Trump Attorney Cipollone Targeted by Dems in Impeachment Trial

Democrats and Republicans fire shots back and forth as Dems seek to eliminate White House Counsel Pat Cipollone from Trump’s defense team in the Senate impeachment trial.

Conflict of Interest?

In their latest attack against the Trump administration, House Democrats are blasting Pat Cipollone due to his being a “material witness” to charges in both articles:

“In preparation for the trial of Donald J. Trump before the Senate, we write to notify you that evidence received by the House of Representatives during its impeachment inquiry indicates that you are a material witness to charges in both Articles of Impeachment for which President Trump now faces trial. You must disclose all facts and information as to which you have first-hand knowledge that will be at issue in connection with evidence you present or arguments you make in your role as the President’s legal advocate so that the Senate and Chief Justice can be apprised of any potential ethical issues, conflicts or biases,” an except from the letter sent by House impeachment managers to Trump Attorney Pat Cipollone .

The impeachment managers went on to cite Cipollone’s connection to Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs John Eisenberg, who “reports directly” to Cipollone, as potential evidence of Cipollone’s involvement in withholding military aid to Ukraine in regard to the abuse of power article.

They also added that Cipollone could also be heavily involved in the second article, due to the White House counsel’s office being “directly involved in potential efforts to conceal President Trump’s scheme from Congress and the public.”

The White House did not take the Democrats’ attacks silently, however, and hit back on their own, calling Dems an “utter joke,” and the managers’ letter a “political stunt.” The statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley also questions the appointment of Adam Schiff as a manager, who hasn’t had a marvelous run with “lying multiple times about Russia collusion evidence that didn’t exist, made up a totally phony phone conversation about Ukraine that never happened,” and others.