Former President Trump has not yet made a final decision on his legal team days after the start of his impeachment trial, his adviser Jason Miller said Saturday after it emerged that he had lost two lead defense attorneys.
Why it matters: Trump’s Senate trial begins on February 8. It is unclear who will take charge now that South Carolina lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier have left the team. Several other attorneys are also reportedly no longer on Trump’s legal team.
Details: Former federal prosecutors Greg Harris and Johnny Gasser in South Carolina, previously announced for Trump’s defense against impeachment, will no longer be on the legal team, according to AP.
- North Carolina attorney Josh Howard, “who reportedly participated in the effort but was never publicly confirmed by Trump advisers, is also not part of the team,” notes the New York Times. Maggie Haberman.
- “Trump wanted lawyers to claim massive electoral fraud and it was stolen from him rather than focusing on proposed constitutionality arguments,” CNN’s tweeted. Kaitlan Collins, who first reported the news about Bowers and Barbier and also Howard.
What they say: The decision about Bowers and Barbier was mutual, a Trump adviser told news outlets.
- Miller said inside a statement Democrats’ attempts to overthrow a president who has already left are “totally unconstitutional” and “so bad for our country.”
- “In fact, 45 senators have already voted, which is unconstitutional,” he added. “We have done a lot of work, but have not yet made a final decision on our legal team, which will be taken soon.”
Of interest: Trump was impeached earlier this month before leaving office for “inciting insurgency” over the riots in the Capitol, becoming the only president in history to be impeached twice.
Go deeper: Most Senate Republicans join the bid to dismiss Trump’s second impeachment trial
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.