Andrew Weissmann

He then appeared on Fox News saying that he would allow ICE agents to come into New York City to effectuate arrests in locations. That's against the law, right? That's exactly right. So one point I made with Jen Psaki is this. The current mayor of the city of New York is under indictment federally currently with five felonies.

He is out on bail and he is on TV saying ICE agents should come in and violate local law. So that's the state we're in. A motion has been made by the acting Deputy Attorney General to the judge overseeing the case to do just what he had directed the Southern District Prosecutor to do. The reason he had to do it is, I think we're up to eight. I might have my math wrong. I never do math in public.

He is out on bail and he is on TV saying ICE agents should come in and violate local law. So that's the state we're in. A motion has been made by the acting Deputy Attorney General to the judge overseeing the case to do just what he had directed the Southern District Prosecutor to do. The reason he had to do it is, I think we're up to eight. I might have my math wrong. I never do math in public.

So it's either seven or eight prosecutors, career people, some with stellar sort of conservative credentials have resigned over this, as they should, because the idea that you would use the criminal law to do your political bidding is, imagine, Dan, that the next step is, I'm gonna ask a Democratic Congress person, I'm gonna say, you know what?

So it's either seven or eight prosecutors, career people, some with stellar sort of conservative credentials have resigned over this, as they should, because the idea that you would use the criminal law to do your political bidding is, imagine, Dan, that the next step is, I'm gonna ask a Democratic Congress person, I'm gonna say, you know what?

I'm willing to suspend your criminal case, but you're gonna vote with the Republicans during that time. And let's see how your voting record goes and if you toe the line. I mean, that is a quid pro quo also. Or imagine that Eric Adams said to Emile Bovee, I'm gonna give you a bag of cash to do this. I mean, all of those things are why you're seeing so many career people say,

I'm willing to suspend your criminal case, but you're gonna vote with the Republicans during that time. And let's see how your voting record goes and if you toe the line. I mean, that is a quid pro quo also. Or imagine that Eric Adams said to Emile Bovee, I'm gonna give you a bag of cash to do this. I mean, all of those things are why you're seeing so many career people say,

This is not the role of the Justice Department. And just think about that awesome power that would give the president and the Department of Justice to actually bend people to their will on the pain of being criminally prosecuted and going to jail.

This is not the role of the Justice Department. And just think about that awesome power that would give the president and the Department of Justice to actually bend people to their will on the pain of being criminally prosecuted and going to jail.

So the law is extremely favorable to the government because prosecutorial discretion is something that is recognized as almost uniquely an executive branch function. And as you point out, Dan, if the court were to say you have to go forward,

So the law is extremely favorable to the government because prosecutorial discretion is something that is recognized as almost uniquely an executive branch function. And as you point out, Dan, if the court were to say you have to go forward,

the Southern District of New York, or now the Public Integrity Section, because the case was moved from the Southern District to the Public Integrity Section by the Deputy Attorney General. Where, by the way, he moved it. And what happened was prosecutors resigned in the Southern District. He moved it to the Public Integrity Section.

the Southern District of New York, or now the Public Integrity Section, because the case was moved from the Southern District to the Public Integrity Section by the Deputy Attorney General. Where, by the way, he moved it. And what happened was prosecutors resigned in the Southern District. He moved it to the Public Integrity Section.

The Public Integrity Section people resigned because people are like, I didn't sign up for this. So what can the judge do? He has a narrow ability to say, I'm denying the motion. And if necessary, he could appoint somebody to go forward.

The Public Integrity Section people resigned because people are like, I didn't sign up for this. So what can the judge do? He has a narrow ability to say, I'm denying the motion. And if necessary, he could appoint somebody to go forward.

He could decide that he's going to have the case dismissed, but with prejudice, not without prejudice, so that there isn't this sort of Damocles or choke chain component to it. he could hold a factual hearing, that's what I would do, because you need to know, is there a quid pro quo and what's the nature of it? And make people have to testify under oath.

He could decide that he's going to have the case dismissed, but with prejudice, not without prejudice, so that there isn't this sort of Damocles or choke chain component to it. he could hold a factual hearing, that's what I would do, because you need to know, is there a quid pro quo and what's the nature of it? And make people have to testify under oath.

One of the little tidbits that I wanna make sure people understand is Danielle Sassoon, the Southern District acting US attorney who resigned, noted in her letter that when they had a meeting with the acting deputy attorney general, the former Trump criminal defense lawyer a New York minute ago, that he ordered her people to stop taking notes and then confiscated them. And

One of the little tidbits that I wanna make sure people understand is Danielle Sassoon, the Southern District acting US attorney who resigned, noted in her letter that when they had a meeting with the acting deputy attorney general, the former Trump criminal defense lawyer a New York minute ago, that he ordered her people to stop taking notes and then confiscated them. And

The acting deputy attorney general has not denied that. He has admitted that he did it, but he says he did it to prevent leaks. That is not facially plausible to me that that's the reason, because you know how you can't prevent leaks by taking notes. People can leak without having notes of their conversation. All it does do is eliminate the written record so that you can lie about what happened.