Former independent counsel Kenneth Starr and Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz have joined President Donald Trump’s impeachment legal team ahead of the Senate’s upcoming trial.
“Professor Dershowitz will present oral arguments at the Senate trial to address the constitutional arguments against impeachment and removal,” a spokesperson for the legal team said in a statement Friday. “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.”
Dershowitz, one of the country’s most high-profile constitutional lawyers, confirmed the news to CNBC. “The president asked me to do this, and the legal team asked me to do this,” he said.
Starr, a former appeals court judge who headed up the investigation into the Whitewater the Monica Lewinsky scandals, has yet to confirm the news.
Robert Ray, an ex-federal prosecutor and independent counsel who took over for Starr in the Whitewater probe, is also expected to join the president’s legal team, CNN reports.
Michigan Democrat Mallory McMorrow drops out of Senate race weeks before primary
Iranians call for Trump’s death at funeral for assassinated ayatollah: ‘Seek revenge’
Trump shares news of ‘crystal clear’ Reflecting Pool, calls for vandalism suspect’s arrest
Watch: UK Police Do It Again, Attack White Kid for Crime of Being Slammed on Ground by Black Kid
Watch a Gun-Range Officer Halt Some Hollywood Antics on the Spot
California Man Pleads Guilty to Harassing Guthrie Family With Fake Ransom Notes
Newsom blames Trump for DOJ probe, but reports say investigation predates his administration
Samuel Alito Warns Mail-In-Ballot Ruling Leaves Giant Opening For Voter Fraud
Navy suspends search for sailor who went missing when helicopter went down in Arabian Sea
Top highlights from Trump’s late night July 4 address: ‘No dream in history is bigger’
PHOTOS: Record fireworks show lights up DC for America’s 250th birthday
Manson murders allegedly tied to CIA mind control experiments: congressional testimony
Trump made money, bought up stock from crypto companies after his SEC dropped cases against them
Expert who fled Cuba warns of ‘vicious cycle’ that will lead to ‘communists in double digits’ in Congress
9/11 Museum CEO reflects on lasting impact of terror attacks as America marks 250th birthday
“You can confirm that I expect an announcement this afternoon,” Ray told CNBC of the report.
White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and Jay Sekulow, President Trump’s personal attorney, will lead the defense team.
The development comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) bowed to pressure on Wednesday from Republicans and several Democrats to transfer two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — to the Senate after a near four-week delay. Additionally, Pelosi announced the seven House Democrats who will serve as impeachment managers in the trial, naming: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), and Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Val Demings (D-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX). Schiff was appointed lead impeachment manager.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said this week that the trial will likely start next Tuesday.
Michigan Democrat Mallory McMorrow drops out of Senate race weeks before primary
Iranians call for Trump’s death at funeral for assassinated ayatollah: ‘Seek revenge’
Trump shares news of ‘crystal clear’ Reflecting Pool, calls for vandalism suspect’s arrest
Watch: UK Police Do It Again, Attack White Kid for Crime of Being Slammed on Ground by Black Kid
Watch a Gun-Range Officer Halt Some Hollywood Antics on the Spot
California Man Pleads Guilty to Harassing Guthrie Family With Fake Ransom Notes
Newsom blames Trump for DOJ probe, but reports say investigation predates his administration
Samuel Alito Warns Mail-In-Ballot Ruling Leaves Giant Opening For Voter Fraud
Navy suspends search for sailor who went missing when helicopter went down in Arabian Sea
Top highlights from Trump’s late night July 4 address: ‘No dream in history is bigger’
PHOTOS: Record fireworks show lights up DC for America’s 250th birthday
Manson murders allegedly tied to CIA mind control experiments: congressional testimony
Trump made money, bought up stock from crypto companies after his SEC dropped cases against them
Expert who fled Cuba warns of ‘vicious cycle’ that will lead to ‘communists in double digits’ in Congress
9/11 Museum CEO reflects on lasting impact of terror attacks as America marks 250th birthday
“We’ll be able to go through some preliminary steps here this week, which could well include the Chief Justice coming over and swearing-in members of the Senate and some other kind of housekeeping measures…which would set us up to begin the actual trial next Tuesday,” McConnell confirmed at a Capitol Hill press conference.
President Trump has repeatedly criticized the Democrats’ impeachment effort as a “hoax” and an “illegal, partisan attempted coup.”
Story cited here.
