Outside lawyers are being sought by the White House for deliberation over the prospect of a last-minute, swift impeachment of President Trump, a source familiar with the case said.
The source said at this point that lawyers who advised the White House believe there is logistically not enough time for Democrats to move articles of impeachment out of the House and put them in the hands of senators for prompt removal of the president by January 20. . But the source said the president’s lawyers have begun to play out the impeachment option as the vice president and cabinet seem unlikely to invoke the 25th amendment.
The source added that the president’s lawyers have been consulted about the language used in Trump’s video messages in the wake of the Capitol riots. During that trial, White House Counsel Pat Cippolone and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows went to Trump to urge him to record the videos to save his presidency and delay attempts to remove him from office.
The White House is in “crisis management” mode after the siege of the Capitol, the source said.
“The lawyers are involved,” the source said.
Meetings have been almost non-stop in the White House to work out plans to end Trump’s presidency in the least chaotic way, the source said.
“Can you land the plane with 12 days to go,” said the source, summarizing the purpose of the remaining staffers and advisers around the president.