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Harry Litman

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Harry Litman
Litman in 2023
United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania
In office
1998–2001
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byFrederick Thieman
Succeeded byMary Beth Buchanan
Personal details
Bornc. 1958 (age 65–66)
Political partyDemocratic
RelativesRoslyn Litman (mother)
Jessica Litman (sister)
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (JD)

Harry P. Litman (born c. 1958)[1] is an American lawyer, law professor and political commentator. He is a former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General.[2][3] He has provided commentary in print and broadcast news and produces the Talking Feds podcast. He is a Senior Fellow at USC's Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.[4] He has taught in multiple law schools and schools of public policy.

Litman served as a law clerk to Abner Mikva, Thurgood Marshall, and Anthony Kennedy. His practice specialties have included False Claims law and Whistleblower law.

Early life and education

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Litman grew up in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was named a presidential scholar upon graduation from high school in 1976.[1][5] Both his parents, Roslyn Litman and S. David Litman, were lawyers as well as civil liberties advocates.[6] He attended the Tree of Life Synagogue as a youth.[7] He received his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1980. After graduating, he worked as a sports reporter for the Associated Press and as a production assistant for feature films.[1][8]

He received his Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley in 1986, where he was editor-in-chief of the California Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif.[1][5][9]

Career

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Litman served as a law clerk to Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit;[10] and Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall[5] and Anthony Kennedy[5] during the 1987 and 1988 terms.[11][12]

Following his clerkships, Litman became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of California. While an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he was detailed to the Department of Justice's main office in Washington, D.C., to work on several national cases, including the federal re-prosecution of the Los Angeles police officers in the Rodney King case.[13]

From 1993 to 1998 he was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General[14] under Janet Reno[5] in the Department of Justice, coordinating the department's work on a number of issues and advising the Attorney General and other officials on questions of constitutional law and prosecutorial policy. Simultaneously, he was a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In that capacity, he was co-counsel for Operation Underhand, prosecuting a narcotics ring that smuggled drugs into prison under the guise of providing religious counseling.[5]

In 1998, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania[5][9] by President Bill Clinton.

Litman commenting live for MSNBC from the Trump Trial in New York City in May 2024

Litman in 2000 personally litigated a gun trafficking case under Operation Target.[15][16] In July 2000, Clinton nominated Litman for a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, but the Senate adjourned without considering the nomination.[17] While in government, Litman also taught at Berkeley Law School, Georgetown Law School and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.[18]

Litman developed a nationally recognized gun-violence reduction initiative known as Operation Target,[19] and personally litigated cases in the district court and the court of appeals.[20][21]

A Democrat, Litman served as Pennsylvania state counsel to the Kerry-Edwards campaign in 2004 and post-election counsel for Western Pennsylvania to the Obama-Biden presidential campaign in 2008.

After leaving government, Litman was appointed a Distinguished Visitor and Fellow to the Program in Law and Public Policy at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs.[22]

As of 2024, he is associated with Whistleblower Partners.[23]

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Litman at a Talking San Diego event on 10/15/24. Photo Credit: Andy Bartotto

He is listed in "Best Lawyers of America" in the categories "Commercial Litigation", "White Collar Criminal Defense", and "Qui Tam Law".

Litman is the host and executive producer of the Talking Feds podcast. The podcast is known for its roundtable discussions featuring prominent guests across government, law, and journalism and for its sidebars in which prominent figures in other fields explain legal or federal topics in the news.[24]

In March 2024, he launched "Talking San Diego," a series of conversations with some of the nation’s most interesting and prominent figures.  The inaugural conversation, with Congressman Jamie Raskin, took place March 18, 2024.[25] [26]

Other activities

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Litman (center) at the DNC with Representative Jamie Raskin (left) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (right)

He has contributed opinion commentary to the Los Angeles Times,[27] The New York Times,[28] The Atlantic[29], The Washington Post,[30] The Wall Street Journal,[31] CNN,[32] and Lawfare.[33]

LItman is the Senior Legal Columnist for the LA Times' Op-Ed section,[34] and is a regular commentator on legal issues on National Public Radio (NPR) and for cable television networks including MSNBC,[35] CNN,[36] and Fox News.[37] Litman also provides legal and political analysis on BBC News and France 24.

