meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
It's Complicated

Episode 109 | Trump’s DOJ Shake-Up: The Thursday Night Massacre

It's Complicated

Renato Mariotti

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.81K Ratings

🗓️ 17 February 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the latest explosive episode of It’s Complicated, our hosts Renato Mariotti and Asha Rangappa discuss the Department of Justice’s "Thursday Night Massacre,"  which led to a flurry of resignations by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York (SDNY).  Subscribe to our Patreon here, where paid members will get access to exclusive portions of this show. patreon.com/reallyamericanmedia The legal community is left reeling from the shockwaves of this drama, which started as an escalating feud between the acting Deputy Attorney General Eric Bove, and the acting US attorney for the SDNY. Listen in as Asha, a professor at Yale and former FBI agent, along with Renato, a legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, navigate these maneuvers that can’t be boiled down to sound bites or quick headlines. Our hosts dissect the implications of the DOJ’s seemingly quid pro quo directive to dismiss pending charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams—which resulted in the resignations of a number of lead prosecutors. The move raises red flags about the politicization of justice and reflects a broader mission to reshape federal law enforcement to fully align with Trump's agenda. We’ll take a hard look at the resignation letters written by dedicated legal professionals like Danielle Sassoon and Hagan Scotten, which underscore the delicate balance between loyalty to leadership, and the pursuit of justice. Their actions also serve as a powerful reminder of the role of individual integrity in upholding democracy and the rule of law. Asha and Renato explore the broader implications for future administrations and the clear erosion of public trust in the American legal system. They’ll explain how Trump’s administration is both shaping and shaking the structure of the Justice Department. And we’ll reflect on how these actions could redefine executive authority and prosecutorial independence in the United States. As always, our hosts close out the show by reminding us of the power of courage and integrity—and to be proactive and resilient in the face of these major political shifts. Be sure to join us next week for another riveting episode, where we unravel the complexities and legal controversies from the front lines.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Here's the truth about AI. AI is only as powerful as the platform it's built into. Service Now puts AI to work for people across your business, removing friction and frustration for your employees, supercharging productivity for your developers, providing intelligent tools for your service agents to make customers happier, all built into a single platform you can

0:22.0

use right now. That's why the world works with ServiceNow. Visit ServiceNow.com

0:27.9

slash UK slash AI for people. No matter what kind of work your team does, Asana can help manage it.

0:35.0

From project intake to campaign management to strategic planning and more,

0:39.9

Asana works for you.

0:41.9

Try for free today at asana.com.

0:45.3

So Renato,

0:46.9

will the Thursday night massacre

0:48.5

at the Justice Department

0:49.8

help turn the tide against Trump?

0:52.5

Eh, it's complicated.

0:58.5

I'm Renata Marietti.

1:00.4

I'm a former federal prosecutor, a practicing lawyer, and a legal analyst.

1:05.5

And I'm Asha Rangappa.

1:07.2

I teach national security law at Yale University.

1:10.0

I'm a former FBI special agent, and I'm a legal contributor for ABC News.

1:14.6

And we're here to help you understand topics that can't be boiled down into a soundbite or a seat.

1:24.6

Wow, Asha, we have a lot to talk about this week.

1:28.3

There's a flurry of letters and other actions that a lot of people are calling the Thursday night massacre.

1:35.2

Yes, I got caught up on all of that today because I was in the city seeing a show last night and, you know oblivious and then like i i tuned in this morning

1:46.6

and it's been crazy town for sure and where it started i'll talk about maybe the first letter that

1:53.2

that started this off this was this was started because the deputy attorney general emil bov, I think is how you say his name,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Renato Mariotti, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Renato Mariotti and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.