PBD Podcast #697: “He’s Gonna Get Sued” – Billionaire DNC Mega Donor On Clinton, Epstein & Disney Revenge

Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Patrick Bet-David (PBD)
Guest: John Morgan (Billionaire lawyer, founder of Morgan & Morgan, major Democratic donor)

Episode Overview

In this candid, wide-ranging conversation, Patrick Bet-David sits down with John Morgan, a self-made billionaire attorney known for his flamboyant marketing, Democratic mega-donations, and outsize influence across business and politics. From deeply personal family history to insider tales of American power players—Clinton, Biden, Trump, Disney execs, and more—Morgan offers unvarnished opinions and stories on legacy, wealth, politics, scandal, and the state of America. Truth bombs, humor, and inside baseball abound.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. John Morgan’s Origin Story & Family Crisis

• Turning Point: At 19, Morgan’s brother, Tim, became a quadriplegic after a Disney-related accident. This struggle with the legal system inspired John to become a personal injury attorney.
  • “Disney was so rough on him and so tough on him...we were poor...you can't imagine the frustration. I became enraged...now I know what I want to do." (06:04)
• Tim later worked with John; defied doctors’ predictions, living to 65.

2. Patterns Among Billionaires: Nature, Hustle & Adversity

• Paperboy Gene: Many self-made billionaires (Buffett, Disney, Oprah, etc.) started with jobs requiring daily hustle, like being paperboys.
  • "There's a genetic entrepreneurial seed. You have it. I could tell...you're born with that hustle. You can't teach hungry." (09:48)
• Pain and Privation: Early trauma/hardship is almost a prerequisite for the billionaire drive.

3. Wealth Succession & Family Legacy

• Prenups Are Mandatory: All Morgan's children must have prenups to inherit.
  • “If you don’t have a prenup, you don’t take under the will. I become the bad guy.” (12:23)
• Estate Strategy: If children reach $100M net worth, they inherit nothing more; everything else goes to a family foundation.
  • "If our kids have $100 million, they get nothing...All my money is going into the foundation." (15:34)
• Grandkids & Generational Wealth: Worries Gen 3 will go astray, but ultimately says, “I’ll be dead, you guys handle it.” (17:35)

4. Building a Billion-Dollar Law Firm

• Morgan reinvested profits, expanding city by city.
• Reached first $1M at 41; now $2.5B/year in fees.
• Biggest Lesson: Patience and playing the long game.
  • “The skill you need to have is patience... A lot of people want to be rich fast...play the long game.” (22:23)

5. Notable Possessions & Sentimental Value

• Cherishes autographs and moments with icons (e.g., P.T. Barnum).
• Laments loss of childhood baseball cards—dad threw them away. (25:17)
• Core possessions = Experiences and memories (26:18)

6. Insider Tales: Clinton, Biden, Kennedy, and the DNC

• Bill Clinton: Morgan details a five-hour dinner with Clinton, lauds his charm and stamina.
  • “Treat them like there’s an election tomorrow and you’re running and they’re voting.”—Bill Clinton’s advice (30:46)
  • “Republicans are good with Bill Clinton.” (31:19)
• Bill Clinton & Epstein: Morgan adamantly insists “He was never on the island” despite his name in flight logs (56:53 & 57:01).
  • “He was on the planes but never went to the island.” (56:55)
• DNC Relationships: Closest with Teddy Kennedy; wide relationships across both parties.
  • "The politician I chummed around with was Teddy Kennedy—that was my guy." (41:43)
• Hunter Biden: Sees him as an addict; “a despicable character,” but recognizes his father’s blind spot for him. (97:30)
• On Kamala Harris: Strongly negative; “Very annoying. As soon as [Biden picked her], I knew the election was over.” (69:03)

7. On Scandal, Epstein, and High Society

• Epstein as Blackmailer: Morgan and PBD discuss the network of blackmail, the money trail ($170M from Leon Black), and the power dynamic.
  • “Jeffrey Epstein was a blackmailer. No telling what he had on all these people.” (50:15, 50:46)
  • “If money will solve a problem, solve the problem…Epstein goes with this blackmail...they say, ‘If money will solve a problem, I gotta solve this problem.’” (61:01)
• On Ghislaine Maxwell: “She is Deep Throat of the Epstein saga—she was the madam, the recruiter, she has everything.” (62:45)
• On Bill Gates & Melinda: Morgan needles Gates for having a week with his ex annually in the prenup, calls Melinda a “gold digger.” (51:30, 52:19)
• Memorable crass exchange over rumors about Epstein’s anatomy—comic relief. (63:27–64:09)

8. Morgan’s Advertising, Disney Lawsuits, and "Purple Cow" Marketing

• The Disney Lawsuit: Morgan engineered a legal battle to run an ad spoofing Steamboat Willie after the copyright expired.
  • “Every ad I do, I want it to be so great that the viewer rewinds...I call it Purple Cow...So I filed...Disney doesn't have the rights to this anymore. The IP has expired. After a few months, Disney agreed I could run this.” (75:55, 76:32, 77:21)

