In less than a week, two South Carolina attorneys have accepted former-President Donald Trump’s job to defend him in the upcoming impeachment trial team. On Jan. 26, 2021, Deborah Barbier joined Butch Bowers to launch a defense supporting the ex-president.
Reports indicated that Trump was having difficulty finding representation, large firms did not seem to want the stigma of being involved with an impeachment trial. Barbier and Bowers each have small law firms.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) might have recruited the pair. He is Trump’s golfing buddy, and it is possible he offered to help in the search for competent attorneys. He complimented Bowers, saying he was popular among both parties. They have known one another for a long time; Graham added he’s “a solid guy.”
Barbier worked at the United States Attorney’s Office between 1996 and 2011 in the criminal division.
According to Wallace Lightsey, the South Carolina committee chair for the American College of Lawyers boasted “it says a great deal about Debbie’s skill and reputation as a trial lawyer to be chosen for this task.” He congratulated her, his colleague.
They have less than two weeks to prepare their client, charged with inciting January 6th the insurrection.
On February 9, the second impeachment trial against Trump is set. The first ended as quickly as it began with no witnesses called and a rapid acquittal exactly as then-Majority Leader Republican Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) orchestrated.
As far as the second trial goes, Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), the new majority leader, intends to hear witnesses, and it appears as though Trump will present a defense. It should be interesting to watch since 45 Republican Senators voted against holding the trial on January 26 — the vote came on the heels of Rand Paul’s pleading that the impeachment is unconstitutional.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Post and Currier: Columbia lawyer to represent Trump at impeachment trial: ‘It’ll be interesting to watch;’ by Andy Shain
Post and Currier: Another Columbia attorney joining Trump’s impeachment team; by Andy Shain
CNN: Trump adds another South Carolina lawyer to impeachment defense team amid questions of whether he will pay them; by Jeremy Herb
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Phil Roeder’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Victoria Pickering’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License