Trump Attorney Criticizes Democrats As Offering 'Entertainment Package'

An attorney representing former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial accused Democratic House impeachment managers of treating the prosecution like "an entertainment package" and said he did not see the need for the defense to make a protracted case to support Trump's innocence.

"When you bring in a movie company and hire a large law firm to make a professional product, that takes things out of context and presents it as an entertainment package," attorney David Schoen said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.

Schoen was railing against House impeachment managers, who have utilized graphic firsthand footage from the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol siege in alleging that Trump incited rioters.

"This isn't a blood sport. It's not about entertainment. It's about reporting the facts to the American people," Schoen said. "For an impeachment process, it's offensive."

Schoen said Trump was "very upbeat" about the trial, despite early criticisms of his team's legal strategy and presentation, including from the former president himself.

Schoen told the network the defense would not be changing its game plan and that he hoped to move through the trial as quickly as possible.

"As I said from the start of this thing, this trial never should have happened and, if it happened, it should be as short as possible, given the complete lack of evidence and the harm that this is causing to the American people," he said.

"This is the antithesis of a process that will lead to healing or unity or accountability. It's the antithesis of it. It's — it tears the country apart." [Copyright 2021 NPR]