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Why did Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee meet Trump's impeachment team? Internet wants them 'disbarred'

'I mean this is super illegal is it not? I’m pretty sure jurors can’t meet with defense attorneys to tell them what defense to use,' a user commented

Ahead of the defense argument at Donald Trump's impeachment hearing on Friday, February 11, three Republicans met with the former President's lawyers to reportedly plan a "strategy". Following Thursday's closing arguments from House impeachment managers, Trump's lawyer David Shoen told reporters that he met with the Republicans with regard to the "procedure" for Friday's hearing. 

The senators meeting with Trump's attorney has raised eyebrows as they have sworn an oath to "do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws" during the trial. However, when asked by CNN's Mau Raju if it was appropriate for the jurors to meet with the former president's lawyer outside impeachment, Schoen said, “I think that’s the practice of impeachment. There’s nothing about this thing that has any semblance of due process whatsoever.”

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What did Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee discuss?

While not much has been revealed about the senators' meeting with Trump's attorney, according to Independent reports, Ted Cruz said he discussed "legal strategy" and their thoughts on trial when he met Schoem. Reportedly, he was also joined by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee of Utah. 

White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor tweeted,  "A meeting between Trump's lawyers and GOP senators – including Graham and Cruz – just ended. Trump lawyer David Schoen said the meeting was about "procedure." Cruz said senators were talking about the legal "strategy for tomorrow" and where arguments are and where to go."

The meeting stretched to 70 minutes apparently. Meanwhile, the Washington Post journalist JM Reiger wrote in his tweet that Graham did not answer the reporters when asked about the meeting and simply said "See you tomorrow" as he left. 

The tweet read, "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to reporters after leaving a roughly 70 minute meeting with Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers: “See you tomorrow.” Ted Cruz and Mike Lee were also spotted entering the meeting shortly before 4:30 p.m."

The senators' decision to meet with Trump's impeachment lawyer to reportedly discuss "strategy" has earned a lot of criticism on social media as people are seen questioning their ethics and partiality towards the former president who has been framed for the US Capitol violence. It was only a matter of time before people stormed Twitter to call out the three senators for openly supporting Trump despite the allegations he's been charged with. 

One tweeted, "Now I'm not a lawyer not a legal experts but isn't there a possible conflict of interest when jurors meet with Defense Counsel. I'm pretty sure that the jurors would be dismissed if this were a real trial and not the joke it's turning out to be." Another added, "How to undermine the legitimacy of the process and the outcome. Dems must move to remove these jurors before any further proceedings. To not do so creates a strong appearance that this is, for both sides, a show trial." Another added, "@SenMikeLee @LindseyGrahamSC why did you meet with Trump's lawyers? You are jurors and should not be meeting with representatives of the defendant. You should be disbarred." Another said, "I mean this is super illegal is it not? I’m pretty sure jurors can’t meet with defense attorneys to tell them what defense to use.."