David Schoen, one of former President Donald Trump’s defense attorneys, said the Senate impeachment trial could wrap up on Saturday.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday evening, Schoen said the defense team would likely take three to four hours on Friday to present its arguments. He added that the trial was “moving much more quickly” than anticipated.
Schoen had initially requested to pause the trial from sundown Friday till Sunday so he could observe the Sabbath. But he withdrew the request, adding that he would simply not participate in the trial during that time.
Jason Miller, a Trump senior adviser, had already announced on Thursday that the defense team planned to finish its arguments on Friday, making it likely the trial would finish over the weekend.
Schoen and his trial partner, Bruce Castor, faced frustration from Republicans and bemusement from Democrats after giving winding opening statements on Tuesday on the constitutionality of the trial. Their remarks, which touched issues ranging from Ancient Greek democracy to the upstanding nature of U.S. senators, were a stark contrast to the dramatic video montages used by House impeachment managers to recreate the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Even Sean Hannity of Fox News, a Trump loyalist, asked Schoen about the team’s opening remarks on Tuesday. Schoen defended the team by saying it would be “very well prepared in the future.”
Former President Donald Trump’s attorneys will highlight Democrats’ hypocrisy in condoning street violence when they present his defense Friday in the Senate impeachment trial on a charge of incitement of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
But with Mr. Trump’s acquittal all but assured as early as this ...