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Ryan Reynolds
This is a mini meditation guided by bombas. Repeat after me.
Will Kbach
I'm comfy.
Ryan Reynolds
I'm cozy.
Will Kbach
Cozy.
Ryan Reynolds
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I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium.
Emil Bove
Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.
Ryan Reynolds
It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have.
Will Kbach
One of your assistant's assistants switch you.
Ryan Reynolds
To Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra fee full terms@mintmobile.com Thumbtack presents the INS and outs of caring for your home out Indecision, overthinking, second guessing every choice you make in plans and guides that make it easy to get home projects done out beige on beige on beige in Knowing what to do, when to do it and who to hire. Start caring for your home with confidence. Download thumbtack today from Executive Producer Isaac Saul. This is Tangle.
Will Kbach
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, and welcome to the Tangle Podcast, a place where you get views from across the political spectrum, some independent thinking, and a little bit of our take. I'm your host, Will Kbach, and today we're going to be talking about the Department of Justice's request that the charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams be dismissed. We'll do a little bit of a refresher on what Adams is charged with dating back to his indictment in September of 2024. Talk a little bit about their rationale for this request and some of the political considerations that may have been at play. Before we jump in though, I want to flag a quick update on our newsletter and podcast bundling. We're going to be extending the sale on this new offering to the end of the day today. That's Thursday, meaning you can get the $99 annual membership bundle for $89 a year for the life of your membership. For existing members, we've resolved an issue that prevented you from easily switching plans. So if you want to upgrade to our newsletter podcast bundle for the sale price, you can easily do so by clicking a link that we'll put in the show notes for Today's episode. It's also at the top of today's newsletter if you receive that in your email. Another note Tomorrow, our outgoing Associate editor Sophia Downs is writing a Friday edition about how the roles of family, community and government in private life have changed throughout U.S. history. And I've read it. It's an incredibly thought provoking piece. We're really excited to share it with you. And it's also a nice change of pace from the kind of constant drumbeat of news we've been getting the past few weeks. We think you'll really enjoy it, and if you're interested in checking it out, be sure that you are a premium podcast subscriber and look for it tomorrow afternoo. All right, I'm going to pass it over to John for our quick hits and today's main topic, and then I'll be back for my take.
Emil Bove
Thanks, Will and welcome everybody. Here are your quick hits for today. First up, President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine. Trump said they discussed a possible ceasefire agreement and suggested that Putin wants the war to end. Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Trump administration does not support Ukraine's membership in NATO as part of a possible peace plan with Russia, adding that a return to Ukraine's pre2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. The Senate voted 5248 to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence, with Senator Mitch McConnell as the sole Republican vote against the nomination. Number three, the consumer price Index, which measures the change in prices for common goods and services, rose 0.5% month over month and 3% annually in January. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggested the report will likely delay further interest rate cuts for the time being. Number four, a federal judge restored President Trump's deferred resignation program for federal workers, which offers federal employees full pay through September if they resign. The judge ruled that the unions that challenged the program lacked standing to sue. Separately, eight inspectors general sued to reverse President Trump's decision to fire them in January, alleging the decision was not carried out lawfully. And number five, Senator Tina Smith, the Democrat from Minnesota, announced she will not seek re election in 2020.
Will Kbach
Trump's Justice Department ordering all charges against.
Emil Bove
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, including.
Will Kbach
Allegations that he took bribes from other.
Emil Bove
Countries, to be dropped.
