“This is political theater and I am neither a politician nor an actor. I don’t see a role for me as a lawyer, ”said Alan Dershowitz, Trump’s allied lawyer who joined Trump’s impeachment defense team last January.
Unlike Dershowitz, who faced scrutiny by bipartisan lawmakers about his ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, Trump’s new defense lawyer received praise on Thursday from some of his former Republican clients. The South Carolina attorney previously represented the former governors. Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford, and serves as defending judge general officer for the South Carolina National Guard.
“Butch is a good friend and a good lawyer. President Trump is fortunate to have him on his team, ”said Haley through a spokesman.
Sanford, who was represented by Bowers during his own battle against impeachment after fleeing to Argentina with a lover during his term as governor of South Carolina, described Bowers as “ethical and competent”.
“Butch is a first-class human being. In the fifteen years … where I worked with Butch in different capacities, he was just kind of commonplace. He was superficial and professional,” said Sanford, adding that yes I don’t believe Bowers will use his position on Trump’s defense team to amplify the unfounded allegations of electoral fraud by the former president.
The news of Bowers’ hiring was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Some Trump allies believe the president plans to use his judgment to promote his baseless allegations that the election was stolen from him, according to two former advisers familiar with his strategy. One of the advisers warned that no defense strategy had been definitively worked out.
Bowers’ story suggests that the former president is interested in focusing on how the votes were cast and counted during the 2020 cycle. Bowers served in the government of President George W. Bush as a special adviser on voting issues in the Department of Justice and worked as an advisor in Florida for the John McCain presidential race in 2008.
“All I can say is based on the Butch Bowers that I know and respect, I hope it is not sucked up as a tool to advance the president’s conspiracy theories,” said Sanford.
Trump’s push to bolster his defense team comes a week after House Democrats accused him of inciting a U.S. Capitol insurrection on January 6. Hundreds of pro-Trump protesters stormed the building – wounding police and forcing the evacuation of members of Congress – after a meeting with the former president in front of the White House.
During the demonstration, Trump encouraged protesters to “walk to the Capitol” – a phrase that is likely to become the focal point of his impeachment trial. Less than two hours after Trump made the comment, hundreds of his supporters burst through the security perimeter outside the building and finally entered.
Trump’s decision to hire Bowers was announced by his ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) during a Republican Party meeting in the Senate on Thursday. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Asked Trump to be given two weeks to prepare his legal case for trial. A spokesman for Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said they had received a proposal from McConnell “which deals only with pre-trial motions” and that they “would review and discuss it with him”.
Graham, who said he had known Bowers “for a long time,” said Trump is still building his legal team. “I think Butch Bowers will be the anchor tenant type,” said Graham.
Trump, Graham told reporters, believes that a post-presidential impeachment is “unconstitutional and undermines his presidency.” Jurists disagree with that assessment arguing that one form of punishment that Trump could receive – a ban on running for a future position – makes it clear that the founders envisioned impeachment as a tool that could be applied to current and former presidents.
Bowers could not be reached for comment.