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The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg

Carol Lam: Her Honor

The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg

MSNBC

Chuck Rosenberg, News, Biden, News Commentary, Government, Politics

4.8 β€’ 15.8K Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 1 July 2020

⏱️ 77 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Carol Lam grew up in New Jersey, and was educated at Yale and Stanford Law School. Soon after law school, she found a job she loved in the Justice Department – as a federal prosecutor in San Diego – where she handled complex health care fraud cases. Though she enjoyed the work, she accepted an appointment to the California Superior Court bench from Governor Gray Davis. Carol envisioned a long tenure as a judge – a difficult and vital job – but that changed when she became the presidentially appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of California – the office in which she started as a prosecutor. Today, Carol plays flute with the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, serves as a member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees, and works as an MSNBC legal analyst. Carol shares with host Chuck Rosenberg fascinating stories of her work as a judge and a federal prosecutor and reflects on the role of prosecutors in the criminal justice system. If you have thoughtful feedback on this episode or others, please email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

0:11.0

But I will bear true faith and allegiance to the sea that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will will inflate the lead discharge.

0:21.0

The duties of the office on which I am about to enter.

0:24.0

So help me God, so help me God.

0:27.0

So help me God.

0:30.0

Welcome to the oath. I'm Chuck Rosenberg and I am honored to be your host for another compelling conversation with a fascinating guest from the World of Public Service.

0:38.0

This week, my guest is Carol Lamb, a former judge and federal prosecutor in California.

0:44.0

Soon after graduating from Stanford Law School, Carol found a job she loved in the Justice Department as a federal prosecutor in San Diego, where she handled complex healthcare fraud investigations.

0:55.0

And though she enjoyed the work, she later accepted an appointment to the California Superior Court Bench from Governor Gray Davis.

1:03.0

Carol envisioned a long tenure as a judge, a difficult and complex job.

1:08.0

But that all changed when she became the presidentially appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, the office in which she started as a prosecutor.

1:18.0

Carol is a thoughtful and contemplative public servant with important insights into our criminal justice system from two very different perspectives.

1:26.0

She is also my colleague on NBC and MSNBC, where she is a legal analyst.

1:31.0

Carol Lamb, welcome to the oath.

1:32.0

Thank you very much, Chuck.

1:33.0

Real pleasure to have you on the show.

1:35.0

Pleasure to be here.

1:36.0

So where are you from?

1:37.0

I am originally from New York City. I was born there as were my three siblings.

1:41.0

But my parents are from China. They were both born there and both immigrated here in the 1940s.

1:46.0

So you and your siblings are all first generation American.

1:48.0

That's right.

...

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