9. Political & Ideological Perspective

• No Party Home: Once a Democratic donor and activist, Morgan expresses disillusionment:
  • "I'm not a Republican, but I'm not a Democrat anymore. When they put the Democratic socialist at the end of Democratic...to me, socialism is the opposite of why we’re great." (34:29)
• Used to select for MAGA jurors: "They're mad, they're angry, they're ready to punish the man." (35:11)
• Sees Trump as a "genius" for assembling a broad, powerful coalition:
  • “He is a genius at what he's done with the Christian right, the Proud Boys, Wall Street people...he'll do it. There had to be a reset.” (65:16, 67:23)
• America Needs a Third Party: “Most of us agree on most things…what we need in America is a third party because nobody's compromising on either side.” (37:11)

10. Florida Politics & ‘Tort Reform’

• Morgan fiercely criticizes DeSantis’s property insurance reforms, especially the “Free Kill Law,” arguing it privileges insurers and doctors over victims.
  • “Florida’s ‘free kill law’—the only state in the country where if a doctor kills someone, and the victim is over 25 without a spouse, there’s no right to sue.” (81:17)
• Explains the political and financial motive behind the law’s survival—insurance industry donations to DeSantis. (81:59–82:51)
• Casts skepticism on DeSantis’s proposed property tax rollbacks: mere political gimmicks. (85:26)

11. Business Life and Entrepreneurship

• Morgan values marketing over lawyering in his self-ranking (89:18).
• Diversified interests: shopping centers, billboards, “WonderWorks” attractions, Alcatraz East crime museum (featuring artifacts like Ted Bundy's VW and OJ’s Bronco), and partnerships with Guy Fieri (“Downtown Flavortown”). (90:25–92:43)
• On time use: “I don’t hunt. I don’t fish. I don’t golf—I hunt and fish money.” (89:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Success “Patterns”:
  “You can't teach hungry. There's certain things that cannot be taught.” – John Morgan (09:48)
• On Family Legacy:
  “If you don't have a prenup, you don't take under the will. I become the bad guy.” – John Morgan (12:23)
• On Epstein’s Business:
  “Jeffrey Epstein was a blackmailer. No telling what he had on all these people.” – John Morgan (50:15)
• On the Law Firm’s Growth:
  “I burned the boats. When I go in, I’m burning the boats. You cross the Rubicon—you go from red to black, and then it's like a hockey stick.” – John Morgan (20:03)
• On Bill Clinton’s Political Skill:
  “Every time you meet somebody, treat them like there’s an election tomorrow and you’re running and they’re voting.” – Bill Clinton, as relayed by Morgan (30:46)
• On American Politics Today:
  “I was a Democratic capitalist. Socialism is the opposite of why we're great.” – John Morgan (34:47)
• On Party Affiliation:
  “I'm not a Republican, but I'm not a Democrat anymore.” – John Morgan (34:29)
• On Patience in Wealth Building:
  “The skill you need to have is patience. Instead of playing the short game, play the long game. When it starts happening, the power...is a tsunami.” – John Morgan (22:23)
• On “Beta Boys” and Modern Masculinity Crisis:
  “That’s beta boys…there are more women in law, medicine. This beta boy thing is a crisis for America." – John Morgan (107:41)
• On Marriage Advice:
  “Whoever gets married after 30, only 4% get divorced. Get it out of your system before marriage.” – John Morgan (110:39)

Timestamps for Significant Segments

• Intro & Disney Lawsuit/Epstein discussion: 00:45 – 03:45
• Origin Story & Brother’s Accident: 04:11 – 07:29
• Patterns among Billionaires, “Hustle” Gene: 08:09 – 10:56
• Wealth Succession & Prenups: 12:23 – 15:34
• Expansion, Law Firm & Patience: 19:38 – 22:28
• Clinton, Obama, Biden, Kennedy – Political Access: 26:18 – 44:50
• Epstein, Gates, Maxwell Scandals: 49:55 – 62:45
• Purple Cow Marketing and Disney IP Victory: 75:12 – 77:40
• Politics, MAGA, Two-Party System, Socialism: 34:29 – 37:11; 65:16 – 67:23
• Tort Reform, Florida Laws, Desantis: 78:51 – 84:51
• Business, Marketing, “WonderWorks,” Alcatraz East: 89:18 – 93:06
• Modern Masculinity & Marriage Statistics: 107:38 – 110:39

Tone & Character

• Morgan is frank, self-deprecating, and brutally honest, lacing stories and advice with humor and the wisdom of hard-won experience.
• The conversation is peppered with colorful language and irreverence, especially regarding the powerful and notorious.
• Patrick Bet-David guides with genuine curiosity, pushing for war stories, practical advice, and industry insight.

Summary Takeaway

This episode crackles with high-level business advice, insider political gossip, candid reflections on legacy, and sharp social commentary. Whether discussing family wealth, fighting Disney, or reflecting on Clinton’s charisma and the rot at the heart of American elite power, John Morgan holds nothing back. The episode is a must-listen for those interested in the intersection of business, politics, and personal legacy in modern America.