WASHINGTON • US President Donald Trump has turned to some legal heavyweights to help defend him in his Senate impeachment trial with the addition of former independent counsel Ken Starr, who had paved the way for then President Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment, and prominent lawyer Alan Dershowitz.
The team defending the Republican President will be led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump’s private attorney Jay Sekulow, the White House said.
Mr Trump’s adviser and former Florida attorney-general Pam Bondi and former independent counsel Robert Ray will also be on the team, a source familiar with the team’s composition said.
The White House on Friday also said Ms Jane Raskin, one of Mr Trump’s private lawyers, and Mr Eric Herschmann, another former independent counsel, would be on the President’s legal team.
The trial in the Republican-led Senate formally got under way last Thursday, though it will start in earnest on Tuesday with opening statements.
The trial will determine whether Mr Trump is removed from office.
The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted on Dec 18 to impeach Mr Trump on two charges arising from his dealings with Ukraine – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
This came after an investigation that centred on Mr Trump’s request that Ukraine investigate his political rival Joe Biden, the President’s possible Democratic opponent in the Nov 3 election.
The Senate is expected to acquit Mr Trump, as none of its 53 Republicans has voiced support for removing him, a step that requires a two-thirds majority.
Mr Trump has denied wrongdoing and has called the impeachment process a sham.
Sources working with Mr Trump’s legal team said he wanted Mr Dershowitz because of his background as a constitutional scholar.
A statement provided by Mr Dershowitz said he will present oral arguments at Mr Trump’s trial to address the constitutional arguments against impeachment and removal from office.
“While Professor Dershowitz is non-partisan when it comes to the Constitution – he opposed the impeachment of president Bill Clinton and voted for Hillary Clinton – he believes the issues at stake go to the heart of our enduring Constitution,” the statement said.
One person who was not added to the team that will defend Mr Trump at the trial is his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who played a key role in the Ukraine matter.
Democrat Adam Schiff heads a team of seven House members who will serve as prosecutors.
Mr Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles.
Still to be determined is whether the Senate will allow witness testimony and new evidence or whether senators will decide the case as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has suggested using only the material amassed by House investigators.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump involved the national collegiate champion Louisiana State University football team in the impeachment drama during its celebratory visit to the White House on Friday.
“A lot of presidents, some good, some not so good,” Mr Trump told the team. “But you’ve got a good one now, even though they’re trying to impeach (him).”
Citing themes he has raised in his bid to win re-election on Nov 3, Mr Trump also touted the economy’s performance.
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PRESIDENT’S DEFENCE TEAM
WASHINGTON • The Senate impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump is set to begin in earnest on Tuesday, and he has selected several people to defend him. Here is a look at some of the members of the defence team.
PAT CIPOLLONE
White House counsel, Mr Cipollone, the top White House lawyer since October 2018, has played a leading role in defending Mr Trump throughout the impeachment process.
Arguing the President’s case in the Senate trial, however, will be an unusual role for Mr Cipollone, who has mostly shunned the spotlight.
Mr Cipollone has also clashed with internal rivals, such as acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, over impeachment strategy, but a person familiar with the situation said the team appears to be getting along ahead of the trial.
JAY SEKULOW
Mr Trump’s personal attorney, Mr Sekulow, joined the President’s outside legal team in 2017 during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, and has remained on board ever since, helping handle cases involving Mr Trump’s tax returns and financial dealings.
Mr Sekulow made his name arguing religious liberty cases before the Supreme Court, but representing the President at an impeachment trial will give him an even bigger stage.
ALAN DERSHOWITZ
A Harvard Law School professor emeritus, a constitutional law expert and well-known legal commentator, Professor Dershowitz has made a career of flocking to controversial, high-profile cases.
He defended O. J. Simpson from murder charges and helped negotiate a non-prosecution agreement for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein when he was investigated in Florida for alleged sexual abuse of underage girls.
He wrote a book titled The Case Against Impeaching Trump that was released after Mr Mueller’s Russia investigation.
KENNETH STARR
The roles have been reversed for Mr Starr, whose report alleging that Mr Bill Clinton lied under oath about an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky led to the then President’s impeachment.
Mr Starr’s public criticism of Mr Trump’s impeachment on cable TV has drawn scorn from Democrats, who considered Mr Clinton’s impeachment to be an overreach by Republicans.
ROBERT RAY
Former Whitewater independent counsel, Mr Ray, succeeded Mr Starr as independent counsel and submitted the final report on the Whitewater investigation.
Mr Ray has defended Mr Trump from allegations that he obstructed justice by attempting to fire Mr Mueller as special counsel.
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