Episode 167 | Trump Indictment Falls Apart Instantly?!?!

About this episode

Asha and Renato discuss the misleading narrative of a federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center and evaluate a defamation lawsuit involving FBI Director Kash Patel.

This week, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche unveiled a federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, a storied civil rights organization, and said it was defrauding its donors and “funding” right-wing extremist groups. Asha and Renato discuss how the narrative put forth in the indictment is totally misleading, why the legal theory in the case is disingenuous and whether the indictment is just to throw a bone to the MAGA base. Then, they turn to the bombshell report in The Atlantic that claimed FBI Director Kash Patel has been excessively drinking on the job and putting national security at risk. Renato and Asha evaluate Patel’s subsequent defamation lawsuit against the magazine and review the “actual malice” standard. Finally, they analyze the Justice Department’s investigation of former CIA Director John Brennan and why Todd Blanche is turbocharging the DOJ’s efforts to go after Trump’s perceived enemies. Listen up! Southern Poverty Law Center Indictment: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1437146/dl?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdeliveryPatel v. Atlantic Monthly Complaint…

People in this episode

Hosts: Asha Rangappa, Renato Mariotti

Topics covered

• Trump Indictment
• Southern Poverty Law Center
• FBI Director
• defamation lawsuit
• Justice Department
• national security

Keywords

• Trump
• indictment
• Southern Poverty Law Center
• Kash Patel
• defamation
• Justice Department
• John Brennan

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Southern Poverty Law Center, The Atlantic, Justice Department

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