Trump announces new lawyers for his impeachment trial
Donald Trump announced Sunday that a former county prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer with a background in civil rights work will lead his impeachment defense team, one day after it was revealed that the former president had parted ways with an earlier set of attorneys.
The two representing Trump will be defense lawyer David Schoen, a frequent television legal commentator, and Bruce Castor, a former district attorney in Pennsylvania who was criticized for his decision to not charge actor Bill Cosby in a sex crimes case.
Both attorneys issued statements through Trump’s office saying that they were honored to take the job.
“The strength of our Constitution is about to be tested like never before in our history. It is strong and resilient. A document written for the ages, and it will triumph over partisanship yet again, and always,” said Castor, who served as district attorney for Montgomery County, outside of Philadelphia, from 2000 to 2008.
The announcement Sunday was intended to promote a sense of stability surrounding the Trump defense team as his impeachment trial nears. Several South Carolina lawyers had been set to represent him at the trial, which starts the week of Feb. 8.
Trump, the first president in American history to be impeached twice, is set to stand trial in the Senate on a charge that he incited his supporters to storm Congress on Jan. 6 as lawmakers met to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
