AUGUST 28, 2022
Great being on @AlexWitt just now, tag-teaming with @harrylitman to point out that 1) the Executive Privilege claim is a dilatory tactic (as usual) and 2) completely nonsensical in the context of this case pic.twitter.com/TpVTqekRnE
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) August 28, 2022
AUGUST 11, 2022
AUGUST 26, 2022
"[Trump's] now at Mar-a-Lago with a small circle of people, none of them by the way have security clearance... There's no one to counteract the voices and we've had some reports of some of them... telling him to do the worst kind of things" - @harrylitman w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/vuF3aBEDoN
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) August 26, 2022
The obstruction just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Several witnesses now saying trump went through boxes personally. That puts him 4-square in obstruction land. Moreover, looking more righteous--far from a picayune case, it captures his basic sin of thinking he is the gov
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 23, 2022
Once DOJ responds to Judge Cannon, and she hopefully understands there are no documents subject to executive privilege and at most a handful subject to atty-client, she should reverse ground on her initial indication of appointing a special master. Already a fine process in place
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 27, 2022
It's not his style, so you can't say he did it on purpose; but Merrick Garland has been like an Akido master or a matador to Trump's bull: while remaining passive and completely by the book, he and the DOJ have totally outmaneuvered Trump and now are seeing all his lies revealed
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 26, 2022
AUGUST 9, 2022
The Mar-a-Lago raid changes everything. Just how big is this news? (hint: BIG) What happens next? Join @TaraSetmayer and @TheRickWilson with special guest fmr. U.S. Attorney @harrylitman on The Breakdown to find out. 🕗 SPECIAL TIME: Tonight at 8 PM ET. pic.twitter.com/8CGn0roBbD
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) August 9, 2022
AUGUST 11, 2022
AUGUST 8, 2022
AUGUST 9, 2022
AUGUST 9, 2022
FBI seizes cell phone of Pennsylvania congress member Scott Perry, who was the conduit that brought DOJ flunky and AG-wannabe Jeff Clark to Trump’s attention. Another possible treasure trove, inc-never forget his role—Mark Meadows.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 9, 2022
They may Trump stay 4 hours and take the fifth to every question, so that they can use it as video at trial for every issue: having him say “I take the fifth” again and again, and therefore having the negative inference rammed home in front of the jury
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 10, 2022
A federal magistrate judge has found probable cause to believe evidence of the crime of ESPIONAGE to be found at Mar-A-Lago. Repeat 5 times.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 12, 2022
Impossible to have “A standing order” that all materials you bring home area”deemed”I declassified. Such an order would have to be analyzed for legality by OLC and it would plainly fail
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 13, 2022
No surprise: after maneuvering and dodging, Trump takes fifth in New York AG inquiry with phony and improper statement about how it’s a witchhunt. Important point: it can be used against him because it’s a civil action.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 10, 2022
11 sets of classified docs. some top secret. some compartmented. NEVER EVER supposed to be even looked at off site. he's up there w Edward Snowden, depending of course on what people think of him.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 12, 2022
Among the most revolting details: the court redacted the names of the two agents who applied for the warrant. Trump released it with their names, and now they need federal protection against death threats and the like.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 13, 2022
AUGUST 5, 2022
AUGUST 6, 2022
"Biden should fire him tomorrow," @harrylitman tells @samstein in discussing DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari's handling of the investigation into erased text messages related to the January 6th Capitol Insurrection. pic.twitter.com/I1C7naNNaT
— AYMAN (@AymanMSNBC) August 7, 2022
AUGUST 5, 2022
The @MeaCulpaPodcast welcomes back our good friend @harrylitman, former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times Opinion Page and professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. https://t.co/nImdnUBIyP
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) August 5, 2022
It seems unlikely that official after official at separate federal agencies just decided independently to erase text message in violation of federal law. IF J6C doesn't get to bottom of the possible coordination, DOJ has to.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 2, 2022
Cipollone has a very serious decision to make, for the country and his own future. He was able to give J6C half measures knowing they couldn’t really push for more. That won’t fly with the DOJ. If he chooses to try to hide behind executive priv, it marks him as an obstructionist
