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Here’s the highlight reel of last week’s posts and events. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to catch up on anything you missed—links to everything below.
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The Week Ahead: We started the week with an overview of expected events Todd Blanche’s appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee—and in Phang v. Blanche, where he was due to turn over Epstein Files documents. We also touched down on the developments in Trump’s case against the BBC, the First Circuit Court of Appeals rejection of the Justice Department’s effort to legitimize Trump’s effort to use the Postal Service (USPS) to end mail-in voting, and the case involving court-appointed U.S. Attorney Roger Rogoff in Seattle, whom Todd Blanche fired less than an hour after he was put in place.
Coffee with the Contrarians: Norm Eisen and I dove into the fire hose of news expected for the week, including the delay agreed to by Paramount and Warner Bros. in their proposed merger, which is very good news for consumers.
86 the “86 47” Prosecution of Jim Comey: Love him or hate him, it’s important for us to understand the argument the Comey defense is making to dismiss the indictment, and reading legal pleadings together is one of the most important things we do at Civil Discourse. Understanding the arguments behind the headlines and beneath the hype exposes the mockery this administration makes of justice. You’ll want to read this one if you missed it on Monday.
Live with Stacey Young, Founder & CEO of Justice Connection: Todd Blanche might have the technical qualifications to be the Attorney General of the United States but he lacks the judgment and the independence from the White House that are essential to the job.
The Ever Expanding, Power Hungry Trump Presidency: Trump continues to the SAVE Act. It’s all about the power grab and the acquiescence in it by Republican members of Congress and the Supreme Court. Trump is laser focused on finding a way, any way, to prevent a disaster for the Republican Party, which could lead to disaster for him personally, in November. We’ll take up more on this theme tonight in The Week Ahead.
Live with Katie Phang on Block Blanche Day: On Thursday, we learned that Todd Blanche would not be getting a confirmation vote to be the next Attorney General of the United States that day. But he still had an obligation to comply with a court order that he turn over Epstein-related materials in the case brought by Katie Phang. Despite the naysers, Katie and I predicted correctly that Blanche would comply. There is definitely more coming in this case, which has contributed to the delay in confirming Blanche as well as reminding people that there are serious, unanswered questions here.
Live with Preet Bharara and Elie Honig: Preet, Elie and I delved into the flurry of developments in the Comey prosecution.
Five Questions with Nobel Prize Winner Daron Acemoglu: Nobel Laureate economist Daron Acemoglu’s new book asks the question, What Happened to Liberal Democracy? That also happens to be its title. He joined us to discuss the book, his Nobel Prize winning work on the connection between strong political institutions and economic prosperity, and what we can do to effect the change we want to see.
Live with California Senator Jared Huffman: An important conversation about Christian Nationalism and how it was erased for the January 6 narrative. You won’t want to miss this one, and Congressman Huffman is a joy to chat with—he’s precise and well informed on this important topic.
Saturday Night: Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to hear filmmaker Ken Burns speak about his work as a documentarian. And I took away something essential for my own work and about our community here at Civil Discourse. I hope you’ll make time to read this piece if you haven’t already.
These are complicated legal times, and it’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Civil Discourse doesn’t just track today’s headlines—it connects them to the legal and political history that explains why they matter. We don’t forget what’s at stake. We don’t let Trump and his allies rewrite the past.
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We’re in this together,
Joyce