For the eleven o'clock hour, AirTalk provides live coverage and reporting of Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. We also dig deep into the FBI's raid of Michael Cohen's offices; debate whether or not the voting age should be lowered; and more.
FBI, federal prosecutors raided the office of Trump’s personal attorney. Does it violate attorney-client privilege?
Yesterday, FBI agents and federal prosecutors raided the Manhattan office of President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen.
Wednesday morning, The Washington Post cited sources claiming Cohen is being investigated for possible bank fraud, wire fraud, and campaign finance violations, the last presumably related to Cohen’s admitted $130,000 payment to adult video star Stormy Daniels, while The New York Times cites sources saying that the feds were looking for any records of payments to women who say they had affairs with Trump as well as any information about what role the publisher of the National Enquirer might have played in silencing one of them.
President Trump blasted the raid soon after it took place, calling it a “disgraceful situation,” “a total witch hunt,” and “an attack on our country in a true sense.”
The Washington Post cites sources saying agents seized Cohen’s computer, phone, tax returns, and other personal financial records. This would, presumably, give the FBI access to privileged communications between Cohen and his clients. But is the President’s legal assessment accurate? And how often do these kinds of raids happen? What does it take legally to get a warrant to raid an attorney’s office? What were the prosecutors hoping to find?
Guests:
Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus of law at Harvard University and author of "Trumped Up: How Criminalization of Political Differences Endangers Democracy" (2017); he tweets
Ric Simmons, professor of law at Ohio State University where he focuses on criminal law and evidence
Jens David Ohlin, vice dean and law professor at Cornell University where he focuses on criminal and international law; he tweets
After 100,000 teens preregister to vote in California, is it time to lower the voting age?
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla released data showing that 100,000 teens have pre-registered to vote in California under a 2016 law that gave them the opportunity to sign up before they are at an eligible voting age.
Padilla launched an online portal called High School and Youth Programs that connects teens with civic engagement opportunities. Following the aftermath of the February shooting in Parkland, Florida, that sparked a national movement around gun control legislation, many political activists argued that 16-year-olds should be able to vote.
But some who oppose the idea argue that many 16-year-olds might simply not be mature enough. In an op-ed for CNN, University of Kentucky College of Law professor Joshua Douglas took on that very argument, using various studies on the cognitive brain development of teenagers to support his claim that those 16 and over are mature enough to cast a ballot.
What do you think, should we lower the voting age? Call us at 866-893-5722.
CBO’s 1-trillion deficit projection: How detrimental is it to the economy
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new projections on Monday stating the federal government's annual budget deficit is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2020 despite healthy economic growth.
CBO projects deficit at $804 billion this year, 43% higher than it had projected last summer. The deficit was $665 billion in the last fiscal year. The projected wider growth is attributed to tax cuts and spending increases over the past four months. Some economists argue the growth in deficit is not alarming as long as we have economic growth. Other economists are more skeptical insisting we should impose reform.
Guests:
Richard K. Vedder, economist and distinguished professor of economics emeritus at Ohio University and senior fellow at The Independent Institute
John Harvey, professor of Economics at Texas Christian University based in Fort Worth, Texas; contributor to Forbes; he tweets
AirTalk coverage: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on your data and Cambridge Analytica
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Tuesday.
Facebook is facing scrutiny over allegations that research firm Cambridge Analytica had improperly gained access to private information of tens of millions of its users. The political consulting firm is funded in part by financier Robert Mercer and is linked to President Trump’s presidential campaign.
Zuckerberg is expected to testify before the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday.
Guests:
Ashley Gold, technology reporter for Politico Pro who is at Zuckerberg hearing; she tweets
Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley correspondent for the Washington Post who has reported on how Zuckerberg’s congressional testimony could affect his legacy and Silicon Valley; she tweets
Emily Cadei, D.C. correspondent for the Sacramento Bee who is at the Zuckerberg hearing; she tweets