Two of former President Donald Trump's lead attorneys for his impeachment trial are no longer part of the team, departing in a "mutual decision."
The attorneys, Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier, who were only named to the team this past week, have both left the team, CNN first reported, quoting a source familiar with the decision.
Politico also reported Bowers and Barbier are leaving the team. Bowers, a South Carolina attorney, was reportedly set to play a major part in defending Trump in the Senate trial. Barbier, another South Carolina attorney, was also described as a main part of Trump's legal team.
One source told The Associated Press the "mutual decision" that reflected a difference of opinion on the direction of the case.
Republicans and Trump aides have made clear they intend to make a simple argument in the trial: Trump's trial is unconstitutional because he is no longer office.
CNN's Gloria Bolger, while reporting the story, said Brooks and Barbier were not a good fit for the Trump defense effort.
"Butch Bowers is known as a straight shooter, a by-the-books" lawyer," Bolger said. "I have talked to Democrats and Republicans in the state of South Carolina, all of whom have nothing but respect for Butch Bowers. They did not see him as a Trump guy. They just saw him as a Republican who has defended other Republicans like former Govs. Mark Sanford or Nikki Haley when confronted with ethics issues."
Bowers also hired other attorneys to serve on Trump's team, including Barbier, Bolger said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., first announced Bowers' hiring, reports Politico. News outlets in the state also named trial attorneys Greg Harris and Johnny Gasser as having joined the team, but Trump aides never confirmed who would represent him.
Trump spokesperson Jason Miller, in a statement, did not address the issues around the legal team but instead attacked the impeachment itself, including mentioning that most Senate Republicans have voted that convicting a former president goes against the Constitution.
"We have done much work, but have not made a final decision on our legal team, which will be made shortly," Miller said in the statement.
The single article of impeachment against Trump accuses him of inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. However, two-thirds of the Senate must vote for his conviction, and it is not expected there will be enough Republicans who will vote against the former president.
Information from AP was used in this report.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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