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‘We’re ready to go’: Trump legal team readies for Senate trial’s start

Jay Sekulow, Trump’s longest-serving personal attorney, also is expected to have a presence on the Senate floor during the trial, though it’s still unclear whether that includes making any public remarks.

One thing still up in the air: Trump’s legal team hasn’t arrived at a final decision on whether to give House Republicans official speaking slots during the Senate trial, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

They’ve had lawyers analyze whether such a move is allowed and came away with the impression that there’s no prohibition against it. Past Senate rules for impeachment trials explicitly state that the person who’s been impeached can appear on his own behalf or send “any person for him” in his defense.

Even so, Trump world remains split over the idea of bringing in his top Hill allies to defend him in the trial.

“There’s not a lot of precedent on this,” said the person familiar with the president’s strategy. “It’s a fluid situation.”

Some in the president’s orbit argue Trump’s congressional allies would provide a strong counterweight to the House Democratic impeachment managers — a coterie of lawmakers hand-picked by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Among the GOP names in the mix to represent Trump include Reps. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, John Ratcliffe of Texas, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

But there has been some pushback from Senate Republicans, who are reluctant to elevate Trump’s partisan warriors to such a high-profile role in the trial, according to two sources. The fear is that it could take away from the solemn nature of the proceedings and serve as a distraction.

Trump’s lawyers have been working for weeks to gear up for the Senate trial, though they remain as much in the dark as the rest of Washington as to when Pelosi will formally send the impeachment articles to the Senate. The California Democrat is still expected to transmit the articles as soon as this week, though former national security adviser John Bolton’s statement Monday that he’d comply with a Senate subpoena to testify at the trial has added another layer of uncertainty to the schedule.

Even so, the person familiar with the president’s legal strategy said Trump’s team is itching to begin the trial. “We’re ready to go,” the person said.

Source: politico.com
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