Dear listeners,
Humphrey’s Executor, which has been obviously dead for some time, is now officially overturned. Except! The Federal Reserve is special and unique and in a historical tradition, and therefore its board members can be protected from firing except for cause. What is “cause”? That’s a good question; the court hasn’t needed to provide an answer yet, but if the president insists, Justices Roberts and Kavanaugh will make one up.
Also this week: John Bolton has pleaded guilty to mishandling national defense information and might even get jail time. The president certainly has it out for Bolton, but Bolton’s behavior was sufficiently egregious that he probably would have been prosecuted even if he weren’t a target for retribution. Don’t send highly classified notes to your Gmail!
Plus: In Florida, federal prosecutors mistakenly disclosed Jack Smith’s report on the documents investigation to Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, as part of their prosecution of Lineberger for stealing a copy of the report (which she labeled as a “bundt cake recipe,” oops). That still doesn’t mean we’ll get to see it — yet.
And, for paying subscribers: In Chicago, US Attorney Andrew Boutros is in more trouble. And in Minnesota, more subpoenas have been quashed as politically motivated. Alleged pipe bomber Brian Cole hasn’t been pardoned. Todd Blanche doesn’t want to release more Epstein documents. A prosecution relating to Trump’s reflecting pool is likely to face problems. Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act” has been thrown out. And the ACLU of Maine wants the Secret Service to let the “Cats on a Couch” lady troll JD Vance in person.
We hope you enjoy the episode,
Josh
