins Coie was working on behalf of the DNC?
MR. SIMPSON: Yes. I mean, I know that they are -- the DNC is a client of Perkins Coie. I don't -- I didn't see it -- nobody gave me a document or informed me specifically of that.
MR. GOWDY: Did you think the law firm was just doing it on their own?
MR. SIMPSON: I'm sorry, I don't understand your question.
MR. GOWDY: Did you think the law firm was just doing it on their own?
MR. SIMPSON: Doing what? Doing --
MR. GOWDY: Opposition research into candidate Trump.
MR. SIMPSON: No.
MR. GOWDY: Paying you to do opposition research into candidate Trump, did you think Perkins Coie was doing that on their own?
MR. SIMPSON: No, sir. What I'm trying to explain is that I have been in Washington for several decades, and I spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill and it was well-known to me that Perkins Coie represented the DNC.
MR. GOWDY: Is that the only way that you knew that they were doing work on behalf of the DNC when they retained you in this specific fact pattern?
UNCLASSIFIED, COMMITTEE SENSITIVE
