Faced with President Trump’s shakedown, the Paul, Weiss law firm agreed to a “deal” with Trump that sure looks like a ransom payment. Trump then told reporters that firms like these have the option to make similar “deals” to avoid getting targeted—a straight-up extortion threat right in public. We keep hearing that voters don’t care about this kind of thing. But the White House’s top political adviser is warning that Democratic anger could be a big problem in the midterms—and Trump’s lawlessness is a key driver of it. We talked to New Republic editor Michael Tomasky, who’s been arguing that we’re actually facing multiple constitutional crises and that Democrats must find their footing in this moment. He explains what all this says about Trump’s escalating lawlessness, how Democrats can harness public anger over it, and why real heroics are needed to resist it. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.
PODCAST
Trump Blurts Out Revealing Aim of Law Firm Shakedown Right to Media
As President Trump says the quiet part out loud about his vile extortion of law firms, New Republic editor Michael Tomasky explains what all this says about Trump’s lawlessness—and what’s needed to resist it.

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