Ex-President Prosecution Predictions

On Episode 12 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, explore the Garland Department of Justice (DOJ) three-ways, first tackling the recent revelations that Sessions and Barr, doing former 45’s bidding, created an enemies list and subpoenaed not only journalists’ phone, text and email records, but also targeted some of the highest ranking members of the US Congress, like Rep. Adam Schiff. Then, Ben and Popok analyze the DOJ’s return to muscular enforcement of the Voting Rights Act to prevent voter intimidation and minority discrimination against the 14 states that have recently passed voter suppression laws under the guise of “election integrity.” To round out the DOJ segment, the co-hosts discuss why on occasion the current DOJ feels compelled to continue to support some positions taken in court by Former’s DOJ, like the one seeking the dismissal of a defamation case brought against him arising out of a sexual assault. Next up, the “Analysis Friends,” take a deep dive into all things SCOTUS as this term comes to an end, including the eyebrow-raising 9-0 decision to deny a path to citizenship for the almost 500K people in the United States here under Temporary Protected Status program. SCOTUS’s decision to hear two (2) separate cases based on the government’s use of the “state secrets” defense also leads Ben and Michael to handicap the odds of the Court using the cases to weaken the defense (unlikely). After a brief tutorial on crypto currency like Bitcoin and why it's loved by the criminal underworld, and the power of the federal government to seek asset forfeiture of bitcoins used in ransomware attacks, the podcast brings this action-packed episode to a roaring conclusion by discussing whether MeidasTouch should go after Fox for refusing to air its January 6th insurrection ad on television, Popok challenges MeidasTouch’s “PAC-hood,” and Ben fires back! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Juni 20211h 36min

On Episode 11 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, provide a sobering analysis of a California federal judge’s decision to overturn California’s 30-year old ban on assault weapons citing the overriding considerations of the Second Amendment (while comparing AR-15s to swiss army knives and Ford pickup trucks) and predict what the Supreme Court will likely do about it in a future term. Speaking of 30-year precedent going out the window, next the Legal Analysis Friends look at Coney Barrett’s first majority opinion scrapping the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act criminalizing most database breaches and why the composition of which justices joined together to make up the 6-3 majority is so bizarre. And on the topic of here today, possibly gone tomorrow, the Legal AF duo discuss the likely decision this week by SCOTUS to revisit next term (and possibly overturn) the use of affirmative action in higher education to create diverse student bodies. Next up, Ben and Popok take a hard look at former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and why his recent statements made at the Q-Anon convention (?!?) calling for the violent overthrow of the US government is not only a federal crime, but should lead to his court-martial and loss of his military pension to boot. No #LAF episode would be complete without a look at Former 45’s current legal troubles, this time his being sued along with Don Jr., Rudy and Rep. Mo Brooks by members of Congress, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, for violation of the KKK Act for inciting the January 6th insurrection. Ben and Michael also don’t pull any punches and share their jaundiced view of Trump’s efforts to argue that he enjoys “absolute immunity” from a civil suit since “it happened” while he was President. While they're at it, the #LAF hosts scratch their collective heads as to why on earth Rep. Mo Brooks would try to dodge the process server trying to serve him with the suit, as if that’s a good thing to do. To round out this hard-hitting, action-packed episode, Ben and Michael discuss if Matt Gaetz will also be hit with obstruction of justice charges for interfering with the federal investigation into his having sex with minors, and whether before he assumed the post, Postmaster General DeJoy committed federal election law crimes by illegally funneling money through his then employees to political candidates. And in a special “crossover” segment, the MeidasTouch Brothers visit #LegalAF and interview Matthew Modine running for the president of the labor union representing over 160,000 actors, artists, influencers, models and other media professionals, along with his running mate Joely Fisher, running for secretary treasurer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Juni 20211h 45min

