Andrew Weissmann

So if you're trying to keep track of the I think we're up to 80 cases that have been filed since January 20th with respect to the actions of this administration. You can sort of see it there. But I did a short piece pointing out that Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, definitely has the legal authority to do this.

So if you're trying to keep track of the I think we're up to 80 cases that have been filed since January 20th with respect to the actions of this administration. You can sort of see it there. But I did a short piece pointing out that Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, definitely has the legal authority to do this.

And he has the state crimes that are entirely comparable to the federal crimes. And I sort of matched them up. And I think your listeners know that Alvin Bragg, has done this before, where he has stepped into the breach, obviously, most famously with respect to the Donald Trump case when the feds balked, but he did it in the Steve Bannon case as well.

And he has the state crimes that are entirely comparable to the federal crimes. And I sort of matched them up. And I think your listeners know that Alvin Bragg, has done this before, where he has stepped into the breach, obviously, most famously with respect to the Donald Trump case when the feds balked, but he did it in the Steve Bannon case as well.

I agree with you that if it has not happened already, their position would be they would not want to do it. But there is reason to think that it may have happened already. We wouldn't know it because it would be under seal. But when Danielle Sassoon was still the acting U.S.

I agree with you that if it has not happened already, their position would be they would not want to do it. But there is reason to think that it may have happened already. We wouldn't know it because it would be under seal. But when Danielle Sassoon was still the acting U.S.

attorney, she could have shared that it is legal to do that under, just to be nerdy, Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6 that governs federal grand jury secrecy. There's a provision that permits the federal government to share that information with the state prosecutor. And so that may have happened. And it's worth remembering that although it's not on the same charges, Alvin Bragg has a

attorney, she could have shared that it is legal to do that under, just to be nerdy, Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6 that governs federal grand jury secrecy. There's a provision that permits the federal government to share that information with the state prosecutor. And so that may have happened. And it's worth remembering that although it's not on the same charges, Alvin Bragg has a

involving public corruption of a principal advisor to Mayor Adams. Oh, that's right. So he's already in the mix. Now, it's not the same scheme. I just want to make sure, as people know, it's not apples to apples. But all of that suggests to me, if I were in the Southern District of New York, I would have been thinking about making sure that the evidence that I've amassed

involving public corruption of a principal advisor to Mayor Adams. Oh, that's right. So he's already in the mix. Now, it's not the same scheme. I just want to make sure, as people know, it's not apples to apples. But all of that suggests to me, if I were in the Southern District of New York, I would have been thinking about making sure that the evidence that I've amassed

live somewhere independent of people who want to engage in bad behavior.

live somewhere independent of people who want to engage in bad behavior.

So can I just say with the word weaponization, this is – That is a real thing. I don't want Donald Trump to be able to co-opt it to say, no, you're doing it, no, I'm doing it. Facts matter. And what we're seeing is the actual weaponization of the Department of Justice. And so... I'm big on, if you want to use a label, where are the facts to support it? And that isn't something that they have.

So can I just say with the word weaponization, this is – That is a real thing. I don't want Donald Trump to be able to co-opt it to say, no, you're doing it, no, I'm doing it. Facts matter. And what we're seeing is the actual weaponization of the Department of Justice. And so... I'm big on, if you want to use a label, where are the facts to support it? And that isn't something that they have.

In my view, what Ed Barton is doing, he's never, as far as I know, has never been a prosecutor. He's engaging in behavior that is completely thuggish. And You know, this is one of those things where at some point the worm will turn and he will not be in that position. If he engages in behavior that is criminal, there are sanctions for that.

In my view, what Ed Barton is doing, he's never, as far as I know, has never been a prosecutor. He's engaging in behavior that is completely thuggish. And You know, this is one of those things where at some point the worm will turn and he will not be in that position. If he engages in behavior that is criminal, there are sanctions for that.

If he engages in behavior that violates professional norms, I know this seems small bore, but he can be sanctioned and actually disbarred. So one of the things that I think there's already a bar complaint against him is he is the acting U.S. attorney. He previously was doing defense work and was actually the counsel of record on January 6th cases for those defendants.

If he engages in behavior that violates professional norms, I know this seems small bore, but he can be sanctioned and actually disbarred. So one of the things that I think there's already a bar complaint against him is he is the acting U.S. attorney. He previously was doing defense work and was actually the counsel of record on January 6th cases for those defendants.

There's nothing wrong with that. I mean, being a defense lawyer on controversial cases can be a very noble thing. He did both at the same time. He actually sought to dismiss cases where he was the prosecutor and the defense. That is not allowed in the legal profession.

There's nothing wrong with that. I mean, being a defense lawyer on controversial cases can be a very noble thing. He did both at the same time. He actually sought to dismiss cases where he was the prosecutor and the defense. That is not allowed in the legal profession.