DONALD Trump has parted ways with five top lawyers meant to represent him at his second impeachment trial, and many are suggesting the former president represent himself.
News broke on Saturday night that the defense attorneys have left a little more than a week before Trump‘s trial is set to begin.
Five of Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers have reportedly left his legal teamCredit: Reuters
Butch Bowers is one of the lawyers who leftCredit: AP:Associated Press
CNN reported that the parting of ways was due to a disagreement over the legal strategy, with Trump asking his lawyers to continue arguing his claim of election fraud instead of focusing on whether it’s constitutional to impeach a former president after he’s left office.
South Carolina lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier left the defense team after a “mutual decision,” according to a source familiar with the situation.
Three other lawyers, Josh Howard, who was recently added to the team, Johnny Gasser and Greg Harris, have all reportedly left as well.
One of the individuals who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that new additions to the team are expected to be announced within a day or two.
Lawyer Deborah Barbier left the team as well Credit: AP:Associated Press
Josh Howard, who was recently added to the Trump defense team, also leftCredit: WTVD
Johnny Gasser (right) is also out Credit: AP:Associated Press
However, reactions to the news seem to be leaning in an interesting direction: that Trump should represent himself.
“If you’re Trump this is rather a no brainer,” wrote Twitter user Janet Mullins Grisson.
“With Senate Rs aka the jury on the record that impeaching former president is unconstitutional why spend money on lawyers?”
The news of the legal shakeup online has garnered many similar responses, especially with the impeachment trial set to begin the week of February 8.
The question has been brought up if Trump will represent himselfCredit: EPA
45 Republican senators voted against moving forward with the trialCredit: Splash News
Trump has reportedly struggled to get a legal team behind him as he prepares for a second impeachment trial on allegations that he incited his supporters to storm the Capitol building on January 6 to protest the 2020 election results.
However, there is a solid chance that Trump will be acquitted.
This week, 45 Republican senators voted in support of a measure calling the trial unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office, though the riots did occur while Trump was still president.
Only five Republicans sided with Democrats that the trial should move forward.
The Senate needs a two-thirds majority to convict Trump, meaning that 17 Republicans would need to side with Dems to find him guilty.
The Senate can, however, conduct a simple vote that would require only a simple majority to disqualify Trump from ever holding office again, according to The New York Times.
