Adam Schiff and the Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee lay out their case for the impeachment of President Trump. How strong is the case? And should they have taken more time to gather more information? Republicans also submitted a report, which Ken says is more like creative writing than a report. As Ken and Josh taped this episode, the House Judiciary Committee began its first hearing. When can we expect articles of impeachment and what will be in them? Also, what the hell has Rudy Giuliani been up to?
Ken and Josh discuss that, plus Duncan Hunter, Lev Parnas, and David Wohl.
The king of frivolous lawsuits
President Trump is a litigious person, but when it comes to winning defamation and libel lawsuits, his record is pretty terrible. He’s 0-8 in fact. Ken White and Josh Barro talk about the president’s First Amendment record with Susan Seager of USC’s Gould School of Law, and take questions from a live audience of lawyers, law students and alumni.
Bonus: All The President’s Lawyers at USC
Josh and Ken discuss the impeachment testimony of Gordon Sondland, Laura Cooper and David Hale and other timely topics in this special episode of All The President’s Lawyers, recorded in front of an audience at USC Gould School of Law. More of their conversation with Gould law professor and First Amendment lawyer Susan Seager will be released next week.
Who should be afraid right now?
Seven witnesses have appeared for public testimony in the impeachment inquiry, and more are testifying today. There are all witnesses who have previously testified in closer session. What have we learned that’s new and important? (EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland was beginning his testimony as Josh and Ken recorded this episode — check back Thursday for a bonus episode.)
At this point, should any of these people be worried about criminal liability, either now or in the event that a new administration comes in with a new attorney general in 2021?
Plus: President Trump’s mean tweets about former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch as she was testifying — is that witness tampering? Roger Stone was convicted on all counts. What’s next for him? And what do you do with a problem like Lev Parnas?
Impeachment, now in public
The impeachment of President Trump is out in public and on TV now. What does the schedule look like? How long will this take? And will testimony always take place while Ken and Josh are recording this podcast?
John Bolton has joined his former colleague John Kupperman in asking a court for clearance before they testify to Congress. Bolton has also been sending some signals that he has some interesting things to say, but he’s not going to just show up, and Congress doesn’t seem that interested. Is it just because he’s trying to get publicity for a book? And what about Mick Mulvaney? Mulvaney tried to intervene and was told he couldn’t join the lawsuit, Mulvaney said he would file his own lawsuit, and now he’s just going to ignore the subpoena.
Closing arguments in Roger Stone’s trial are expected today. How’s that trial been going for Stone? Has it turned out to be the circus he dreamed of? Ken says it’s been pretty straightforward and traditional, actually.
Plus: What is Lev Parnas doing? And Rudy Giuliani might start a podcast.