In this week’s @talkingfedspod, a stellar set of expert commentators—Carol Leonnig, Alexi McCammond, and Norm Ornstein—dives in to the law and the politics of Trump’s long list of legal calamaties. We take up Trump’s pugnacity in the 1/6 trial, the circumstances setting up cooperators against him in Fulton County, his political strategy for beating the raps, the grotesque encouragement of violence against judges & grand jurors, and a whole lot more, before moving on the mifepristone decision...
Aug 21, 2023•58 min•Ep. 247
In one of our signature series of first-cut nuts-and-bolts analyses of the indictments against Trump, two guests with in-depth knowledge of Georgia law and practice - Norm Eisen & Gwen Keyes Fleming - break down Fani Willis’ omnibus indictment against Donald Trump and 18 other defendants. They begin with a simplification of the basic RICO charge and then undertake a broad survey of the charges, the prospect for cooperators, how the case will be presented to a jury, the likely schedule, and m...
Aug 16, 2023•53 min•Ep. 247
It was a week when Trump, through his lawyers, became acquainted with Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over the most important of the criminal cases against him. The judge left little doubt of her resolve to keep Trump from polluting the jury pool and threatening witnesses. A great group of guests—Peter Baker, Sadie Gurman, & Jason Kander–join Harry to discuss that hearing & other developments in the case and then take up of the appointment of a Special Counsel in the Hunter Biden c...
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 246
This week’s episode is a clear-eyed, sober exposition of the legal & factual claims Trump can be expected to bring in the 1/6 case. 3 great guests combining on-their-feet trial experience with renowned criminal law expertise - Dahlia Lithwick, Danny Cevallos, and David Sklansky - join Harry to analyze Trump’s strategy and likely maneuvers. The four dismiss out of hand two of the arguments that Team Trump has been putting front and center; but conclude that at least one Trump defense holds pr...
Aug 07, 2023•57 min•Ep. 245
The indictment of Donald Trump on charges growing out of multiple schemes to steal the election is the most important case in the history of the Department of Justice and probably the country. We’ve had some quick reactions on cable TV. But in this special live tape episode, 3 of the country’s most knowledgeable commentators – Norm Eisen, Renato Mariotti, and Jen Rubin – join Harry for the most in-depth discussion out there of the most important legal and strategic issues the indictment presents...
Aug 02, 2023•58 min•Ep. 245
While all eyes were focused on the courthouse in Washington DC, the DOJ and Jack Smith took us by surprise Friday afternoon with a superseding indictment against Trump + 2 defendants. In “Any Day Now,” Laura Coates, Greg Sargent and Rick Wilson join Harry to discuss the pros and cons of the superseding indictment, and its social and political importance in comparison with the coming 1/6 indictment before ending w/important new polling info and general observations about the coming election. See ...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 244
Our quarterly DOJ Report Card arrives in a very propitious week that began with the receipt by Donald Trump of a second target letter from DOJ, moved through a hearing and subsequent order in the Mar-A-Lago documents case, and ended with significant charges out of Michigan that underscore the need for Jack Smith to begin to share information. The well-known trio of regular DOJ alumni and experts join Harry for a lively and sophisticated discussion of what’s happening at 9th & Pennsylvania. S...
Jul 24, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 243
The news that the Grand Jury recently heard testimony from Jared Kushner & Hope Hicks suggests that the feds are approaching an end-game for a new set of charges against Trump focused on the Big Lie and the series of post-election frauds, though their shape & timing remains opaque. The Mar-A-Lago case heads for the 1st important showdown and reveal of Judge Cannon’s bonafides. And the Republican clown car in Congress rolls on with a blockade of the defense bill & a grilling of the FB...
Jul 17, 2023•52 min•Ep. 242
This week, Harry is joined by a fantastic panel of experts on law and politics–Laura Jarrett, Lisa Rubin, and Sadie Gurman–to decode new clues from Jack Smith on the trajectory of the federal investigation surrounding Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, size up Trump and Nauta’s chances of a delaying the pending Mar-a-Lago trial, and take stock of the fallout from the Supreme Court’s bombshell term that came to a close just last week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr...
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 241
Our annual Supreme Court term review, which comes in the immediate wake of a series of monumental decisions by the 6-member conservative supermajority that overturned or ignored generations of precedent and sharply undermined legal protections for vulnerable groups. Three of the nation’s most respected Supreme Court commentators – Emily Bazelon, Dahlia Lithwick, and Melissa Murray – join Harry to analyze the landmark rulings in affirmative action, anti-discrimination law, and administrative law....
