Impeachment has actually long been on the minds of the president and his lawyers
Trump's team is trying to stop impeachment before it starts
The president has a technically nonexistent yet omnipresent legal force that has been critical in stymieing Democratic efforts.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/23/trump-impeachment-legal-strategy-1506652
Donald Trumps lawyers insist they dont need to form an impeachment defense team.
Yet heres what they have: At least 30 White House and Justice Department attorneys who have worked on related issues. Several personal lawyers for the president dealing with the subject. A lurking presence at Capitol Hill impeachment-focused hearings. Aggressive legal briefs and countersuits foiling efforts to gather fuel for potential proceedings. Near-daily media appearances discussing the topic.
This technically nonexistent yet omnipresent force has been critical in stymying Democrats attempts to build their case for removing Trump from office. Trumps lawyers have helped block testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn a key player in the most potentially damning stories from Robert Muellers report fought lawmakers and prosecutors trying to see the presidents personal tax returns and protected the former special counsels most sensitive secrets. Theyve also advised ex-Trump staffers like Corey Lewandowski and Hope Hicks as they faced grillings from congressional Democrats.
That the presidents representatives dont want to call their work what it is preventing Trumps potential impeachment is no surprise. Any recognition that theyve taken such an official step would be a giant red flag that they think things are more serious than they are. Still, the Trump lawyers combined mission effectively is to stop impeachment before it starts.
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Impeachment has actually long been on the minds of the president and his lawyers.
Back in May 2018, POLITICO reported that Trumps attorneys had calculated that Mueller would not pursue a criminal indictment against a sitting president. That freed them up to launch a public relations blitz meant to undermine the special counsel and cripple any impeachment-fueling evidence he turned up.
Thats where we are now.
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Trump is also getting air cover from the Justice Department.
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Several private attorneys have Trumps back, too.
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Then theres the PR push.
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