Notable cases in private practice

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Litman was lead counsel for the relator in Washington v. EDMC,[38] a False Claims Act case against a for-profit education chain. The case resulted in the largest settlement ever in an FCA case involving the U.S. Department of Education.[9]

He was counsel for Richard Cordray, then director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in contemplated litigation against President Trump to prevent Cordray's termination.[39]

Litman represented Pittsburgh Mayor Thomas J. Murphy Jr. in a successful effort to prevent indictment on federal charges.[10] He also served as co-counsel by appointment of the Department of Justice in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.[40]

Teaching

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As of 2018 Litman taught Constitutional Law and National Security Law at UCLA School of Law[9] and University of California, San Diego School of Political Science.[41] He previously taught at Berkeley Law School, Georgetown Law School, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Princeton's School of Public Policy, and Rutgers University–Camden Law School and at Duquesne.[42][1]

Litman is also a senior fellow at the USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.[43]

Civic Activities

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Litman currently serves on the Regional Leadership Councils of Brady,[44] and the boards of the Constitutional Accountability Center and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.[45]

Talking Feds podcast

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In March 2019, Litman launched the podcast Talking Feds, a round-table of former federal officials discussing the legal issues of the day. Litman serves as host and executive producer. In March 2020 Marie Claire named it the second-best political podcast in the US to prepare listeners for the upcoming presidential election.[46]

In March 2020 Marie Claire named Talking Feds the second-best political podcast in the US to prepare listeners for the upcoming presidential election. In October 2024 the podcast won a Silver Award at the W3 Awards[47] and a Silver Signal Award[48].

