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| Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump in impeachment | Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump in impeachment |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US President Donald Trump's defence team in his Senate trial will include special prosecutors from President Bill Clinton's impeachment. | US President Donald Trump's defence team in his Senate trial will include special prosecutors from President Bill Clinton's impeachment. |
| He will be represented by Ken Starr and Robert Ray, who investigated Mr Clinton, and Alan Dershowitz, whose past clients include OJ Simpson. | He will be represented by Ken Starr and Robert Ray, who investigated Mr Clinton, and Alan Dershowitz, whose past clients include OJ Simpson. |
| White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will lead the team. | White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will lead the team. |
| Opening statements in the Trump impeachment trial will begin next week. | Opening statements in the Trump impeachment trial will begin next week. |
| Who are the Clinton prosecutors? | Who are the Clinton prosecutors? |
| Mr Starr was the US Department of Justice independent counsel who investigated the Whitewater affair, a scandal-plagued mid-1980s land venture in Arkansas involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. | Mr Starr was the US Department of Justice independent counsel who investigated the Whitewater affair, a scandal-plagued mid-1980s land venture in Arkansas involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. |
| The inquiry ultimately uncovered unrelated evidence that Mr Clinton had been having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. | The inquiry ultimately uncovered unrelated evidence that Mr Clinton had been having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. |
| The investigation culminated in the Democratic president's impeachment by the US House of Representatives in 1998. Mr Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. | The investigation culminated in the Democratic president's impeachment by the US House of Representatives in 1998. Mr Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. |
| Mr Ray succeeded Mr Starr as the independent counsel. | Mr Ray succeeded Mr Starr as the independent counsel. |
| Ms Lewinsky tweeted on Friday shortly after Mr Trump's team was announced: "This is definitely an 'are you kidding me?' kinda day", though she inserted an expletive. | Ms Lewinsky tweeted on Friday shortly after Mr Trump's team was announced: "This is definitely an 'are you kidding me?' kinda day", though she inserted an expletive. |
| In 2016, Mr Starr was forced out of his position as president of Baylor University after an inquiry found the school had mishandled rape accusations against its football players. | In 2016, Mr Starr was forced out of his position as president of Baylor University after an inquiry found the school had mishandled rape accusations against its football players. |
| He later also resigned from his roles as chancellor and law professor at the university. | He later also resigned from his roles as chancellor and law professor at the university. |
| Who is Alan Dershowitz? | Who is Alan Dershowitz? |
| Mr Dershowitz is a retired Harvard University law professor and constitutional law expert whose past celebrity clients have also included boxer Mike Tyson. | Mr Dershowitz is a retired Harvard University law professor and constitutional law expert whose past celebrity clients have also included boxer Mike Tyson. |
| He told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that he had spoken to the president on Wednesday about the impeachment case. | |
| "I agreed to do it as an independent constitutional scholar," Mr Dershowitz said. "I take no position on the politics - just on the constitution." | "I agreed to do it as an independent constitutional scholar," Mr Dershowitz said. "I take no position on the politics - just on the constitution." |
| He added he was "very, very concerned" about the precedent this impeachment could establish. | He added he was "very, very concerned" about the precedent this impeachment could establish. |
| "It could weaken the presidency and weaponise impeachment as a partisan tactic," he said. | "It could weaken the presidency and weaponise impeachment as a partisan tactic," he said. |
| Mr Dershowitz said in a statement that he had also opposed Mr Clinton's impeachment, and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. | Mr Dershowitz said in a statement that he had also opposed Mr Clinton's impeachment, and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. |
| The president sought Mr Dershowitz's advice, too, during the 2017-19 special counsel investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election. | The president sought Mr Dershowitz's advice, too, during the 2017-19 special counsel investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election. |
| Mr Dershowitz and Mr Starr both represented disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 abuse trial. | Mr Dershowitz and Mr Starr both represented disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 abuse trial. |
| Axios reported that some White House officials were against Mr Dershowitz joining the team, given his ties to Mr Epstein. | Axios reported that some White House officials were against Mr Dershowitz joining the team, given his ties to Mr Epstein. |
| On Friday, the president shared Mr Dershowitz's comments criticising a Government Accountability Office ruling that the White House had broken the law by withholding aid to Ukraine. | On Friday, the president shared Mr Dershowitz's comments criticising a Government Accountability Office ruling that the White House had broken the law by withholding aid to Ukraine. |
| Who else is on the legal team? | Who else is on the legal team? |
| Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been asked to join the team. | Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been asked to join the team. |
| Mrs Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, joined the White House communications team last November to focus on "proactive impeachment messaging". | Mrs Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, joined the White House communications team last November to focus on "proactive impeachment messaging". |
| The president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, a central figure in the Ukraine investigation, had also hoped to join the defence, but he did not make the cut. | The president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, a central figure in the Ukraine investigation, had also hoped to join the defence, but he did not make the cut. |
| Mr Giuliani told CBS he might be called as a witness in the impeachment trial and "understood this may happen if I uncovered the 2016 Ukrainian corruption". | Mr Giuliani told CBS he might be called as a witness in the impeachment trial and "understood this may happen if I uncovered the 2016 Ukrainian corruption". |
| He was apparently referring to a discredited theory that Ukraine intervened in the last White House election. | He was apparently referring to a discredited theory that Ukraine intervened in the last White House election. |
| One of Mr Giuliani's associates, Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas, has said he went to Ukraine to pressure local officials on behalf of Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani. | One of Mr Giuliani's associates, Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas, has said he went to Ukraine to pressure local officials on behalf of Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani. |
| Mr Trump's allies have rubbished Mr Parnas' claims, pointing out that he is facing unrelated campaign finance charges. | Mr Trump's allies have rubbished Mr Parnas' claims, pointing out that he is facing unrelated campaign finance charges. |
| Why was Trump impeached? | Why was Trump impeached? |
| Mr Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. | Mr Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. |
| Democrats have accused him of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure the country into investigating his political rival, former US Vice-President Joe Biden. | Democrats have accused him of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure the country into investigating his political rival, former US Vice-President Joe Biden. |
| Mr Trump denies the claims, and calls the impeachment proceedings a partisan "hoax". | Mr Trump denies the claims, and calls the impeachment proceedings a partisan "hoax". |
| The Republican president now faces a trial in the Senate, which must decide whether to remove him from office. | The Republican president now faces a trial in the Senate, which must decide whether to remove him from office. |
| As his Republican party holds a majority in the upper chamber, he is expected to be acquitted. | As his Republican party holds a majority in the upper chamber, he is expected to be acquitted. |
| Want to find out more on impeachment? | Want to find out more on impeachment? |