Friday Round Up! 3/28/24

Trump catches (another) break...but the law is still sorta catching up to him.

I don’t have too much to write this week, since Renato and I discuss in detail two big developments on the Trump front: The reduction in the bond amount that he is required to post in order to appeal Judge Arthur Engoron’s civil fraud judgment, and his attempt to get his Manhattan criminal case thrown out (again) — that trial is set to begin on April 15. We also discuss the implications of the arguments made by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the FDA’s approval of expanded access to the abortion drug mifepristone, on which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments earlier this week.

Hopefully the breaks Trump keeps getting won’t last much longer. Last Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan, who oversees his voter deception case in New York (in which he hid his payments to Stormy Daniels…it was more than just “hush money”), issued a gag order against Trump prohibiting him from making, or directing others to make, public statements about witnesses, court staff, counsel other than the D.A. himself, or court and counsels’ family. Of course, Trump promptly began attacking Judge Merchan’s own daughter. And yesterday, he published a social media post depicting President Biden bound and gagged in the back of a truck in some kind of meme. Renato and I will discuss these developments in the pod this coming week, and whether there will be any meaningful consequences given that his violent rhetoric will only be sure to increase as the walls start closing in.

Noteworthy clips from this week:

I joined ABC News to discuss the the policy ramifications of accepting the conservative arguments made to the Supreme Court in the mifepristone case:

Upcoming events:

• Freedom Academy Book Club, Friday, April 19, 12 p.m. EDT.  We’ll be discussing Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America with author Andrew McKevitt. Drew’s book illuminates how our society became so saturated with guns, and how gun ownership intersects with race, politics, and money. This discussion will be recorded and posted for paid subscribers.

• NEW! Zoom Office Hours, Friday, April 26, 4-5 p.m. EDT. We’ll discuss the latest. Zoom link will be sent to paid subscribers at 2 p.m. Office hours discussions are not recorded.

• A new Wine & Fries guest and Freedom Academy Book Club author are being lined up…stay tuned!

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!