On Episode 10 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday morning law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, examine why in Ben’s world the “scales of justice” (?) move so slowly (inside joke alert) while discussing the looming criminal indictment of the Trump Organization, Trump and his family by a New York state special grand jury based on Trump tax records obtained through a divided, 5-4 Supreme Court ruling. While Ben and Michael are at it, they discuss in detail the special qualities of the grand jury process in the American legal system. Of course, no #LAF podcast would be complete without a deep dive into Rudy Giuliani and his 18 cellphones and laptops about to be closely reviewed by a special master to be appointed by a federal judge to determine if any of the materials are protected by the attorney-client privilege from disclosure to the prosecutors investigating him for his role in the firing of the US Ukrainian ambassador. The “Legal Analysis Friends” next discuss former Ambassador Sondland’s attempts to have former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Federal government pay the $1.8 million in legal fees he racked up testifying to the House Intelligence Committee that Trump illegally withheld millions of dollars in US aid to Ukraine in order to force them to open an investigation into Joe Biden’s son Hunter during the Presidential election campaign, that later led to Trump firing the Ambassador. Hooded Justice and Velvet Hammer then turn their attention back to, where else, Florida, and explain why Governor DeSantis has the First Amendment and its protections exactly backward with his new law prohibiting social media companies, like Twitter, from banning (i.e. deplatforming) users for bad behavior like Trump. Ben then takes the #LAF listeners through the law of Presidential pardons leading to the SDNY prosecutors and judge having no choice but to drop Steve Bannon’s criminal prosecution arising out of his fraudulent “build the wall” charity. Finally, and ending on a “politics makes strange bedfellows” note, Ben and Popok discuss why the current Department of Justice is arguing in federal court that that even though Trump’s forcibly removing protestors from Lafayette Park to allow him to have a “clean” photo op on his way to a nearby church holding an (upside down) bible was a bad thing, a court should not interfere with decisions by the Executive Branch around how to provide security and protection to a sitting US president. Easter egg alert: Ben drops a little “Federalist Papers” knowledge on Popok, and Popok reminds Ben that scales of justice don’t move forward and back, wheels do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Maj 20211h 23min

On Episode 9 of Legal AF (#LAF), MeidasTouch's end-of-the week law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, examine the looming indictment of the Trump Organization by the joint prosecutor task force led by the NY AG and the Manhattan DA. Ben and Michael then reopen #LAF University Law School, and teach a mini-course on criminal statutes of limitation and how that may speed up the Trump indictment, unless a tolling agreement is entered into. The "Legal Analysis Friends" next take on the possibility that Florida Governor DeSantis will attempt to prevent the extradition of Trump back to New York, should he be indicted and what a Federal judge would say about that. Speaking of Florida and bizarre events, Legal AF takes a deep dive into the federal conviction and plea deal and cooperation of former Seminole County (FL) tax assessor and Congressman Matt Gaetz's main "bro," Joel Greenberg, and what it means for the likely indictment of Gaetz. Easter Egg alert: Ben and Popok explain why Greenberg was a "queen for a day" and it's not what you may think. Next up, the co-hosts discuss Sidney Powell and her misuse of fundraising money to pay for her personal legal defense against the defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems. A LegalAF episode would not be complete without Ben getting special delight out of "Cyber Ninjas" and their inept "fraud-it" in Arizona, that is now leading to the State considering, ironically, throwing the 400 voting machines they examined because of possible corruption of the equipment by Cyber Ninjas. Finally, and in somber tones, Ben and Michael examine SCOTUS’s decision to revisit Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose under the guise of examining a Mississippi federal judge's decision to stay an anti-pro-choice law banning all abortions after 15 weeks. It is an ominous sign that a Republican majority court (6-3) is now doing a full-frontal assault on what had been a constitutionally-protected right of privacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23 Maj 20211h 19min

On this week’s episode of Legal AF (#8), MeidasTouch’s weekly law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, examine Tuesday’s ruling by a Texas Federal Bankruptcy Court judge that the NRA made a “bad faith” bankruptcy filing and could not reorganize just to escape the NY Attorney General’s criminal investigation. As an added bonus, Ben and Michael discuss the flaws in the NRA’s trial lawyers’ decision to allow its client to be filleted during a 11-day trial proving just how corrupt the NRA and its leadership is, while strengthening the future criminal case brought by the NY AG. Next up, Ben a/k/a “Hooded Justice” and Michael “Velvet Hammer” Popok, take on the legality (and weirdness) of Trump using Mar-a-Lago as his personal home by arguing that he is an “employee” of the club, like the guy who cuts the shrubs or mows the grass. Speaking of insanity, the “Analysis Friends” examine whether this year’s “twinkie” defense —“Foxmania” — will allow a Capitol insurrectionist to avoid jail time (spoiler alert—the answer is “no”). The podcast then turns serious with an analysis of the wrongful death suit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, the former Air Force veteran turned Q-Anon terrorist who was shot by Capitol Police before she could lead her angry lynch mob into the House Chamber to kill members of Congress. The hosts then have a brief discussion of possible ways for Congress to limit the jurisdiction of SCOTUS to prevent it from overturning pro-democracy voting rights legislation, without upending the 3 co-equal branches of government. Finally, and in a speed round, Ben and Popok give the Legal AF university “students” what they crave—a tutorial on civil procedure, our state and federal court system, the equitable and legal power of the courts, and the differences between torts, breach of contract, and crimes. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16 Maj 20211h 8min

