Former US President Donald Trump appears to be in deeper trouble as his lawyers are parting ways with him. His second impeachment trial begins in the Senate on February 9.
As of last week, South Carolina attorneys Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier were expected to join the team of his defenders, but now a source says it was a “mutual decision” to part ways.
“We have done much work, but have not made a final decision on our legal team, which will be made shortly,” Trump adviser Jason Miller said in a statement.
“Democrats’ efforts to impeach a president who has already left office is totally unconstitutional and so bad for our country,” he added.
Another attorney, Joshua Howard, who was to help Trump, is also no longer a part of his legal team, said the source.
News channel CNN broke the news of Howard’s departure.
That makes at least three lawyers at this point who were expected to represent Trump in his trial who have now parted ways with him. It’s unclear whether two additional attorneys who were possibly joining the effort, Johnny Gasser and Greg Harris, are still weighing the decision or have also decided not to work with the former president.
So far, no one involved in Trump’s first impeachment trial has signed on for his second trial. Those close to the former president are unable to identify anyone on his legal team publicly with just over a week to go.
Miller said any announcement on defense lawyers is now likely to come from Trump himself in the next few days.
Moreover, Trump is not planning to appear in person to defend himself against the charge that he incited insurrection at the Capitol on January 6.
