-
4 weeks ago | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Happy Friday. We often serve up lighter fare at the end of the week. Yesterday, Trump withdrew the nomination of Ed Martin Jr. to be the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
-
1 month ago | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
When word broke on Friday about the arrest of a sitting Wisconsin state court judge, Hannah Dugan, on charges of obstructing the arrest of an illegal immigrant, my immediate reaction on Bluesky was “Whoa. Feels like massive overreaching.”Having now reviewed the charging documents and some accounts of colleagues, my off-the-cuff assessment stands.
-
Feb 14, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
The resignations we have seen in the last 24 hours of high-ranking Department of Justice officials constitute the biggest scandal to date facing the Trump administration. The episode, moreover, is developing in nightmarish ways for Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove and the Department. And it’s not going away soon. Talking Feds Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
-
Feb 10, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Law enforcement agencies enforce laws. At least that’s what they’re designed to do. But Donald Trump’s Department of Justice is turning that widely accepted idea on its head. The DOJ is designed to pursue justice without fear or favor. But that is its role concerning individual defendants. In the overall tripartite system of federal power, the Department is not a disinterested party.
-
Jan 23, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Released from long sentences for seditious conspiracy by the mercy of Donald Trump, the leaders of the January 6 insurrection are flush with triumph and vengeful purpose. Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys whom Trump pardoned for his 22-year sentence, proclaimed, “The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars, and they need to be prosecuted.
-
Jan 21, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Trump’s blizzard of executive orders in his first hours as president includes a dozen or more dangerous edicts that bring us closer to an authoritarian state. Driven by lies, propaganda, and pro-billionaire policies, they will come under heavy fire in the courts, as a few already have.
-
Jan 14, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
There will be no shortage of detailed discussions diving into the various angles of this historic document over the next couple of days. Here, I want chiefly to sketch out a summary of some of the most important takeaways and my main personal observations. Remember that in October, Smith presented Judge Chutkan with a long, detailed, chapter-and-verse account of the indictment to argue that the evidence in it did not run afoul of the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.
-
Jan 8, 2025 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Most of my Substack entries are more considered takes on recent news, but on occasion, I will serve up a hot take on an important issue where I think you’ll be looking for an immediate analysis of what’s happening and where things are trending. Trump’s brief to the Supreme Court, trying to keep the Merchan sentencing for his New York convictions from going forward on Friday, fits that bill.
-
Dec 5, 2024 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
Art made using photo by Juli Hansen / Shutterstock.comI have been a contributor to the Los Angeles Times op-ed page in some fashion for more than 15 years. For the last three years, I have been the Senior Legal Columnist, writing regular weekly columns about Trump’s legal troubles, the Supreme Court, and a wide range of other topics. The Times also permitted me to cover Trump’s trial in New York and the 2024 Democratic convention. My editors have been skilled, quick, and fair.
-
Dec 5, 2024 | 
harrylitman.substack.com | Harry Litman
I have been a contributor to the Los Angeles Times op-ed page in some fashion for more than 15 years. For the last three years, I have been the Senior Legal Columnist, writing regular weekly columns about Trump’s legal troubles, the Supreme Court, and a wide range of other topics. The Times also permitted me to cover Trump’s trial in New York and the 2024 Democratic convention. My editors have been skilled, quick, and fair.