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 3, 2022
It may not feel like it, but the subpoenas for Cipollone and Philbin pose no separation of powers issue or big constitutional showdown. It's the exec branch looking for info about poss crimes by executive branch personnel. In that setting, law is clear that they must give it up.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 4, 2022
$44 million punitive damages for Jones -- nearly the limit of what's permitted by Texas law. Basically the jury hated him and they clobbered him.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 5, 2022
I think the jury stumbled onto the perfect maximum amount of punitive damages. Much more than the $45M and the trial court likely would reduce it. But this is w/in the legal range and given the testimony about his net worth, won't be easy for the court to reduce.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 5, 2022
per @marceelias HUGE POINTt:the records provision they're investigating carries the penalty that someone convicted "shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States." So this could be the whole enchilada in terms of DOJ resolution.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 9, 2022
Cipollone subpoena is the best and the obvious next move for DOJ, and again shows it seriousness. No one but possibly Meadows knows more about Trump’s criminal conduct, and he held back way more w/ J6C than his role as WHC required and law/facts permitted.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 3, 2022
An important side benefit of Cipollones testimony if he gives it: he can absolutely bury Meadows. And that in turn would further serve the goal of a prosecution of Trump
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 3, 2022
Alex Jones is in deep deep doo-doo, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. He's looking at 3 sledgehammer blows in quick succession: 1) a gargantuan verdict against him for defaming the Sandy Hill plaintiffs;2) the immediate delivery of his texts to J6C; &3) a perjury prosecution
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 4, 2022
Jones told jury that an award $2 million would destroy him financially. But plaintiffs put on an economist who estimated his net worth at b/t $135M-$270M.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 5, 2022
Next stop: J6C, which will get the texts and may have a field day. And then likely perjury indictment. He might be toast
Alex Jones now saying the trial was rigged. So much for his contrition about lying about the shooting.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 6, 2022
JULY 18, 2022
JULY 20, 2022
It’s changing of the guards time at the Supreme Court – old clerks out, new clerks in. And so far as we know, the leaker has never been caught.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 18, 2022
Garland at press conference today:"We have to hold accountable every person who is criminally responsible for trying to overturn a legitimate election.And we must do it in a way filled with integrity and professionalism -- Both of these are necessary in order to achieve justice."
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 20, 2022
JULY 17, 2022
Remember how Bannon swaggered when he was indicted and promised to make this the “misdemeanor from hell” for the DOJ. Now that he has to face the music imminently, he’s not looking so swashbuckling.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 11, 2022
After Bannon is convicted at his trial that begins next week, there will be plenty of time for him to testify before the J6 committee, as apparently both he and Trump want him to do. And in the meantime, he can certainly turn over the documents.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 11, 2022
Meadows either breathtakingly incompetent, or criminal, or both.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 12, 2022
Wow -- Trump tried to call a witness last week. What an arrogant idiot.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 12, 2022
Secret service now on record that none of the texts the OIG was seeking were lost in the migration. Better hope that’s accurate— Won’t be able to walk it back easily if it’s wrong.Looking forward to discussing on @AliciaOnMSNBC w/ guest host @KatiePhang & @MalcolmNance at 7 pm ET
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 16, 2022
Fulton County subpoenas require testimony on July 12 (tomorrow), so look for a flurry of objections and probably lousy arguments to be filed in the next day by the 7 witnesses, which include Graham, Giuliani, and Eastman.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 11, 2022
The hearing is basically teaching us the culture of the alt-right that is foreign to us and in fact hard to believe. But it's deadly serious and the former president had the power -- in a sense it was his core power -- to call them into action.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 12, 2022
Brad Parscale: " A sitting President asking for civil war"
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 12, 2022
why now you might say?
