Derek Chauvin CONVICTED for the Murder of George Floyd
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
The NRA's Bizarre Efforts to Declare Bankruptcy
On Episode 4 of our new weekly law and politics podcast, Legal AF, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and commentator, Michael Popok, tackle the NRA’s bizarre efforts to secretly use the Bankruptcy Code to escape liability in New York and re-incorporate in Texas and discuss whether their business model and fundraising smacks of "financial domination." Next up, the conservative members of SCOTUS and especially Justice Gorsuch are leading efforts to thwart Biden’s agenda by stripping administrative agencies such as the EPA and the Department of Transportation from rule-making ability under the little-known “nondelegation” doctrine. Then, the Analytical Friends analyze the civil rights violation that occurred when Lt. Caron Narario, a Black Army officer, was peppered sprayed and almost worse during a routine traffic stop in Virginia. Ben and Michael then take a look at the recent “January 6 Insurrection” federal lawsuit brought by the NAACP and at least 10 members of Congress who feared for their life against Trump, Giuliani, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, for claims under the KKK Act of 1867 for conspiracy to violate the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th Amendment. Then, in a new “speed round” segment, Meiselas and Popok take listener’s questions on topics ranging from data breach lawsuits and the proliferation of ransomware computer attacks, to possible class actions against Trump for his deadly mishandling of the COVID pandemic and his role in the attack on the Capitol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Apr 20211h
SCOTUS Season, Historic Candidates and Pernicious Politicians
On Episode 3 of our new weekly law and politics podcast, Legal AF, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and commentator, Michael Popok, interview two historic candidates, Lucy Lang, candidate to replace Cyrus Vance, and be the first woman to ever lead the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in its 220 year history, and Hydee Feldstein Soto, who is running to be the LA City Attorney, the chief municipal legal office, and its first woman to hold that office in its more than 150 year history. Then, Ben and Michael, applying their “Analytic Friends” superpowers, tackle the current US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) term and recent oral arguments and decisions, including giving our followers what they crave: more analysis of due process and personal jurisdiction(!) by taking a look at Ford losing its efforts to only be sued in its backyard and avoid being sued in the states where its cars injure people. Next up, Ben and Popok try to read the tea leaves of SCOTUS’s recent “hot bench” concerning the antitrust case against the NCAA and its refusal to pay athletes for their work, and whether SCOTUS will expand warrantless searches of homes under the 4th Amendment by creating a new “community caretaker” exception. Finally, they take on the ongoing “Water-Gaetz “ saga with Matt Gaetz being investigated for sex trafficking crimes, and the recent successful prosecution of former Trump HUD official (and Eric Trump wedding planner), Lynne Patton for violating the Hatch Act’s prohibition against “pernicious political activity” by civil servants, for video recording NYC public housing residents without telling them that the clips would be used at the RNC’s presidential convention to promote Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Apr 20211h 17min
Unleashing the Kraken and the Prosecution of Trump
On Episode 2 of our new weekly law and politics podcast, Legal AF, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and commentator, Michael Popok, take a deep dive into Trump lawyer and “Big Lie” shill Sidney Powell’s efforts to dismiss Dominion Voting Systems' new federal defamation case against her, including her eye-popping “defense” that none of her statements of voter fraud against Dominion were true, and that no reasonable person could believe they were “facts”. Next up, a discussion of MyPillow’s Mike Lindell’s hiring of Alan Dershowitz (we guess Rudy was tied up) to bring a defamation countersuit against Dominion, which could lead Dominion to one day owning My Pillow. Later, Ben and Michael explore possible future prosecutions of Trump and his family for sedition for advocating the violent overthrow of the Government, and the “pay to play” scandal surrounding Trump’s pardon frenzy in his waning days, including a link between Florida’s Aleph Institute, the Kirshner family, and the pardons granted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 Mars 20211h 5min
The Origins of Legal AF
On the kick-off episode of Legal AF, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer Ben Meiselas and legal wiz Michael Popok, discuss the “origin story” of their legal and trial work together, including First Amendment and social media cases for MeidasTouch involving Fox News and Kelly Loeffler, Republicans (the GQP) using “cancel culture” to silence critics and attack the free press, and the legality of “blue” state efforts to suppress minority voting under the Voting Rights Act. Later, Ben and Michael take on the ethics of Big Law firms hired to shill for Trump, including McGuireWoods’ secret work to root out anti-Trump staff at Voice of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
18 Mars 202158min
