I suspect that this is the podcast you need today. “Trump wants us to be afraid,” Jim Acosta wrote the other day, “so he can break any semblance of a political opposition in America. Don’t be afraid. America is unbreakable.”
We talked about that; and why Acosta —who has been in the trenches for the last decade — is actually hopeful. You can listen/watch right here, or: Watch on YouTube / Listen (and subscribe) on Apple/ Spotify / iHeart / RSS Feed.
Happy Sunday.
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Some highlights of our conversation
Acosta warns against defeatism:
Does he ever get tired of talking about Trump?
The surrender of Big Law.
High stakes in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election.
Some actual profiles in legal courage
Since I’m planning an extended rant about the Quislings of Big Law, I wanted to give a shout-out to the lawyers who are refusing to pay tribute to the Orange God King.
Make sure you read this: For God’s Sake, Fellow Lawyers, Stand Up to Trump - The New York Times (Gift link):
Our decision to speak out on this issue was an easy one. We believe that one of the noblest things a lawyer can do is to stand up against the government on behalf of a client whom the government seeks to destroy. When Mr. Trump was indicted and sued, he hired lawyers to defend him. They did a good job, keeping him out of jail and preserving his fortune. For his administration to attack lawyers and firms whose members have opposed or annoyed him is a threat to our democracy.
Lawyers and big firms: For God’s sake, stand up for the legal profession, and for the Constitution. Defend the oath you took when you became officers of the court. If we stand together and fight, we will win.
**
And this (BTW: Jenner & Block’s website is fabulous) …
Jenner & Block said in a statement that its suit was intended to “stop an unconstitutional executive order that has already been declared unlawful by a federal court.” A third firm, Perkins Coie, has also sued the Trump administration over the same matter, and had some early success in stopping the executive order.
Jenner & Block also created a website — Jenner Stands Firm1 — to publicize its filing and to highlight newspaper editorials criticizing the executive orders and comments from law school professors questioning the legality of Mr. Trump’s actions.
On Friday evening, Judge John Bates of Federal District Court in Washington issued a temporary restraining order that bars the Trump administration from punishing Jenner & Block. The judge called the portion of the executive order that criticizes the pro bono legal work the firm does for organizations “disturbing” and “troubling.”
Special shout out to Skadden Arps associate Rachel Cohen who is not going along with her sycophantic bosses:
[She] felt that remaining at the firm was untenable if Skadden was unwilling to take a public stand in favor of the rule of law and in opposition to the Trump administration. And it’s not just Skadden, Cohen said; the refusal to speak out is a problem throughout Biglaw right now.
“These partnerships are totally abdicating their moral duty and responsibility,” she argued. “They’re acting as if they did not spend the past few decades holding themselves out as places committed to justice and the rule of law. You can’t spend decades proclaiming your dedication to these values, as a form of reputation management, and then abandon them when it’s most important.”
Nota Bene
Top FDA Vaccine Official Resigns, Citing Kennedy’s ‘Misinformation and Lies’ - The New York Times
“It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” Dr. [Peter[ Marks wrote to Sara Brenner, the agency’s acting commissioner. He reiterated the sentiments in an interview, saying: “This man doesn’t care about the truth. He cares about what is making him followers.”
Dr. Marks resigned after he was summoned to the Department of Health and Human Services Friday afternoon and told that he could either quit or be fired, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The mood inside the White House is verging on panic with just days to go before Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' on April 2.
Trump is expected to unveil sweeping new tariffs on America's global trading partners, but those tasked with implementing his agenda admit they're uncertain.
Behind closed doors, top administration officials are deeply concerned, with many quietly admitting they're unsure what the president is actually going to do.
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ if foreign automakers raise prices due to tariffs
Asked if he was concerned about car prices going up, Trump said, “No, I couldn’t care less, because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars.”
Sunday dogs
TV night with the boys. (And, yes, we are very much enjoying “The Residence.”)
“On March 28, 2025, Jenner & Block filed a lawsuit to stop an unconstitutional executive order that has already been declared unlawful by a federal court. We expect to prevail quickly.
” For more than 100 years, Jenner has stood firm and tirelessly advocated for our clients against all adversaries, including against unlawful government action. We once again go to court to do just that. To do otherwise would mean compromising our ability to zealously advocate for all of our clients and capitulating to unconstitutional government coercion, which is simply not in our DNA.”
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