A lawyer representing the former President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden reverses Trump’s last-minute freeze attempt .4 billion programs Trump announces new legal dismissal team after reported departures as Republicans shoot to unify toward next election cycle MORE in his impeachment trial, next week he plans to argue that condemning Trump for inciting a riot would jeopardize any political discourse.
Speaking Monday night on Fox News’ “Hannity,” attorney David Schoen outlined a three-pronged strategy for Trump’s defense.
Schoen and lawyer Bruce Castor plan to argue that it is unconstitutional to accuse a former president, that some riot police planned to storm the Capitol before Trump addressed his supporters, and that Trump’s conviction would set a precedent that could severely reduce political discourse in the future.
“Apart from the fact that this process is completely unconstitutional … this is a very, very dangerous path to be followed with regard to the First Amendment, putting at risk any passionate political speaker, who is against everything we believe. in this country, ”Schoen said.
Trump’s second trial for removal from the Senate will begin on February 9th. Ten House Republicans joined Democrats in that House to accuse Trump of inciting a crowd.
In his Jan. 6 speech, Trump repeated his claims without proving that his election had been stolen due to widespread fraud and urged his supporters to march on the Capitol to protest the official vote count of the Col. Electoral law that was taking place inside.
Riot police stormed the Capitol building and killed a police officer and sent lawmakers, including the former vice president. Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard Pence Congress Democrats are on the wrong side of the impeachment policy. Did Trump know what was about to happen on January 6th? Kaine looks to next week to file censorship with the goal of banning Trump from the future MORE office, to hide.
Trump tweeted angrily at Pence as the siege unfolded. Later in the afternoon, as the extent of the chaos became apparent, Trump called for calm while praising his supporters for fighting for him.
Schoen said Monday that Trump has “condemned violence at all times.”
“Read the words of his speech. It demands pacification, ”he said.
Democrats believe they have a compelling case to make him draw a direct line from Trump’s words at the rally to the actions of his supporters, who believed Democrats were illegally stealing the White House from the former president.
Democrats also plan to show violent videos of the siege at trial.
Schoen called the process unfair on Monday, arguing that Democrats only seek to prevent Trump from running for office again.
“We also know that the agenda of Pelosi and others is simply to prevent President Trump from running for president again, and this is so undemocratic that he can get, a slap in the face to the 75 million people who voted for Donald Trump, ”Schoen said.
“I would say you also couldn’t call many of the senators as witnesses because of the bias and prejudice they have shown,” he added. “Can you imagine any American citizen considered in a trial in which the judge and jury have already publicly announced that the defendant must be convicted in a case? … For them, it is clear that Donald Trump diminished democracy. How can we have a fair trial? ”
Trump is expected to be acquitted, as it would take 17 Senate Republicans to unite the 50 Democrats to vote to condemn him. Last week, 45 Senate Republicans voted to support the removal of the trial considering it unconstitutional to charge a former president.