Personal life

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Litman is married to Julie Roskies Litman, a mathematician,[49] three time jiu jitsu world champion,[50] and former professional bass player. Roskies Litman graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a double major in philosophy and mathematics. They have 3 school age children; David, Lila, and Toby.[51] Litman's parents, Roslyn Litman[52] and David Litman, represented future NBA star Connie Hawkins in his successful suit to be admitted into the league. Litman's sister, Jessica Litman, is a lawyer and copyright scholar at the University of Michigan. His mother was attorney Roslyn Litman.[53] He is a member of the Democratic Party.[54]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Harry Litman, Esq". duq.edu. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ "PN1313 – Nomination of Harry Litman for Department of Justice, 105th Congress (1997–1998)". October 21, 1998.
  3. ^ "PN971 – Nomination of Mary Beth Buchanan for Department of Justice, 107th Congress (2001–2002)". September 14, 2001.
  4. ^ "Harry Litman – USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy". communicationleadership.usc.edu. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Ove, Torsten (April 17, 2001). "U.S. Attorney Litman to depart April 27". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  6. ^ Rullo, David (October 9, 2020). "Pittsburgh native, former US attorney, creates 'Talking Feds' podcast". The Jewish Chronicle.
  7. ^ Littman, Harry (October 30, 2018). "Op-Ed: After the Tree of Life shooting, my children will grow up less secure than their parents". The Los Angeles Times.
  8. ^ "Harry Litman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Harry Litman". UCLA. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  10. ^ Schwartz, John (June 26, 2010). "In a Mentor, Kagan's Critics See Liberal Agenda". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Meuller, Kimberly J. (May 2019). "Justice Kennedy, Teacher" (pdf). UC Davis Law Review Online. 52. UC Davis School of Law: 341. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Garrow, David J. (March 1999). "Lowest Form of Animal Life?: Supreme Court Clerks and Supreme Court History" (pdf). Cornell Law Review. 84 (3). Cornell University Law Library: 881–2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Conte, Andrew; Bowling, Brian. "Video doesn't guarantee civil rights charges against police officers". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  14. ^ "Independent Counsel Structure & Function, February 19, 1998". C-SPAN.org. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  15. ^ Ove, Torsten (May 23, 2000). "US Attorney in Rare Role Wins Gun Case". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 31. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  16. ^ "Operation targets weapons, violence". old.post-gazette.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Smolkin, Rachel; Ove, Torsten (September 8, 2001). "Federal bench in Western Pa. may lose another judge". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "U.S. Attorney Litman to depart April 27". old.post-gazette.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  19. ^ https://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20000124guns1.asp [bare URL]
  20. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania". Newspapers.com. May 23, 2000. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  21. ^ https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-3rd-circuit/1153540.html [bare URL]
  22. ^ https://lapa.princeton.edu/history/2010-2011_annual_report.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  23. ^ "Harry Litman". Whistleblower Partners LLP. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  24. ^ "Talking Feds". Talking Feds. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  25. ^ "Talking San Diego". Talking San Diego. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  26. ^ "A Conversation with Congressman Jamie Raskin". Eventbrite. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  27. ^ "Column: Don't be too sure about the Justice Department's 'duty' to indict Bannon". Los Angeles Times. October 22, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  28. ^ Litman, Harry (November 21, 2018). "Opinion | How Long Before Trump Destroys the Rule of Law?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Harry Litman, The Atlantic". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  30. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/02/this-race-could-be-bellwether-future-prosecution/ [bare URL]
  31. ^ Cordray, Harry Litman And Rich (May 14, 2010). "Harry Litman and Rich Cordray: The Highest Court in the Land". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  32. ^ Litman, Harry (June 13, 2018). "The AT&T merger decision and the wages of Trump". CNN. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  33. ^ "Don't Expect Trump to Testify Anytime Soon".
  34. ^ "Harry Litman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  35. ^ https://www.msnbc.com/yasmin-vossoughian-reports/watch/judge-orders-trump-and-children-to-testify-in-new-york-ag-investigation-13358189367 [bare URL]
  36. ^ Trump Organization accounting firm severs ties | CNN, February 16, 2022, retrieved September 10, 2023
  37. ^ "Justice Department looking to interview senior CIA officials | Fox News Video". Fox News. June 13, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  38. ^ Lewin, Tamar (August 9, 2011). "For-Profit College Group Sued as U.S. Lays Out Wide Fraud". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  39. ^ "Cordray book details his near-firing | News by Edition | RESPA News". www.respanews.com. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  40. ^ "How Murphy's lawyers faced down feds". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  41. ^ "Professor Harry Litman" (PDF). UC San Diego. 2018.
  42. ^ "Catalog Navigator : Harry Litman". catalogs.rutgers.edu. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  43. ^ "USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy". communicationleadership.usc.edu. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  44. ^ "Regional Leadership Councils".
  45. ^ "Board of Trustees - Jewish Healthcare Foundation". jhf.org. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  46. ^ Jones, Alexis; Rodriguez, Bianca (March 5, 2020). "The Best Politics Podcasts to Help You Cut Through the Noise". Marie Claire. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  47. ^ "Winners Gallery". w3 Awards. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  48. ^ "Signal Awards Reveal 2024 Winners, Recognizing The Podcasts That Define Culture". Signal Awards. October 29, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  49. ^ https://www.ams.org/publicoutreach/math-in-the-media/mathdigest-200309-polygon [bare URL]
  50. ^ "International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation -". www.ibjjfdb.com. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  51. ^ Stone, Ken (April 26, 2020). "Harry Litman at Home: CNN Talking Head Adds 'Talking Feds' Podcast to Portfolio". Times of San Diego. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  52. ^ "Harry Litman", Wikipedia, August 28, 2023, retrieved September 9, 2023
  53. ^ Roberts, Sam (October 8, 2016). "Roslyn Litman, Antitrust Lawyer and Civil Liberties Advocate, Dies at 88". New York Times.
  54. ^ Litman, Harry (December 7, 2018). "Count Me as One Democrat Who Thinks Trump Made an Excellent Choice in William Barr". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
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