Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Donald Trump is making changes to his legal defense after five lawyers from North and South Carolina exited his team over the weekend, according to reports.
The office of the former president confirmed that “Highly respected” trial lawyers David Schoen and Bruce L. Castor would be representing Trump during his upcoming impeachment proceedings in the U.S. Senate.
“It is an honor to represent the 45th president, Donald J. Trump, and the United States Constitution”, said Schoen, with Castor adding “The strength of our Constitution is about to be tested like never before in our history. It is strong and resilient. A document written for the ages, and it will triumph over partisanship yet again, and always.”
Castor, a prominent Pennsylvania lawyer who was recognized among the top 100 Trial Lawyers in the U.S. consistently for the past decade, has built his career practicing employment and corporate law. He was a district attorney for Montgomery County in Pennsylvania when actor Bill Cosby was accused multiple times of sexual assault. Castor declined to prosecute the actor, but his successor nevertheless saw Cosby convicted, guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault.
As for Schoen, the “seasoned trial attorney served as lead counsel in several high-profile matters”, also representing victims of terrorism under the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to Trump’s office. Among his clients was the late American pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who hired Schoen before his death in 2019.
The two lawyers replace a team of five as Josh Howard, Johnny Gasser, Greg Harris, Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier all decided to part ways with the former president.
Trump’s second impeachment trial is due to begin in two weeks, with the former president facing “incitement of insurrection” for his role of encouraging supporters prior to January 6th’s deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has denied responsibility for the insurrection, and has insisted that he never wanted violence. He called the impeachment “a hoax” and a “continuation of witch hunt” prior to the House of Representative voting in-favor of the charge against him.
