Former President Donald Trump began assembling the defense team for his historic second Senate impeachment trial, starting with the hiring of South Carolina-based attorney Butch Bowers.
Jason Miller, adviser to Trump, who announced the hiring of Twitter, said Bowers “is well respected by Republicans and Democrats and will do an excellent job defending President Trump.” Miller did not say whether others signed or whether Bowers was the only lawyer who would represent Trump.
Republican senators were informed of Bowers’ involvement in a Republican Party conference call on Thursday afternoon, said two people familiar with the discussions. Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., mentioned that he recommended Bowers to Trump, the sources said.
Asked later about Trump’s legal team, Graham told reporters, “Well, I think he’s going to have a good one. Butch Bowers, I think, will be the anchor tenant type. But I’ve known Butch for a long time, solid guy. And I think that over time, they will build the team. “
Graham, who has been advising Trump, shared that he talked to Trump about the trial on Thursday. “I think the president is looking forward to leaving this behind … He will have his day in court and that is how the system works.”
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Graham said Bowers “was involved in very complex litigation – he represented the state of South Carolina and the federal court on many issues”. For example, Bowers was a lawyer for Governor Mark Sanford when he faced impeachment in the South Carolina House in 2009. He also served in the Department of Justice in the administration of President George W. Bush.
Senator Tim Scott, RS.C., echoed Graham’s confidence in Bowers. “He is a competent lawyer who has served well in South Carolina and understands electoral laws as good as anyone I know, so it will be interesting to see everything unfold,” he said.
Most lawyers involved with Trump’s first impeachment defense team said they were not participating in the second trial, including Rudy Giuliani, Jay Sekulow, Alan Dershowitz and former White House lawyer Pat Cipollone.
Bowers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Frank Thorp V contributed.