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 15, 2022
Roger Stone and his wife have agreed to owing more than $2 million to the IRS to settle a suit alleging the associate of former President Donald Trump hid income from the U.S., they told a Florida federal court Friday
There's a certain satisfaction is seeing Bannon, who likes to pretend he's a swashbuckling pirate, reduced to a meek supplicant before the prospect of jail and the crucible of the Court. And there will be more as he tries to smuggle in BS defenses at trial. Ever thus w/ rogues.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 17, 2022
JULY 8 2022
You can be sure that before Cipillone agreed to the videotaped depo, he broadly consulted other Washington establishment R types, inc Barr, who told him that especially after the Hutchinson testimony, he needed to make a better effort at cooperation.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 9, 2022
Count me as a skeptic that Steve Bannon will testify to the J6C. He'll insist on ground rules that they'd be crazy to permit, and they're not crazy. And of course it's a ploy from his standpoint to help him in his trial, scheduled to being in a week.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 10, 2022
Judging from her staunch defense of Hutchinson against the phony-baloney critiques, and her having resigned the evening of January 6, former deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews likely to be a very strong witness against Trump next week.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 9, 2022
JUNE 26, 2022
yes all kinds of criminal behavior, but quite apart from that the former President of the United States is such a deeply deeply sick man.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 28, 2022
Secret Svc says the agent in the car when Trump supposedly lurched for the wheel will talk to the committee. Hutchinson atty says rightly it should be under oath.But the real person who sh testify is Ornato, who made the statement. Prediction: he’s an arch-loyalist and won’t show
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 29, 2022
an unmitigated disaster of a Supreme Court Term. and only 25 or so more to go...
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 30, 2022
According to prosecutors, Stewart Rhodes, lead Oath Keeper charged w/ seditious conspiracy, is having his legal bills paid from a fund run and furnished by ...............Sidney Powell.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 1, 2022
And one more critical detail of Hutchinson’s testimony that shouldn’t be lost in the cannon blasts: Meadows planned to go to the war room January 5. Tangible indication of connection to the Flynn Stone axis that is a possible bridge conspiracy between terrorists and White House.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 3, 2022
The dispute about whether Trump grabbed the wheel or not is a side show. In any event it does nothing to undermine Hutchinson‘s credibility. The person who needs to testify about it is the man she sent me the statement, Ornato. And he should be testifying anyway after yesterday.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 29, 2022
A small but important detail that shouldn’t get lost in the tsunami of revelations. Cipollone has to go to Hutchinson to plead with her to tell Meadows not to let Trump to the capital because Meadow’s not responding to him.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 30, 2022
A few points on the potential witness tampering charge against Meadows: 1) it is not a small matter; DOJ in particular takes it very seriously and it fires them up; 2) it is in fact the same statute -- §1512--as the potential lead charge of delaying the Jan 6 hearing;
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 1, 2022
After what she achieved this week, and has come to represent, Liz. Cheney’s treatment at the hands of Kevin McCarthy is truly scandalous. It would be sweet justice if the J6 committees work winds up exposing McCarthys derelictions and keeping him from becoming speaker.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) July 1, 2022
JUNE 18, 2022
JUNE 18, 2022
JUNE 22, 2022
JUNE 18, 2022
JUNE 20, 2022
JUNE 23, 2022
JUNE 23, 2022
JUNE 26, 2022
JUNE 25, 2022
How will the Court, highly solicitous of free exercise rights, handle this one? Fla synagogue challenges abortion law, which lacks excep for rape and incest, as viol’nof Jewish law, which requires abortion “if necc to woman’s to protect the health, mental or physical well-being”
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 20, 2022
Hearing starts tomorrow at 1 PM ET. Supreme court issues opinions at 10 AM. If it issues one of the big remaining ones-& the odds grow stronger with each passing issuance day-the committee will hope that the first wave of news will have passed. In any event, fasten your seatbelts
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Again, notice that Schiff is not using notes. He is a very gifted prosecutor.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Meadows involved with Giuliani in Nov attempts to change electors in Arizona. Meadows's fingerprints basically everywhere.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Trump lawsuit alleged 10,400 dead people voted in Georgia. Actual number: 4.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