Ryan Reynolds
Acting U.S. deputy Attorney General Emil Beauvais ordering prosecutors here in New York to drop the bribery, fraud and corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Emil Bove
On Monday, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the Southern District of New York to dismiss without prejudice all charges in the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. In its dismissal, the Justice Department reasoned that the case was politically motivated by the Biden administration and interfered with the mayor's ability to combat the city's migrant crisis. Adams, 64, is currently serving a four year term as mayor and running for reelection with the Democratic mayoral primary scheduled for June. Last September, Mayor Adams was indicted in a corruption investigation and charged with five counts of bribery, conspiracy, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. The Mayor has been the subject of other criminal investigations, but the recent indictment made Adams the first mayor of New York City to be charged with a federal crime while still in office. Adams denies the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all charges. In its case, the Southern District accused Adams of accepting over $123,000 worth of undisclosed luxury travel benefits, making false disclosure statements to the New York City Campaign Finance Board and and directing staffers to solicit donations from foreign businessmen in return for these gifts and accommodations. The indictment alleged that Adams leveraged his position to do favors for foreign donors, including pressuring the New York Fire Department to approve the opening of a 36 story Turkish consular building without a fire inspection. Mayor Adams faced up to 45 years in prison. In his memo to the Southern District, Bove cited Adams criticism of President Biden's immigration policies and his upcoming election as reasons for dismissal. The timing of the charges and the more recent public actions BY the former U.S. attorney responsible for initiating the case have threatened the integrity of the proceedings, including by increasingly prejudicial, pretrial publicity that risks impacting potential witnesses and the jury pool, bove wrote, adding that the decision was reached without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based, which are issues on which we Defer to the U.S. attorney's Office at this time. Since the DOJ has ordered the charges dropped without prejudice, Adams can still be charged in the future. Furthermore, the Southern District has yet to officially drop the charges. A formal dismissal request must be submitted by prosecutors overseen by acting Southern District of New York Attorney Daniel Sassoon and reviewed by a judge. Sassoon has not commented on the order. In an address following Bove's request for the dismissal, Adams reaffirmed his innocence. As I said from the outset, I never broke the law and I never would. I absolutely never treated my power as an elected official for any personal benefit. Today we'll share perspectives on the dismissal from the right and the left. Then Tangle Editor Will Kbach will give his take.
Will Kbach
We'll be right back after this quick break.
Ryan Reynolds
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Emil Bove
All right, first up, let's start with what the right is saying. The right is mixed on the dismissal, with some arguing that the decision empowers voters. Others say that the Trump DOJ is now politicizing the legal system. Still others suggest that elected officials should not be prosecuted until they are out of office. The New York Post editorial board said dropping the charges will allow for a healthier race for New York City mayor. Whatever you think of the Justice Department's order for prosecutors to drop charges against Mayor Eric Adams, it clearly paves the way for a feisty mayoral race. New Yorkers should be grateful for that. Adams will now have a shot of making his case for reelection without the distraction of a criminal prosecution and trial dogging him. Voters themselves will decide the best man or woman for the job, the board wrote. That's a refreshing switch from Justice's years long record of weaponization, with fueled speculations that the charges against Adams were politically motivated. Recall how justice tied President Donald Trump's hands during his first term with the completely bogus Russia gay probe, and how, under President Joe Biden, it launched charges against him just as he ran for re election in 2024. The board said voters now have a freer choice of candidates rather than one tainted by arbitrary or weaponized decisions from Washington. In national review, Andrew C. McCarthy called the DOJ's decision explicitly political. Politicized law enforcement is always wrong, and it is not more attractive when it insulates a politician from what appears to be righteous law enforcement than when it targets a politician with what appears to be discriminatory law enforcement, mccarthy wrote. Attorney General Pam Bondi, acting through acting Deputy AG Emil Bove, is poised to abandon the case against Adams on explicitly political grounds, which are hilariously claimed to be part of the new DOJ's crusade against politicized prosecutorial decision making. Bove concedes that main justice has not assessed the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which it is based. It is thus impossible for Bondi and Bove to have made a responsible evaluation of whether the case is a political vendetta or to have concluded that Adams was targeted, as the memo asserts. McCarthy said the Trump administration claims that the prosecution was interfering with Mayor Adams ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the Biden