Dershowitz can be either a lawyer or an expert witness, but not both

As an expert witness, your background/education/expertise can be weighed to lend credence to your opinion.

As a lawyer delivering an opening statement, you are only giving your view as a lawyer on the case and the way you intend to proceed. Also as a lawyer, there is no legal precedent to give more weight to the argument of a famed professor than to a recent entrant to the bar.

The impeachment defense team is trying to disguise Dershowitz's testimony as an opening statement in the hopes of having no rebuttal or cross examination to show the inconsistency of his testimony at the Clinton trial and his minimal support in the Founders' writings on the Constitution and impeachment.

As usual, the GOP and their paid supplicants can't resist shooting off their mouths and have telegraphed their intentions for the Dems to counter in their own remarks.

Let's hope that enough GOP Senators understand their place in history to reach a majority to tell the world that what has happened is wrong even if some in their party won't convict this traitor.