Mastering the Room

Law Professor Stephen Saltzburg on Trump Trials

Episode Summary

This conversation discusses the legal liabilities of former President Donald J. Trump, focusing on the charges brought against him in different jurisdictions. The conversation covers the Manhattan charges regarding falsifying business records, the Georgia charges related to election fraud, the case involving national security documents, and the case of the 2020 election subversion. The conversation also explores the importance of state-level charges, the defense of billionaire accounting practices, and the role of Chief Prosecutor Jack Smith. The likelihood of conviction and potential prison time is assessed for each case.

Episode Notes

• Former President Trump faces a range of legal liabilities, including charges of falsifying business records, election fraud, mishandling national security documents, and subverting the 2020 election.
• The Manhattan charges, related to falsifying business records, are seen as less threatening but may be the first case to go to trial. The Georgia charges, involving election fraud, are significant as they could not be pardoned at the federal level.
• The case of national security documents highlights the mishandling of classified information and the efforts to hide them. The 2020 election subversion case raises constitutional questions about the prosecution of a former president.
• The likelihood of conviction varies across the cases, with higher chances in the Manhattan and Georgia charges and lower chances in the Florida case. The role of Chief Prosecutor Jack Smith and the independence of the Department of Justice are also discussed.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:15 Manhattan Charges: Falsifying Business Records

04:56 Importance of State-Level Charges

08:11 Billionaire Defense and Questionable Accounting Practices

10:33 Georgia Charges: Election Fraud

18:28 Introduction to Chief Prosecutor Jack Smith

24:41 National Security Documents Case

33:30 2020 Election Subversion Case

42:01 Likelihood of Conviction and Prison Time