A lawyer on former President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team had his property vandalized on Friday when the word “traitor” was spray-painted on his driveway.
The graffiti was found at Michael van der Veen’s home in Exton, Pennsylvania — a suburb of Philadelphia — just after 8 p.m. ET on Friday, according to KYW-TV. Earlier in the day, van der Veen had presented arguments in Trump’s defense at the impeachment trial.
Detective Scott Pezick of the West Whiteland Township Police Department told KYW that while the department did not have any suspects, the home is now being patrolled by private security and the department has been showing a police presence in the area to deter more attempts at vandalism.
The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported that van der Veen’s defense of the former president sparked protests at his office in downtown Philadelphia on Friday. Video showed a group, which included a drummer, holding signs outside of van der Veen’s office.
“When van der Veen lies, what do you do? Convict. Convict,” protesters chanted, according to the Inquirer.
7 people with @RefuseFascism now outside Trump lawyer Michael van der Veen’s Center City Philly office on Spruce Street. pic.twitter.com/q6SBOMPQRX
— Julie Shaw (@julieshawphilly) February 13, 2021
A day after the vandalism was discovered, the Senate voted to acquit Trump of a charge of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Fifty-seven senators, including seven Republicans, voted to convict Trump, short of the two-thirds majority needed to bar Trump from seeking higher office in the future.
Van der Veen produced one of the more memorable moments from the impeachment trial Friday when his response to a question about subpoenas sparked laughter from lawmakers in the Senate chamber.
“None of these depositions should be done by Zoom,” van der Veen said Friday. “These depositions should be done in person, in my office in Philly-delphia.”
"That's the way it works, folks ... I don't know why you're laughing ... there's nothing laughable here" -- the Senate chamber breaks out in laughter after van der Veen threatens to depose Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris not by Zoom, but in his office in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/T0xiozHckE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 13, 2021
It’s unclear what sparked laughter from lawmakers — van der Veen’s suggestion that depositions be held outside of Washington, or his pronunciation of Philadelphia.
