In April 2012, as he finalized a deal to work for Ukraine, Greg Craig passed along terms specifically requested by the leadership of his firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Craig, then a Skadden partner who had served as President Barack Obama’s first White House counsel, said in an email that the “powers that be” in the firm’s New York office “insist—and I agree—that we should include a provision in the retainer agreement that [Skadden] is not being retained to engage—and will not engage—in political activities as defined by the Foreign Agents Registration Act.”