administration. Put aside that this is just political messaging masquerading as Justice Department legal deliberations. The claim is laughable. It has been refuted by Adams himself, who insists that his lawyers have focused on the case while he is focused on governing the city. In reason, Josh Blackmun argued for continued immunity while in office. There was a time when an indicted elected official would immediately resign in shame. The stigma of holding office in the face of a criminal indictment was too great. Today, that stigma is long gone, blackmun wrote recently. Indicted politicians have argued, fairly or unfairly, that the indictments are partisan witch hunts. And at least to some degree, these politicians have maintained some popular support. Their supporters agree that politics went into their prosecutions. Indeed, President Biden said as much about the prosecution of his son Hunter, who is the ultimate arbiter of these sort of crimes. I would wager it is not the jury rather it is the voters. I would propose a 28th constitutional amendment that would overrule Trump versus United States at least in part, but would extend immunity far more broadly. In short, federal and state elected officials can be indicted while in office but cannot be tried for those indicted offenses until after they are no longer in that elected office, blackman said. I think lawfare has wounded our criminal justice system in ways that are difficult to quantify. When a politician is indicted, the automatic assumption is that politics played a role in the process. Under this amendment, the power of lawfare would be blunted. Alright, that is it for what the right is saying. Which brings us to what the left is saying. The left criticizes the dismissal, noting that the DOJ did not even attempt to justify its decision. Some worry that Adams will now prioritize Trump's interests over his constituents. Others say the dismissal is linked to Trump's personal view of prosecuting politicians. In New York magazine, Ellie Honig explored the ominous legal logic of dropping the Eric Adams case. New DOJ honcho Emil Bove, a friend and former colleague of mine at the Southern District of New York, instructed the SDNY in a disjointed letter to dump the case based on a madcap blend of conspiracy theories, claims of political persecution and good old fashioned illogic, hoenig said. I wouldn't predict that Adams was surely cooked had he gone into the trial, but the odds would have been stacked against him, as they always are in federal court, especially in the sdny. Now we'll never know. Bove's letter instructing SDNY prosecutors to drop the case is a piece of work. He starts by noting that the Justice Department has reached this conclusion without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based. Might want to consider those tidbits in the future. The letter cites no evidence to support its claim of the SDNY's political motivation. Why prove it when you can just allege it in conclusory fashion? Hoenig wrote. Dismissal of the case against Adams is an obvious injustice. Maybe he'd have beaten it, maybe not. But let a jury decide that. Of broader concern, the letter from the DOJ shows a disturbing willingness, eagerness even to distort the truth. In Vital City, Elizabeth Glaser wrote about the norm breaking implications of the dismissal. What's going on is personal, not business, political, not legal, and particularly suited to the personalities and whims of the two players, a president who would be king and a mayor who has from the beginning played at governing when he was in fact just bartering, glazer said. This dismissal is part of a diabolical bargain that holds the mayor and thus New Yorkers as hostages to the president and his whims. The mayor may be an enthusiastic hostage, trading his independence in policymaking for his freedom from prosecution, but New Yorkers are the chumps who will have to live with and pay the price for the mayor's cynical trade. Look at what the Justice Department's direction to dismiss the case without prejudice means the case is essentially suspended and the United States Attorney can reactivate it at any time or, as the memo makes clear, at any time that is politically convenient to the president, glaser wrote. This may be what brass knuckle politics are fairly mobilizing power to get your way, but it is emphatically not what federal prosecutions are about. They are supposed to leave politics at the door and be based on the law and evidence alone. In Slate, Shirin Ali said this outcome carries a sense of deja vu. Adams is officially off the hook. Months of pandering to Donald Trump, defending him against accusations of fascism, jetting down to Florida to dine with the president, and quietly showing up to Trump's inauguration finally paid off, ali wrote. This directive came straight from Emil Bove, who was Trump's personal defense attorney. Bove defended Trump in the hush money trial, which ended in Trump becoming a convicted felon. One of Bove's signature legal strategies, along with basically every lawyer Trump hired, was to claim his client could not be tried in a court of law while he was campaigning for president because that would amount to election interference. Trump and his inner circle are accustomed to simply ignoring that which is inconvenient for their agenda. Even as he faced four criminal indictments and was found liable for sexual abuse, defamation and business fraud, Trump insisted he was innocent at every turn and denounced every shred of evidence as fake news or a tool of political vengeance, ali said. Extending that strategy to Adams has now provided the New York City mayor with a new lease on life as he's running for re election. Alright, let's head over to Will for his take.
