Welcome to Talking Feds, a roundtable that brings together prominent former federal officials

and special guests for a dynamic discussion of the most important legal topics of the day.

I'm Harry Littman, I'm a former United States Attorney and the Legal Affairs columnist for the

LA Times' opinion page. According to most health experts, we may now be reaching the top of the

curve of COVID-19 cases and deaths. The U.S. now has over 685,000 cases, three times more

than any other country, and over 35,000 deaths with daily tolls this week, hitting 2,000 plus for

several days. But these national tolls grim as they are tell a very partial story because the virus

is spreading and killing at very different rates in different regions and among different groups.

And we are still lagging terribly in testing capacity, the key in most experts' minds to

resumption of something like normal life. This is also the week when it felt as if the

presidents perceived power wained and his presence grew ever more erratic and partisan.

Trump began by asserting total authority over the states, a claim he had to then walk back,

and by weeks end, he had capriciously withdrawn U.S. funding from the World Health Organization

and was tweeting openly to his base to, quote, liberate, close quote states, in which people

were protesting virus restrictions. Governor Cuomo of New York supplied the classic Zinger.

He's doing nothing, said Cuomo. All he's doing is walking in front of the parade.

So, tons to talk about and to do it, we have a group of real deal card-carrying feds, very well known

to listeners of this show and among the most prominent MSNBC consultants. Starting with Maya Wiley,

the senior vice president for social justice and the Henry Cohen professor of urban policy and

management at the new school. Maya also was formerly an assistant U.S attorney in the Southern

District of New York and counsel to New York Mayor Bill De Blasio. Maya, thanks for being here.

Thank you for having me. Next, Joyce Vance, the distinguished professor of the practice

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