Trump loses lead impeachment lawyers days before Senate trial
With just days to go before the start of his second Senate impeachment trial, former President Donald Trump’s legal team is in turmoil, it was reported Saturday.
South Carolina lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier dropped out of the Trump team in what spokespeople called a “mutual decision, CNN reported.
Bowers and Barbier differed with others on the Trump team on the direction they should take the case, The Associated Press said.
Three more lawyers quit after Bowers’ and Barbier’s departures were reported, CNN reported.
Two of the other departed lawyers were identified by the AP as Greg Harris and Johnny Gasser, former federal prosecutors from South Carolina.
Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was involved in recruiting Bowers to the legal team.
“We have done much work, but have not made a final decision on our legal team, which will be made shortly,” ex-Trump campaign aide Jason Miller told CNN.
Trump’s conviction on a count of “incitement of insurrection” for encouraging the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is a longshot, as most Republicans have voted that it is unconstitutional to convict impeached presidents after they have left office.
By a 55-45 vote last week, the Senate turned back a resolution from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) saying that the impeachment trial is unconstitutional.
Just five Republicans voted to support the impeachment trial, a sign that there’s not enough support to convict Trump. Conviction would require the votes of all 50 Democrats and 17 Republicans.
