If the President of the United States is impeached does he or she have to hire private lawyers at his or her own expense to defend him or herself during the trial in the Senate (like in a normal criminal trial) or would government lawyers like the White House Counsel be responsible?
The president has to pay for non-official expenses from his salary. And if he wants to preserve attorney-client privilege he had better not be talking to lawyers on the government payroll.
The most recent impeachment is that of Bill Clinton:
"More than four years after leaving office, former President Bill Clinton has finally paid off his legal bills, reports CBS News Correspondent Bob Fuss.
He and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., owed millions to lawyers who defended them during the years-long investigation of Whitewater and other business dealings and helped in the Monica Lewinsky impeachment mess. "
(CBS News)
She’s said that’s how they got into the high-priced speaker business for multi-national companies: to pay off their legal bills after leaving office.
The world’s most expensive blowjob?
Trump can afford it - he is a billionaire isn’t he?
It would be an ironic situation if a President first got acquitted in an impeachment trial, then impeached again for illegally using government-provided legal resources to defend him in the first trial, and then removed from office for that.
The President has a $50,000 annual account to defray expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties. Are there any restrictions on that, or could he use it to defend himself in case of impeachment?
Edit - on reviewing Past Tense’s post, apparently not, since Clinton had to pay for his lawyers out of his own pocket.
Nobody knows if Trump is really a billionaire. He’s made claims over the years of being worth as much as 10 billion dollars. Other sources give numbers more like 2 to 4 billion dollars. Some people who’ve examined what’s publicly known about his finances think that his worth is in the low hundred millions. For all we know publicly about his financial situation, he could be in debt.
Considering how Trump can’t handle any humiliation, this may be the primary reason that he is not releasing his tax return/s.
If his tax returns are subpoenaed, my understanding is that nothing would be released to the general public unless it comes out in trial (as it should be). Does Trump know that?
Odd Russian connections, or other illegal dealing would come out if it led to an impeachment (I would hope).
Don’t give a rats ass how much the man is worth. Every other statement he makes is a lie (being generous) But I can certainly see him as seeing the Presidency as a way to get out of debt.
OTOH, he was fliting around on a 757. That would take billionaire type of money. Such a lifestyle can be supported by going deeper into debt though. If you have people that will continue to loan you money…
Broadening the questioning: what about legal fees for the White House aides?
West Wing aides brace for big attorney bills
Longstanding conflict-of-interest restrictions limit White House employees from taking free or discounted legal advice, but aides who need lawyers have some options for getting help.