After a jury handed down an eye-popping 148 million dollar judgement against Rudy Giuliani, Jen Psaki speaks to Michael Gottlieb, the attorney for former election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss who were defamed by Giuliani's baseless conspiracy theories. Jen continues the conversation with Neal Katyal and Andrew Weissmann discussing how Giuliani will pay, and whether others might be deterred from engaging in political smears. Jen is also joined by Congressman Joe Neguse for reaction to the baseless impeachment proceedings launched by House Republicans. Finally, Jen speaks to the families of American hostages who shared their concerns about their loved ones after visiting the White House this week.

Defame and Fortune

Jen Psaki draws on her 20 years with a seat at the table – from the campaign bus to the Oval Office – to tackle the most pressing issues of the week, interview the biggest names in politics, and pull back the curtain on the lives of the people shaping every aspect of American life.

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Politics

May 5, 2024

On day 12 of the Donald Trump’s criminal trial, Judge Juan Merchan ruled that Trump violated his gag order for the tenth time, again citing a possibility of jail time for the former president. Jen also breaks down the new documents detailing the alleged scheme to reimburse the hush money used to silence a port star. Former US Attorney Preet Bharara discusses the extensive paper trail that has proven so useful to prosecutors. Jen also delves into how Trump was juggling his official responsibilities as president while simultaneously signing the checks to repay Michael Cohen, discussing how he orchestrated the coverup  with Former US Senator Claire McCaskill. Later Jen talks about Trump and the Republicans attempt to legally force states like Nevada to not count mail in ballots received at polling stations after Election day. She is joined by Harvard Law professor Sherrilyn Ifill to talk about the impact of limiting mail-in ballots. Tim Miller later joins to talk about loyalty amongst republicans towards Trump to vie for the position of his Vice President.

Following the paper trial into the White House

Air of Menace

Jen Psaki is joined by all-star legal analysts Neal Katyal, Andrew Weissmann, and Lisa Rubin to discuss what went down at the Supreme Court, where Trump lawyers argued for sweeping presidential immunity, as well as the latest in Trump's criminal fraud trial in New York. Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain also joined to talk about the stark contrast between the former President spending most of his time in court while Joe Biden campaigns for a second term. And hosts of the podcast Pod Save America, Jon Lovett and Jon Favreau, talk to Jen about their thoughts on how Trump's legal troubles might impact the 2024 election results and how close the presidential would be between voters who seem unsure about both candidates. Finally, Jen addresses the latest indictments of Trump's cronies in the state of Arizona.

Hocus SCOTUS: Justices Hear Immunity Arguments

Ahead of opening statements in the Trump hush money trial, Jen Psaki breaks down the unprecedented situation that jurors face as Trump attempts to undermine and intimidate them. Legal experts Andrew Weissmann and Neal Katyal join Jen to preview what we can expect to hear this week. Next, Jen is joined by Governor Gavin Newsom to debut and discuss his new ad raising awareness about the Republican rollback of reproductive rights, among other topics. Later, Jen discusses the House's long-awaited passage of a foreign aid bill and the precarious state of Speaker Mike Johnson's speakership. Finally, John Legend joins the show to talk about his advocacy work for criminal justice reform and why he will be voting for Joe Biden in the presidential election.

Defame and Fortune

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