Bowers – a reputed attorney from Columbia, South Carolina, who previously worked in the Justice Department under President George W. Bush – has been in talks with Trump for the past few days, according to two people who know the case. Bowers is linked to Trump by Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican in South Carolina who also helps add new advocates to the team.
Two people familiar with the case have approached Charlie Condon, a former attorney general in South Carolina who now works in private practice in Charleston. Condon wrote in a brief statement to CNN on Monday night: “I do not represent former President Trump. Thank you.’
A spokesman for the former president declined to comment on any additions to Trump’s legal team.
But just two weeks before the content of the trial is due to begin, Trump is still struggling to find other lawyers to join his team, people familiar with the case have said. Some law firms asked questions about whether it would be paid, and other layers expressed their reluctance to commit themselves to the deadly uprising of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, the people said.
The contours of Trump’s Senate trial are beginning to take shape as the ceremonial elements unfold, with the Senate’s longest-serving Democrat expected to chair the trial, and Democrats will still consider pursuing witnesses during proceedings that can cover part of February.
Asked if he thinks Trump’s defense team will want to call witnesses, Graham, a close ally of Trump, said he did not know, adding: “I can not imagine who you would call” and said noted that the House had no one to testify in their indictments.
The South Carolina Republican argued that he dismissed the trial on the grounds of a ‘constitutional lack of jurisdiction’.
Graham said he spoke to Trump on Sunday while the former president was playing golf in Florida.
Asked about Trump’s attitude and preparations for his second indictment, Graham said: “Well, I think he wants to get it right.” He said he “would not think” that Trump would return from Florida for the proceedings, and again stressed the desire for a speedy trial.
The exact time frame of the trial itself, which begins the week of Feb. 8, is also unknown, but several indictment executives have said they do not think it will last longer than the 21 days of Trump’s trial in 2020. however, it is still that it will last a large part of February and will end by the end of the month, if not earlier.
The second accusation is also expected to differ from the first in another important way. According to two sources who know the case, Chief Justice John Roberts will not preside.
Instead, Senator Patrick Leahy, president, is expected to preside, sources said. According to the Constitution, the chief justice is the chairman when the person in charge is the current president of the United States, but in other cases the senators are the chairman, one source said.
CNN’s Caroline Kelly and Jeremy Herb contributed to this report.