On Episode 7 of Legal AF, MeidasTouch’s weekly law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, first drill down on the “dawn raid” and search warrant on former Trump consigliere, Rudy Giuliani based on “probable cause” that the former “America’s Mayor” committed a federal crime related to the Trump Administration’s dealings with Ukraine. And for added fun, Ben and Michael discuss who is leading in the “Fredo” award race – Don Jr. or Andrew Giuliani, while commenting on the rogues' gallery of convicted, soon to be convicted and/or trying to be convicted allies of the Former 45 all attempting to witness tamper. Next up, the “Analysis Friends” tackle the aftermath of the Chauvin conviction in two ways. First, they examine the attack on one of the 12 jurors for posting photos to social media showing that he supported #BLM on his way to a march celebrating MLK in DC, and discuss whether this could give rise to a successful appeal by Chauvin. Then Ben and Michael take a hard look at the DOJ’s decision to not only criminally prosecute Chauvin and the other 3 cops involved for civil rights violations under the 4th Amendment, but to also investigate the entire Minneapolis police department. Ben and Michael then update on the Cyber Ninja/Q-anon “ballot recount” farce playing out in Arizona under Trump’s guidance. And last but not the least crazy, “Miami” Michael walks Ben through the Miami private school whose socialite and DeSantis-supporting owners took almost $1 million in federal bailout funds and then thought it would be ok to violate every one of its teacher’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rights by firing them if they decided to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Maj 20211h 15min

On Episode 6 of Legal AF, MeidasTouch’s weekly law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, analyze key decisions this “Supreme Court Season” and take apart SCOTUS’ 6-3 Republican majority and its unrelenting attack on judicial precedent (Stare Decisis) to legislate from the bench and change the law as we know it in the areas of abortion, the Second Amendment (NY State Rifle Association v. Corlett), and criminal sentencing for minors (Jones v. Mississippi). Speaking of SCOTUS, Ben and Michael also take a hard look at Justice “I am Not the Notorious ACB” Amy Coney Barrett and examine why she has refused to recuse (disqualify) herself from a series of recent cases involving her family and PACs that paid a million bucks to confirm her nomination (the Americans for Prosperity case), and how SCOTUS is on the verge of allowing unlimited and anonymous corporate dark money to pour into US elections. The Analytical Friends (is that what AF stands for?) then move into the #LegalWTF segment as they look at various state legislation that seeks to overturn fundamental US Constitutional rights. First up, Oklahoma gives immunity to drivers who maim or kill protestors with their cars, while criminalizing peaceful protests in the streets, and then for good measure virtually bans all abortions despite a woman’s US Constitutionally-protected right to choose. Not to be outdone, Arizona is allowing a made up QAnon conspiracy theorists called “Cyber Ninjas” to gain access to their voters’ sacred presidential election ballots to perform some sort of bizarre and illegitimate “audit” not to overturn the election, but to allow the Arizona Republicans to continue their charade at taxpayers' expense that the election was “stolen.” And of course, Florida Man is heard from, this time it's the governor, who is about to sign a law that likely violates the US Constitution’s Commerce Clause by preventing social media companies from banning political candidates from their platforms or face fines of up to $100k a day. Easter egg alert: Ben considers permanently changing the name of the podcast to LegalWTF, and not only does fan-favorite “financial dominatrixes” make an appearance, but so does cos-play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Apr 20211h 22min

On Episode 5 of Legal AF, MeidasTouch’s weekly law and politics podcast, Legal AF, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, analyze the jury’s verdict to convict Chauvin on all 3 counts for the murder of George Floyd, and with special guest criminal defense lawyer Alexandra Kazarian, discuss Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines and predict the length of Chauvin’s sentence. Next up, the “Analysis Friends” take a deep dive into Liberty University’s suit against Jerry Falwell, Jr. to claw back the $10 million it paid him because he failed to disclose that he, his wife, and a Miami Beach pool attendant (you can’t make this stuff up), were having a threesome. Returning to the world of criminals, the Legal AF dynamic duo (and with apologies to the Sopranos) tackle the recent inadvertent disclosure by the Justice Department that it had reached its first plea deal with an “Oathkeeper” who attacked the Capitol on January 6th, who in return for turning in his friends and cohorts, won an all-expense paid trip to 3 years in jail and the witness protection program. To round out the episode, Ben and Michael learn to “count to 5” and take a hard look at SCOTUS’s 2010 Citizens United decision allowing for unlimited corporate and PAC money to flood our election system under the First Amendment, and whether there are 5 votes on the current Court willing to allow donations to be made in secret in the new Koch Brothers-backed suit, Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Rodriguez. Special “easter egg” alert: Ben uses the word “sperm” in the context of our high-brow Supreme Court analysis and Michael takes the bait! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Apr 20211h 4min