A large part of this hearing was just illustrating the general thuggery of the Trump criminal syndicate. Lying, tough-talking, knee-breaking, sociopathic jerks. Back to @juliettekayyem : he is a loser with a capital L.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Getting far ahead of myself, but Eastman is made to order to cooperate against Meadows and possibly Trump
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
DOJ also has searched home of Brad Carver, a Georgia lawyer who allegedly signed a counterfeit doc claiming to be a Trump elector.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
If you haven't been in the DOJ, might be hard to imagine how outrageous it is that Clark went to the White House on 12/22/20, with Scott Perry, without notifying the AG and DAG. It is an instant firing offense. It is completely beyond the pale.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
You can bet there is serious freaking out w/in the ranks of Republican Congressmen, who have been conspicuously silent these last few weeks, in particular whoever among them broached the idea of getting a pardon.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
Jeff Clark and John Eastman have this week become very dangerous figures for Mark Meadows and Donald Trump. They have the information and the motivation: Trump played them both for ambitious stooges.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 24, 2022
Harsh but irrefutable words from the dissent that go straight to core: decision "based on nothing more than the new views of new judges.The majority has overruled Roe & Casey for 1 and only 1 reason: because it has always despised them, and now it has the votes to discard them."
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 24, 2022
Justices Kavanaugh and Alito might try to reassure us that other rights are not on the chopping block and Justice Thomas might Insist they are. But it’s not really up to them. The trigger will be state legislatures that pass draconian laws that harm people who then sue.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 26, 2022
Hearing starts tomorrow at 1 PM ET. Supreme court issues opinions at 10 AM. If it issues one of the big remaining ones-& the odds grow stronger with each passing issuance day-the committee will hope that the first wave of news will have passed. In any event, fasten your seatbelts
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Breyer: “Court has never previously held what the Court holds today, namely, that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure the provision of free statewide public education."
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Pence got high marks for eventually not violating the Constitution but he prevaricated all along and since has been mealy. Compare this guy-Bowers-just straightforward strong, I took an oath to the Constitution, full stop.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Meadows called Raffensberger's office 18 -- that's 18 -- times to set up the notorious Trump call.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Yes -- Cheney singles out Meadows. He knows more than anyone and is more deeply involved than anyone.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2022
Yesterday’s hearing put on naked display the despicable human qualities of Trump. Looking forward to discussing on @Morning_Joe coming up right now!
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 22, 2022
Trump: Just "Say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me." one of top 10 quotes for the whole investigation
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
Lawdy lawdy there are notes- of Trump's talk with Donoghue. including "just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen." Donoghue: this is an exact quote.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
The meeting in the first place w/ Clark and Perry with Trump was a rank violation of clear DOJ policy. In every way, Clark was sneaking around and increasingly emboldened by Trump's support and the heady prospect of being named the AG.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
5 members asked for pardons: what do the Republican leadership do w/ this: Gomert, Brooks, Perry, Gaetz, Greene.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 23, 2022
wow
wow
WTF? Jeff Clark went on Fox/Tucker Carlson today. That is a textbook inane move for someone who just had a search warrant served on him. And who has been taking the 5th. He calls service of search warrant"Stasi like." A self-respecting attorney would resign the representation.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 24, 2022
If Manchin and Collins are genuinely surprised and irate, there's an easy fix: suspend filibuster, enlarge court, add 4 justices, overrule Dobbs. It would blow up Court, and I'm not saying I'm for it; but OTOH the Court is now positioned to be a regressive force for a generation.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 25, 2022
