Trump impeachment lawyer David Schoen calls trial ‘slap in the face’ in first interview

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David Schoen, one of Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers, claimed the former president had “nothing to do" with the deadly Capitol Hill riots that killed five people, and that his trial is “tearing the country apart.”

Mr Schoen, an Atlanta based lawyer, is one of the two attorneys appointed by Mr Trump on Sunday to represent him in the historic impeachment hearing.

In the first interview after his appointment, Mr Schoen told Fox News that the trial of the former president was “unconstitutional” and a “very very dangerous road to take.” 

“It [trial] is tearing the country apart at a time when we don't need anything like that," Mr Schoen told Sean Hannity on Fox News. He also called the trial the “most ill-advised legislative action” he has seen.

“This is the political weaponisation of the impeachment process,” Mr Schoen said, stating that there was a “rush to judgement."

The former president was impeached on 13 January for the second time following the Capitol riots, becoming the only president to be impeached twice. The House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump, including ten Republicans. The hearing is set to begin from 9 February.

Defending Mr Trump’s role in the Capitol violence, Mr Schoen said: “He condemned violence at all times. Read the words of his speech. It calls for peacefulness.”

“This has nothing to do with President Trump and the country doesn't need to just watch videos of riots and unrest. We need to heal now. We need to move forward,” he said.

Calling the trial unfair and biased, he alleged that the Senators have already made up their mind that Mr Trump is guilty.

"I would say you also should be able to call, then, many of the senators as witnesses, because of the awful bias and prejudgment they've shown,”  said Mr Schoen.

“Can you imagine any American citizen considering to be in a trial where the judge and jury has already announced publicly that the defendant must be convicted in this case?”

"It undercuts democracy,” he added. “How could you possibly have a fair trial? Senator Schumer promised a fair and full trial. You can't when you know that they are biased going in.”

He also hit out at President Biden for missing a “great opportunity to be a statesman.”

Mr Trump's impeachment trial will be the first of a US president who is no longer in office.

The “agenda'' from the Democrats, he said, was to “simply to bar President Trump from ever running for president again.” “And that is about as undemocratic as you could get,” he added.

“Can you imagine the slap in the face that is to the 75 million or more voters who voted for Donald Trump?” Mr Schoen further said.

Mr Schoen will be representing Mr Trump along with Bruce Castor, the former district attorney in Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump announced the names after his former lawyer left the case, reportedly due to disagreement over trial strategy.