The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Special Mid-Week Episode on the Trump Indictment

Our normal weekend rendezvous at the whisky bar convened early this week—first thing in the morning in fact, so too early to break out the single-malt—to get out our fresh reactions to the Trump indictment for his role in the events of January 6, and our general reaction after reading the filing is—is this all there is? Where is incitement? Where is conspiring with violent groups like the Proud Boys and Barbie and Ken? There is very little if any new evidence or facts in the filing, and there are some stunning assumptions of fact that will surely fall apart in the courtroom.

More seriously, John Yoo rightly describes this filing as the most serious political-criminal trial since the trial of Aaron Burr way back in 1807—a trial that, keep in mind—acquitted Burr on the charge of treason. And the timing, coming amidst a lot of new revelations of Biden corruption this week—seems suspicious.

Where do we go from here? Should the GOP House move right away to an impeachment investigation of Biden, before the Justice Department names a special counsel that would ironically lock down a House investigation into an “ongoing investigation” by Justice?

We do, finally, get back to our leisurely summer stroll through best books, this week laying out criteria for what makes a good biography, with each of us offering up some representative picks, such as Lord Charnwood’s Lincoln, Jean Edward Smith on John Marshall, and Plutarch. You’ll have to listen to see which of us recommended what book or author—you may be surprised!