Will Kbach
Alright, that is it for what the right and left are saying. Which brings us to my take Reminder. This is Editor Will K. Back and I wrote today's my take. I won't belabor the point. I'm disappointed by the DOJ's decision. As we discussed in our coverage of Adams's indictment back in September, the allegations against the mayor were serious and the available evidence merited prosecution. Adams was accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury travel and lodging benefits in return for political favors to foreign donors, soliciting illegal campaign donations and attempting to cover it all up. You can read the indictment yourself to get a sense of the case's strength, but again, I thought that the evidence presented merited a prosecution. Of course, Adams retains the presumption of innocence, and despite the compelling evidence, the case was not a slam dunk on every charge. For example, while accepting flight upgrades and free hotel stays from the Turkish government, then helping them fast track their consular building feels like textbook corruption, that act is not necessarily criminal. Based on past supreme court rulings in McDonnell versus United States, the court found that bribery must involve a formal exercise of government power. And it's not clear that Adams pressuring the New York City Fire Department to skip its fire inspection constituted an official act under the standard. Separately, in Snyder vs United States, the court established a distinction between bribes and gratuities. Adams accepting travel perks may not meet the definition of a bribe under this precedent. Regardless of what may have happened in the trial, though, prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to justify bringing the case, something acting Deputy Attorney General Emile Beauvais seemed to acknowledge in his memo. Bove only offered the timing of the indictment to support his assertion that the Biden Justice Department was politically motivated. Another note is the claim that Adams has been unable to effectively serve as mayor while under indictment is undermined by the mayor's own explicit and repeated statements that the case has not impacted his ability to do his job. Bove then essentially torpedoed his own argument's credibility when he wrote, quote, the Justice Department has reached this conclusion without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based, end quote. In other words, the DOJ did not even attempt to determine the strength of the case before moving to dismiss it. Now, Even though the DOJ's justification was unconvincing to me, several conservative writers did challenge my initial reaction that the dismissal was uniformly bad. I think these are the two Strong's arguments in favor of dismissing the case. Number one, prosecutors excessively charged Adams for acts that did not rise to the level of criminal. As James Burnham and Yaakov Roth argued in the Wall Street Journal, quote, the indictment spends many paragraphs discussing benefits received, many of them travel and entertainment, but it is light on official actions promised in return. While no one disputes that Adams received these benefits, this argument says that the evidence he acted illegally in return for them is scant. However, I think that's more of a reason to acquit Adams on some charges than to drop the entire case. Whether the benefits motivated his actions is what our courts are explicitly designed to determine. Number two, prosecuting Adams while he runs for reelection denies voters the ability to choose their elected representatives. I'm sympathetic to this view, and I think prosecutors should have to meet a high bar for bringing charges against elected officials. But again, in this case, they have neither. Bovet nor anyone else in the Justice Department has yet to present evidence that the case was improperly handled. In fact, Bovet stressed that he was not questioning the integrity and efforts of the line prosecutors responsible for the case. Now, unless you argue that politicians should simply never be prosecuted while in office, it's hard to see how voters are harmed by legitimate investigations of legitimate actions. Even if your primary worry is a weaponized DOJ under Biden, I think this dismissal actually gives more reason to be concerned. As many commentators have noted, Bove requested the case be dismissed without prejudice, meaning Adams can be re indicted on the same charges at a later date. That could mean Adams is subject to prosecution when he leaves office, or it can be seen as a threat by the Trump administration to Adams. In other words, the DOJ can resume the case at any time if you do something that we don't like. I read Bovet's memo justifying his choice more as the latter. He writes, quote, we are particularly concerned about the impact of the prosecution on Mayor Adams ability to support critical ongoing federal efforts to protect the American people from the disastrous effects of unlawful mass migration and resettlements as described in Executive Order 14165. Add to this that border czar Tom Homan is meeting with Adams today on Thursday and is expected to ask him to authorize the NYPD to assist in federal deportation efforts. And I think worries about Adams subservience to the president become justified now. Adams, of course, can still be prosecuted if he loses the Democratic mayoral primary in June or the general election in November. One of the two seems likely based on current polling. But it's hard not to see dropping the case now as an abuse of power by the Justice Department. The Trump administration is in a sprint to enact its immigration agenda, and New York City is a focal point of that effort. Having a deferential mayor in place for even just a few months could be all they need to achieve their immediate goals. Whether or not the case resumes once Adams leaves office is secondary to the message being sent by the doj. Right now we're comfortable subverting the justice system to advance our political agenda. We can't render final judgment on this decision while the case remains open. But I'm confident in saying that the Justice Department's inadequate rationale for dropping these charges raises the specter of the exact kind of politicized decision making in the justice system that President Trump ran against.
Emil Bove
We'll be right back after this quick break.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.
Will Kbach
I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium.
Emil Bove
Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.
Will Kbach
It's not just for celebrities, so do.
Emil Bove
Like I did and have one of.
