Four Trump Defense Attorneys Now Hold Top Federal Government Positions
"Do you know how many Donald Trump lawyers are now occupying the upper echelons of the federal government? Justin Smith is a federal circuit court judge. Emile Bo, one of Donald Trump's prior defense attorneys, is a federal court judge. Todd Blanch, one of Donald Trump's former and I would argue current defense attorneys, is the acting attorney general. And then there is John Sauer, who is the solicitor general, another one of Donald Trump's former defense attorneys."
About this episode
Legal analyst Glenn Kirschner joins host Brian Tyler Cohen to discuss a major development in Donald Trump's legal battles with E. Jean Carroll. Judge Lewis Kaplan has rejected Trump's latest attempt to delay paying the $5 million judgment awarded to Carroll for sexual assault and defamation, setting a July 7th deadline for Trump's final arguments before dispersing the funds, which have grown to $5.8 million with accrued interest. Trump's delay tactic centered on claiming his new lawyer needed time to prepare after his previous attorney, Justin Smith, was appointed to the federal bench by Trump himself. The episode reveals that four of Trump's former defense attorneys now occupy top positions in the federal government: Justin Smith as an Eighth Circuit judge, Emil Bove as a federal judge, Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General, and John Sauer as Solicitor General. Sauer notably argued before the DC Circuit that a president could order Seal Team Six to assassinate political rivals with immunity from prosecution. The discussion also covers the separate $83.3 million judgment Carroll won in a second case, which is following a similar appeals trajectory and has likely grown to approximately $100 million with interest. Kirschner explains that both judgments were secured in court-supervised accounts during the appeals process to prevent Trump from becoming judgment-proof, and predicts Trump will soon be forced to pay both amounts after losing at every level of appeal, including the Supreme Court's recent refusal to review the case.
Key takeaways
- Judge Lewis Kaplan set a July 7th deadline for Trump's legal team to argue against dispersing the $5.8 million E. Jean Carroll judgment after rejecting delay tactics.
- Four of Trump's former defense attorneys now hold top federal positions including acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Solicitor General John Sauer.
- John Sauer previously argued a president could order Seal Team Six assassinations with immunity, and Justin Smith assisted him in that argument.
- Trump's $5 million Carroll judgment has grown to $5.8 million with accrued interest and will likely be paid within the next week to ten days.
- The separate $83.3 million Carroll judgment has grown to approximately $100 million with interest and faces similar legal arguments Trump already lost.
- The Supreme Court recently refused to review the $5 million Carroll case, and Trump has now exhausted nearly all appeals options.
- Both Carroll judgments were secured in court-supervised escrow accounts during appeals to prevent Trump from avoiding payment by becoming judgment-proof.