Sen. Coons: Trump's impeachment defense is 'the Four Seasons Landscaping of the legal profession'


The messiness of former President Donald Trump's impeachment lawyer Bruce Castor reminds Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) of an earlier fiasco involving a different Trump attorney.
During a Tuesday evening interview with MSNBC host Joy Reid, Coons said he didn't think Castor or his colleague David Schoen prepared at all for their opening arguments. "I've got to tell you, listening to those two, this was the Four Seasons Landscaping of the legal profession," Coons said. "This was some of the weakest argumentation I've ever heard."
This was a call back to the Nov. 7 press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia. During this Rudy Giuliani production, the Trump team discussed its legal challenges to Pennsylvania's ballot-counting process. It was a widely panned event, with most people believing Giuliani messed up and meant to hold the press conference at the Four Seasons luxury hotel, not at a landscaping company down the road from a crematorium and a sex shop.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Jokes aside, Coons said Castor went "on and on without any clear focus or purpose," adding that the "argumentation [was] not well founded, not well thought out, and not very compelling." In contrast, he found the House managers gave a "focused, concrete, compelling argument, and they had the citations from over 150 constitutional law professors and scholars, from conservative to progressive, to back them up."
After hearing from both sides, Coons said he "questions how anyone could have voted today that this was an unconstitutional proceeding." He also made it clear he believes that Trump must be impeached because "if we fail to hold him accountable this time," it will "move forward this idea that a president is unconstrained by the limits of the Constitution."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Whipped ricotta and asparagus bruschetta recipe
The Week Recommends This creamy irresistible dish is springtime on toast
By The Week UK Published
-
The Sentebale row: a blow for Prince Harry
Talking Point Duke of Sussex made 'devastating' decision to stand down as Aids charity's patron, following 'power struggle' between its trustees and new chair
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: April 5, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
South Korea court removes impeached president
Speed Read The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law in December
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifies
speed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel strikes Gaza, breaking ceasefire
Speed Read 326 Palestinians were killed in the first major attack since Netanyahu's government signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Houthis vow retaliation amid US airstrikes
Speed Read Trump promises the US will use 'overwhelming lethal force' against the Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea ships
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published