You can't litigate your way into the Kentucky Derby. Sure but can you get in with a sweet legal concept for a name? [ABA Journal] Steven Calabresi is back banging out bizarre legal theories faster than Kendrick posts diss tracks. His latest suggests that hush money can't be a crime because of the First Amendment which, as an actual expert explains here, is not true. [Election Law Blog] Congress can't take bribes. that's just for the Supreme Court, you fool! [Law360] Davis Polk planning to poke rivals in the eye as it leans into lateral recruiting. [Bloomberg Law News] Trump attorneys citing breakdown in client relationship told they still can't leave the case without more. [CNBC] RNC chief counsel gig is open. Again. [NBC News] Lawyer's license suspended after six-figures of client funds disappear. [Yahoo]
Trump claims the gag order prevents him from testifying. So now Justice Merchan is going to have to the comically uncomfortable conversation asking if he thought he could lie about the court or if his elite white-collar lawyers have provided woefully ineffective assistance. [CNN] "The antitrust laws are not designed to ensure competitive markets," declared the closing in Google's antitrust case. Up is also down and we've always been at war with with Eastasia. [Bloomberg] Greenberg Traurig sues student group claiming that its speech activities against the war in Gaza amounts to "substantial assistance to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and its allies." That, um, is not how the First Amendment works. [Fox News] Senior lawyer posts video of himself hiking naked through the forest. I've changed my mind, maybe it is time to ban TikTok. [Roll on Friday] Who will regulate AI? What about the CFTC? The answer, of course, will be "no
More contempt fines on the table today in Trump trial. If only he could pay someone to catch-and-kill his Truth Social posts before he makes them! [Reuters] Larry Lessig explains why the Trump immunity arguments make no sense. [Rolling Stone] Bankruptcy firm files for bankruptcy. [Star Tribune] Data breach suit against ABA tossed. [ABA Journal] Acting Labor Secretary argues that the refusal to confirm her doesn't prevent the whole department from functioning. [Law360] John Eastman asked to get his license suspension put on hold. After judge's eyes bugged out at the gall. the request was denied. [Bloomberg Law News] Anna Delvey's former lawyer is not having a good time these days. [Daily Beast]
Good morning, for the first time, to A&O Sherman! [American Lawyer] The story of the judge who was living with an attorney representing clients in his courtroom was crazy, but now it seems multiple other judges knew about the relationship and kept it under wraps for years. [Bloomberg Law News] Harvey Weinstein heads back to court. [Reuters] Former general counsel collected $54 million without filing taxes. [ABA Journal] Another crypto executive heading to prison. [Law360] Suspended lawyer decided to just keep practicing anyway. How's that working out? [LegalCheek]
Trump attacks Todd Blanche behind-the-scenes, threatens to withhold legal fees. Again, Todd Blanche gave up a Biglaw partnership to live this whole Ransom of Orange Chief bit. [Mediaite] The Most Dangerous Game: Private equity firm accused of gambling on human lives. [Bloomberg Law News] Hugh Hewitt wrote a lengthy opinion piece about how "The left’s favorite legal 'analysts' are almost always wrong" which never (a) names a single left leaning analyst or (b) identifies any instance where a legal analyst was wrong about anything. Tremendous work all around over there. [Fox News] FTC action against affordable luxury brand merger "not in the bag." Because when mergers break antitrust laws, courts write new rules and when the government challenges those mergers, courts say "didn't you read those new rules we wrote?" And the cycle goes on and on. [Reuters] Man sentenced to 22 years for trying to give national secrets to Ru