Ryan Reynolds
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Will Kbach
All right, that is it for my take. Which brings us to today's reader question. Today's question comes from Luke in Brooklyn, New York. Appropriate for today's main topic, and Luke asks, what I am genuinely curious about is how you consume news sources and if there is even a realistic path forward for regular people like me me to trust news when there's almost always financial influence at play behind the scenes. Hunter Casperson, our editorial fellow, responds, I totally understand feeling pessimistic about the state of journalism, but I do believe there is a path forward. We're in the eye of the storm right now. Our society is currently adapting to meet the information needs and challenges that have resulted from the rise of social media, deregulation of journalism, and hyperpolarization of journalism news outlets. But solutions to these challenges are already being built. After all, you're here listening to Tangle, a publication created specifically to help rebuild trust in journalism, supported by listeners and readers who share similar concerns. Being intentional about finding platforms that present multiple perspectives is a great place to start. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating the bias of reporting or trustworthiness of a news outlet. 1. Do they interview subjects from both sides of a story? 2. Do they include heavy emotional language in their articles? 3. Are they data driven? 4. Are they calling out false claims and running fact checks on both parties or just one? 5. Are they open and transparent about their corrections? Another thing to remember is to differentiate between news and opinion. The former is typically held to higher standards of fact checking and editorial review. Television news in particular is often closer to entertainment than traditional journalism. So you should always consider the context of what you're consuming. Ask yourself, is this an article from an outlet's news desk or one of its opinion writers? Is this news program conveying facts or a commentator's interpretation of events? Being aware of these differences helps to clarify that the industry as a whole is not the sum of its loudest parts. Lastly, the wider the range of perspectives and media you consume, the easier it becomes to develop a critical eye for reporting practices and motivations, which helps distinguish fact from framing techniques. All right, that is it for today's reader question, so I'll pass it back over to John for the rest of the podcast and talk to all of you soon. Have a great day.
Emil Bove
Thanks, Will. Here's your under the Radar story for today, folks. This week, France and India hosted a Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence in Paris, France, bringing together countries from around the world to discuss their vision for the burgeoning technology. Vice President J.D. vance attended the summit, his first foreign trip since taking office, and delivered an address advocating for pro growth AI policies. Later, the United States and United Kingdom declined to sign on to an agreement, joined by 60 other countries, that calls for an open, inclusive and ethical approach to AI development. The UK government highlighted concerns about national security and global governance in its comments on the decision, while Vance said excessive regulation of the technology would kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off. The BBC has this story and there's a link in today's episode Description alright, next up is our numbers section. The number of New York City mayoral staff and agency heads who were indicted or convicted by state or federal prosecutors between 1990 and 2021 for ethical misconduct is three. The number of New York City mayoral staff and agency heads who have been indicted or convicted during Mayor Eric Adams term for ethical misconduct is 3. The percentage of New York City voters who said they opposed the Justice Department dismissing Mayor Adams corruption case is 49%, according to a February 2025 PIX11 news poll. The percentage of New York City voters who said they support the case being dropped is 27%. The percentage of New York City voters who said they would support Adams in the Democratic mayoral primary is 10%. The percentage of New York City voters who said they would support former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary is 33%. Adams net favorability with New York City voters is minus 46%, according to a Manhattan Institute poll conducted in January 2025, and Adams net job approval with New York city voters is minus 29%. And last but not least our have a Nice Day story Filled with grief from the fires in her hometown in Southern California, artist Maya Bratkis posted on Reddit offering to draw people's lost homes for free. The project has now developed into the Lost Homes Project, where Bratkus aims to memorialize what was lost in the community by creating as many drawings as possible, sourcing donations to support the fire victims, and eventually compiling the drawings and their related stories into a book. It's been such a gift to be able to bring a bit of light to people in such a dark time, bratkus said. Nice News has this story, which you can find in a link in today's episode Description all right everybody, that is it for today's episode. As always, if you'd like to support our work, you can go to retangle.com where we are currently running a promotion on a bundled package. You can get both our newsletter and podcast for 2020% off for the life of your membership. This is the last day that we are running this promotion. If you haven't signed up yet, or if you're currently just a newsletter subscriber or just a podcast subscriber, you can write us@staffeadtangle.com and let us know you want to switch over to a bundle Membership for Podcast and bundled Members we have our Friday edition coming out for you tomorrow and for everyone. We have a very, very special podcast podcast for Valentine's Day. Isaac and his wife Phoebe sat down to carry on the tradition of their Valentine's Day podcast and we're going to be releasing that for all of your enjoyment for paid members and free members. Ari will be here for the Sunday podcast and I will return on Monday. For the entire Tangle crew, this is John Law signing off. Have an absolutely wonderful weekend y'all. Peace.