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 240
The Mar-a-Lago documents case against Donald Trump picked up speed as Jack Smith delivered the first round of discovery. The hard-right House GOP flexed its muscles with a series of political stunts. Meanwhile, the nation was gripped by the search for missing exploratory submarine. It was a week of high drama from the federal courthouse to the House floor, and Harry is joined by three top national commentators–Tim Miller, Charlie Savage, and Erin Burnett–to break it all down. See Privacy Policy ...
Jun 26, 2023•54 min•Ep. 239
On a week that saw the first arrest of a former president by the government he ran, a stellar group of experts – Robert Costa, Norm Ornstein, and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon – join Harry to break down the charges & Trump’s likely defenses before exploring the political fallout for the party & the voting public. They then transition to an in-depth analysis of the state of play for 2024, including whether the growing field helps Trump and whether he could wrap up the race before it even...
Jun 19, 2023•59 min•Ep. 238
Convening immediately after the federal indictment of Donald Trump was unsealed, 3 of the country’s best-known authorities on Trump’s rule–Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Hugo Powell, and Ali Vitali—join Harry to analyze the DOJ charges and assess their likely political consequences. They react to the apparently random selection of Judge Aileen Cannon, who displayed lawless favoritism for Trump in a previous case, and end with discussion of the latest tantrum from the Freedom Caucus in Congress. See ...
Jun 12, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 237
We’re in the midst of one of the weirdest political and legal seasons in U.S. history, and a great group of guests—Luke Broadwater, Jason Kander, & Jen Rubin, talks it through & breaks it down. A former president & frontrunner for 2024 under indictment from NY state and soon to be charged by the U.S. government he recently led. The most serious flirtation with a debt default in our history. A group of R presidential candidates in thrall to the candidate they most must beat. Strange d...
Jun 05, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 236
A no-holds barred critique of what ails the Supreme Court and what if anything can be done about it. Kate Shaw, Steve Vladeck, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse join Harry to discuss the Court’s current record-low standing and how it came about. The Court has amassed power at the expense of the political branches and is using it unabashedly to push through a pattern of controversial – indeed unpopular – results that touch the lives of all Americans. Can anyone or anything constrain this Court? See ...
May 29, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 235
Several important showdowns building to a head, starting w/ the debt crisis, and Aaron Blake, David Gura, & Amna Nawaz join Harry to break them down. Biden & the R’s telegraphing possible agreement, but still far apart—will the White House possibly pull the trigger on an out-of-the-box solution? Meanwhile, Jack Smith makes steady progress towards a Trump indictment; Fani Willis telegraphs her timing; & Durham delivers up a dud. And lots to discuss about 2024 w/ DeSantis’s formal entr...
May 22, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 234
We present a special topical episode this week featuring three of the most prominent and respected trial lawyers in the profession--Barry Berke, Leslie Caldwell, and Lisa Wayne. Law typically involves compromise, but trials typically involve all-in win-or-lose big bets. For that reason, trial practice has a special mystique, and trial lawyers are considered the ultimate badasses of the profession. What makes these celebrated professionals tick and what lies underneath their courtroom bravado? Se...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 233
This week’s episode is a special discussion on a crisis in the U.S. that is as grave as it is underappreciated. There has been an alarming rise in levels of loneliness, so that today 60% of American adults regularly feel lonely, while 61% of young adults feel “serious loneliness.” In “Loneliness in America,” Prof Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Senator Chris Murphy join Harry to assess the crisis’s magnitude, causes, consequences, and possible reduction strategies. S...
May 08, 2023•57 min•Ep. 232
It was a week when the gloves came off in several high-stakes and historic battles, and a great set of Washington insiders—Jon Alter, Carol Lee, and Norm Ornstein—break it all down. Trump took it twice straight on the chin with the historic testimony of Mike Pence in the Grand Jury and the E. Jean Carroll trial. The House Rs passed a debt-reduction bill that put the White House on the defensive. And Biden announced his 2024 candidacy, framing it as a battle for democracy. We also have a sidebar ...
May 01, 2023•59 min•Ep. 231
It’s our periodic DOJ Report Card episode, in which 3 stalwart DOJ-experts provide an insider’s perspective on the goings-on at the Department. NY Times Reporter Katie Benner joins deeply experienced former DOJ alumns Paul Fishman, Andrew Weissmann, and Harry to suss out questions such as will Jack Smith decide to indict Trump and what exactly would happen next; what is the current state of play b/t DOJ and FBI; and can and will the Department become involved in the Clarence Thomas embroglio. Se...
