Key Takeaways
- Mike Pence testified to Special Counsel Jack Smith regarding Trump's post-2020 election conduct.
- Ohio's Supreme Court dismissed challenges to Republican-drawn gerrymandered legislative maps until 2030.
- Hunter Biden offered public testimony to House Oversight; Republicans demanded a private deposition.
- Donald Trump's legal strategy aims to delay trials until after the November 2024 presidential election.
- A resolution to expel Representative George Santos was introduced in the House following an Ethics Committee report.
Deep Dive
- Trump-appointed Judge Pittman recused himself from the Elon Musk lawsuit, with a new judge known for anti-labor and anti-LGBTQ rulings assigned.
- The host expressed hope that the case proceeds to discovery to reveal internal Twitter dealings.
- Former VP Mike Pence provided details to Special Counsel Jack Smith's team about Donald Trump's post-2020 election actions, describing Trump as reckless.
- Pence reportedly told investigators he believed Trump's statements about fraud were general, not specific, and acknowledged awareness of the 'Red Mirage' phenomenon.
- Pence allegedly told Smith's team that Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell 'did a great disservice to the president and a great disservice to this country.'
- Pence considered not attending the January 6th proceedings on Christmas Eve, writing a note that it would be 'too hurtful to my friend, Donald Trump.'
- The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed challenges to Republican-gerrymandered legislative maps, allowing them to remain in place until 2030.
- The court cited the bipartisan approval of new maps by the Ohio Redistricting Commission in September as a changed circumstance.
- New maps allocate 23 likely Senate seats and 61 likely House seats to Republicans, despite the state's partisan makeup of approximately 54% Republican and 46% Democrat.
- Senate Democrats, including Senator Brian Schatz, met with Israel Defense Force officials to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
- Senator Bernie Sanders reiterated his stance on conditioning U.S. aid to Israel due to concerns over civilian casualties, particularly women and children.
- Representative Robert Garcia introduced a privileged resolution to expel George Santos following a House Ethics Committee investigation.
- The House Ethics Committee's report on George Santos included uncharged and unlawful conduct, which will be referred to the Justice Department.
- Hunter Biden's lawyer proposed a public testimony before the House Oversight Committee in December.
- Republicans rejected this offer, insisting on a closed-door deposition.
- Representative Jamie Raskin criticized the Republican rejection of a public hearing as a rejection of facts and sunlight.
- Guest Glenn Kirshner discussed Donald Trump's strategy to delay trials until after the November 2024 presidential election, believing he could avoid prosecution if re-elected.
- Trump's attorney, John Lauro, asserted to Judge Chutkin that Trump needs a trial postponed until after the 2024 election for a fair trial, a request Judge Chutkin denied.
- Kirshner noted the likely sequence of Trump's trials, with March 4th in Washington D.C. as the most likely trial date.
- The discussion explored the possibility of interlocutory appeals, specifically regarding double jeopardy and absolute immunity, derailing Trump's March trial date.
- Both the guest and host expressed skepticism that these appeals will succeed or be taken up by the Supreme Court.
- Past Supreme Court rulings and the justices' self-interest in preserving their own power were cited as reasons for this skepticism.
- Listener Tim C. provided a correction on the pronunciation of 'Scylla and Charybdis,' recounting how the literary reference helped him obtain a U.S. passport quickly.
- Another listener, Thomas, shared a correction on the same pronunciation and mentioned enjoying a Leslie Jones sketch.
- Listeners submitted various 'good news' and 'good trouble' stories, including praise for a podcast narrated by Jon Cryer and a scientific paper authored by a son on a molecule for pancreatic cancer.