Trump names new defence lawyers
Former US presdent Donald Trump has announced new lawyers to defend him in the impeachment trial set to start on February 9, in place of those who left abruptly over the weekend.
Trial lawyers David Schoen and Bruce L Castor Jr will head the defence team, Trump’s office announced on Sunday evening, a day after the departure of five leading members of the team reportedly over differences of opinion on the defence strategy.
The announcement said the new defence team will argue “this impeachment is unconstitutional”. His former lawyers reportedly left because the ex-president had pressed them to argue he had lost the election because of fraud, a lie that Trump, his lawyers and allies had failed to establish through more than 60 lawsuits and multiple requests for vote recounts and audits.
Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on January 13, for inciting supporters to storm the US Capitol.