Apr 24, 2023•56 min•Ep. 230
It’s our periodic deep dive into the economy, with a killer group of commentators—Dean Baker, Paul Krugman, & Stephanie Ruhle. Two recent reports seem to set out a remarkable state of economic affairs of cooling inflation combined with low unemployment and recession for now held at bay. Are the current landscape & immediate horizon as encouraging as they appear, or are we overlooking big warning signs? We also tie the economy into the political scene and broader crazy era we’re living th...
Apr 17, 2023•57 min•Ep. 229
The week was dominated a dramatic and somewhat surreal arraignment of former President Donald. A glum & glowering Trump pleaded not guilty then returned to Florida to trash the prosecution and judge. Meanwhile, other civil & criminal cases continued to close in around him. A terrific group of guest –Alisyn Camerota, Jason Kander, & Sam Stein–join Harry to analyze the political repercussions before moving on to the upcoming Fox defamation trial and the bare-knuckle tactics of the TN l...
Apr 10, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 228
Where were you when you learned Donald Trump had been indicted? A landmark in history, but even as it marked the crossing of a vital line for the rule of law, it brought both the legal and political system into new and very challenging territory. Congressman Eric Swalwell, Greg Sargent, & Ali Vitali join Harry to break down the political and legal seismic implications, including the portents for other potential prosecutions, before turning to the dangerous end game in the debt ceiling stando...
Apr 03, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 227
Laura Coates, David Jolly, and Jen Rubin join Harry to analyze the legal nooses tightening around Donald Trump. The Manhattan DA investigation stalled on the very precipice of bringing criminal, but while the internal workings in that office were inscrutable, there’s scant reason to think that the office won’t move ahead. And the federal court delivered two strong blows against Trump and in favor of the DOJ, rejecting claims of privilege from Evan Corcoran, Mark Meadows, & other Trump inside...
Mar 27, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 226
It was a week when things got real: Fromer President Donald Trump prepared to be arrested on charges in New York City, a first in US history; the DeSantis-Trump squabbling came suddenly to unnerve Ukraine and the EU and threaten the U.S’s future support; and China made a dramatic move to be a Middle East power broker, with implications throughout the region and world. A superb group of seasoned political commentators–Peter Baker, Bill Kristol, & Tara Setmayer–analyze the sobering development...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 225
It was a week when you could feel the vibrations of coming battles all over: the first ever indictment of a former President; Fox staring down the barrel of a jury trial in Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation suit; the schism between R elites, who favor DeSantis, and immovable Trump supporters; & bitter struggles over abortion rights in several states. A superb group of guests-Laura Jarrett, Alicia Menendez, & Ashley Parker-joins Harry to break it all down and analyze the shape of things ...
Mar 13, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 224
The unseemly political alliance between the MAGA right and Fox Corp. burst into plain view. Filings in a defamation suit showed Fox knowingly pushing the Big Lie and Speaker McCarthy hand-delivered to Tucker Carlson alone some 44,000 hours of security footage from Jan. 6. A terrific panel of savvy commentators–Sen Al Franken, Jon Alter, and Juliette Kayyem–work through the toxic implications and forecast the future state of play. And a sidebar from songwriter and musician Dan Wilson. See Privacy...
Mar 06, 2023•53 min•Ep. 223
The anniversary of the Ukraine war marks a time to reflect on the current state of play on the battlefield; the strategic interests of Ukraine and Russia but also the U.S., Europe, & China; the war’s broader geopolitical and in fact historical implications; and the miserable prospect of an endless conflict so long as Putin remains in power. A truly fantastic group of experts—Ben Rhodes, Garry Kasparov, & Natasha Bertrand—joins Harry for a rich exploration of all these points and more. Se...
Feb 27, 2023•56 min•Ep. 222
With the vantage points legal and political worlds locked on the coming few months, to possible indictments new Presidential candidates, a fantastic group of prominent commentators–Maggie Haberman, Josh Marshall, and Charlie Sykes—join Harry to analyze the political and legal stress points and consider likely outcomes. They discuss the series of aggressive prosecutorial moves by Special Counsel Jack Smith and the prospects of multiple Republican candidates such as Nikki Haley to take Trump down....
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 221
At the end of a week featuring the State of the Union, the debut of the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Government, and the delivery of a subpoena to former Vice President Mike Pence, Aaron Blake, Susan Glasser, Carol Lee join Harry to analyze the political substance & theater. Each of these events involved clashes between representatives of the Trump era and the Biden presidency, which continues to draw only tepid public approval notwithstanding significant domestic achievements....
Feb 13, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 220