Will Kbach
Our podcast is written by me, Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dean Thomas. Our script is edited by Ari Weitzman. Will K Back daily Saul and Sean Brady the logo for our podcast was made by Magdalena Bova, who is also our Social Media Manager. The music for the podcast was produced by Diet75 and if you are looking for more from Tangle, please go check out our website@readtangle.com that's readtangle.com.
Emil Bove
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Podcast Summary: Tangle – "The Dropped Charges Against Eric Adams"
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host: Isaac Saul
In this episode of Tangle, host Will Kbach delves into the recent developments surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Justice's (DOJ) request to dismiss all charges against him. The discussion provides a comprehensive overview of the case, explores the DOJ's rationale, and presents perspectives from both the political right and left. Additionally, the episode includes quick news highlights, listener interactions, and other pertinent stories.
Will Kbach begins by providing a refresher on the charges against Mayor Eric Adams, which date back to his indictment in September 2024. Adams faces five counts, including bribery, conspiracy, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. Notably, he is the first sitting mayor of New York City to be charged with a federal crime.
Key Points:
At [05:12], Emil Bove, Tangle's Executive Producer, outlines the DOJ's recent move. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has directed the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to dismiss all charges against Mayor Adams "without prejudice."
Key Highlights:
Emil Bove presents a spectrum of right-leaning opinions in response to the DOJ's decision.
New York Post Editorial Board:
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review:
Josh Blackmun:
Summary: The right-leaning voices are divided; some view the dismissal as empowering voters and preventing political weaponization of the justice system, while others believe it underscores the DOJ's politicization under the Biden administration.
Emil Bove moves on to scrutinize the reaction from left-leaning commentators, highlighting significant criticisms of the DOJ's decision.
Ellie Honig, New York Magazine:
Elizabeth Glaser, Vital City:
Shirin Ali, Slate:
Summary: Left-leaning critiques focus on the DOJ's decision as an act of political manipulation, undermining the integrity of the justice system and potentially setting a dangerous precedent for future political prosecutions.
Will Kbach shares his analysis and personal stance on the DOJ's decision to drop the charges against Mayor Adams.
Key Insights:
Notable Quotes:
Conclusion: Kbach criticizes the DOJ's decision as a subversion of the justice system, motivated by political considerations rather than legal merits, echoing concerns about the politicization of prosecutions.
Emil Bove shares brief updates on various national and political news:
A listener, Luke from Brooklyn, New York, inquires about trust in news sources amidst concerns over financial influences. Hunter Casperson, Tangle's editorial fellow, responds by emphasizing the importance of:
Key Advice:
Emil Bove highlights a Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence held in Paris, attended by Vice President J.D. Vance. Key points include:
Numbers Section Highlights:
Artist Maya Bratkis from Southern California launched the Lost Homes Project on Reddit, offering to draw lost homes for free amidst devastating fires. The initiative aims to:
The episode provides a multifaceted examination of the DOJ's decision to drop charges against Mayor Eric Adams, presenting intricate details of the case, varied political reactions, and the host's critical analysis. Beyond the central topic, Tangle offers listeners a blend of quick news updates, engaging reader interactions, and heartwarming stories, maintaining its commitment to delivering diverse perspectives in the political landscape.
Notable Quotes:
Emil Bove ([05:32]): "The Justice Department reasoned that the case was politically motivated by the Biden administration and interfered with the mayor's ability to combat the city's migrant crisis."
Eric Adams ([07:45]): "I never broke the law and I never would. I absolutely never treated my power as an elected official for any personal benefit."
Andrew C. McCarthy ([10:15]): "Politicized law enforcement is always wrong, and it is not more attractive when it insulates a politician from what appears to be righteous law enforcement than when it targets a politician with what appears to be discriminatory law enforcement."
Elizabeth Glaser ([16:30]): "This dismissal is part of a diabolical bargain that holds the mayor and thus New Yorkers as hostages to the president and his whims."
Will Kbach ([22:45]): "The Justice Department's inadequate rationale for dropping these charges raises the specter of the exact kind of politicized decision making in the justice system that President Trump ran against."
Listen to the full episode on Acast and subscribe to Tangle for more in-depth political discussions and analyses.