Serious Trouble

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThe lurid JP Morgan sex case has gotten more interesting: apparently, the bank offered a $1 million settlement to the banker who wanted an eight-figure settlement related to the lurid sex-harassment allegations he has made against a senior colleague. Something is weird here. Also this week:The Justice Department wants to stand in as the defendant in the case where E. Jean Carroll won a large judgment for comments Donald Trump made about her during his first presidential term, which would defeat her claim, since the government cannot be liable for defamation, the DOJ is also suing the DC Bar to stop professional discipline for Jeffrey ‘Oil Spill’ Clark, and no, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro does not need to recuse herself from Cole Allen’s case merely because she was present at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.That’s for all listeners this week. Upgrade to hear about much more:* Another Trump tariff effort gets struck down because the Court of International Trade decided to actually form a view on what constitutes a balance-of-payments crisis.* ABC fighting back against the Federal Communications Commission, urged on by the commission’s lone Democratic member (and Ken explains why they’re even bothering to fight at the agency level before going to court.)* The fight over the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, or “more aesthetic standing bullshit,” as Ken’s notes describe it.* Richard Murdaugh’s remarkable win in court (for now).* A silly lawsuit against Matt Damon, and* A misdo charge for Clav, who says he was merely following the guidance of a licensed airboat captain when he shot a (possibly already dead) alligator.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThere's a lot of stupid litigation to cover this week, starting with the lawsuit so many of you asked us about. An ex-banker who has made salacious allegations against a former JP Morgan colleague, but how credible are they? And what can you do if you are a bank or a banker and someone makes preposterous allegations against you in a legal filing, which is privileged against defamation claims?Also this week: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have settled, with no exchange of funds between the two sides, but that doesn't mean it wasn't expensive. Matt Taibbi lost his dumb lawsuit against Eoin Higgins. A Michigan defendant who made way more threatening-sounding comments than James Comey ever did nonetheless enjoys First Amendment protection (but will have to seek relief in state court if prosecutors go after him again). Does Cole Allen belong on suicide watch? DOJ apologizes to a federal judge for not telling her a detained migrant in her court was wanted for murder (she released the migrant and then DHS attacked her for releasing an accused murderer). The FTC surrenders in its fight against Media Matters. The DOJ seeks to memory-hole the Jerome Powell subpoenas (which would perhaps make it easier to reissue them later). Gavin Newsom is getting further than we expected with a kinda dumb defamation lawsuit against Fox News. And preservationists try to stop Donald Trump from tearing up the East Potomac Park golf course to build a championship-style course.Visit serioustrouble.show to upgrade your subscription and hear full episodes.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThis week Ken and Josh discuss the James Comey indictment, this time, purportedly for threatening the president with seashells. They also discuss the criminal complaint against would-be assassin Cole Tomas Allen and Maurene Comey’s lawsuit over her firing for being James Comey’s daughter.That’s this week’s free show. Paying subscribers also get:* Jeanine Pirro’s screw-up that has resulted in Trump getting less influence at the Federal Reserve than he’d probably have if she’d just played it cool.* A wrench in Trump’s plan to have the IRS pay him a big settlement.* Roy Moore and Diddy have something additional in common — they both are failures at defamation litigation.* A well-deserved spanking for Sam Bankman-Fried.* The SPLC, fighting back.* An apology to Elon Musk from the busybodies at the California Coastal Commission, and* An apology from Sullivan & Cromwell for AI hallucinations in a filing.Upgrade your subscription to receive all of our episodes at serioustrouble.show.