Lawyers for former President Donald Trump argued it is unconstitutional to impeach a former president and declared the coming Senate trial “political theater” in a pretrial brief Monday that offered the fullest picture of their defense.
Senate leaders are aiming to start the trial with a brief debate and vote on the constitutionality of the proceedings Tuesday, followed by several days of presentations that could include witnesses, according to a person familiar with the talks.
“This rushed, single article of impeachment ignores the very Constitution from which its power comes and is itself defectively drafted,” Mr. Trump’s lawyers wrote. “This was only ever a selfish attempt by Democratic leadership in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people.”
The lawyers called for the Senate to dismiss the case.
The House voted to impeach Mr. Trump last month, alleging he encouraged a mob to storm the U.S. Capitol as part of a last-gasp effort to overturn President Biden’s election victory. The article of impeachment cites a speech Mr. Trump gave at a rally preceding the riot where he urged supporters to “fight” and march to the Capitol.
Source: WSJ – US News
