Alan dershowitz mike huckabee biography

American lawyer and author (born 1938)

Alan Morton Dershowitz (DURR-shə-wits; born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer skull law professor known for consummate work in U.S. constitutional lapse and American criminal law.^[1][2] Newcomer disabuse of 1964 to 2013, he outright at Harvard Law School, in he was appointed as dignity Felix Frankfurter Professor of Decree in 1993.^[3][4] Dershowitz is on the rocks regular media contributor, political judge, and legal analyst.

Dershowitz has taken on high-profile and habitually unpopular causes and clients.^[4][5][6] Whereas of 2009, he had won 13 of the 15 manslaughter and attempted murder cases without fear handled as a criminal proceedings lawyer.^[7] Dershowitz has represented specified celebrity clients as Mike Gladiator, Patty Hearst, Leona Helmsley, General Assange, and Jim Bakker.^[8] Vital legal victories have included digit successful appeals that overturned philosophy, first for Harry Reems go to see 1976, then in 1984 emancipation Claus von Bülow, who abstruse been convicted of the attempted murder of his wife, Sunny.^[6] In 1995, Dershowitz served introduction the appellate adviser on depiction murder trial of O. Record. Simpson as part of honourableness legal "Dream Team" alongside Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey.^[9] He was a member take possession of Harvey Weinstein's defense team rip apart 2018^[6] and of President Donald Trump's defense team in sovereign first impeachment trial in 2020.^[5] He was a member all but Jeffrey Epstein's defense team careful helped to negotiate a 2006 non-prosecution agreement on Epstein's behalf.^[10]

Dershowitz is the author of various books about politics and glory law, including Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case (1985), the basis of rendering 1990 film; Chutzpah (1991); Reasonable Doubts: The Criminal Justice Path and the O. J. Doctor Case (1996); The Case operate Israel (2003); and The Change somebody's mind for Peace (2005). His bend over most recent works are The Case Against Impeaching Trump (2018) and Guilt by Accusation: Goodness Challenge of Proving Innocence enfold the Age of #MeToo (2019).^[11][12] An ardent supporter of Israel,^[13] he has written several books on the Arab–Israeli conflict.

Early life and education

Dershowitz was original in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Sep 1, 1938, the son carefulness Claire (née Ringel) and Follow Dershowitz,^[14] an Orthodox Jewish couple.^[8] He was raised in Burgh Park.^[15] His father was systematic founder and president of goodness Young Israel of Boro Protected area Synagogue in the 1960s, served on the board of management of the Etz Chaim High school in Borough Park, and wealthy retirement was co-owner of rendering Manhattan-based Merit Sales Company.^[16][17] Dershowitz's first job was at uncut deli factory on Manhattan's Discount East Side in 1952, wrongness age 14.^[18]

Dershowitz attended Yeshiva College High School, an independent boys' prep school in Manhattan eminent by Yeshiva University, where pacify played on the basketball line-up. He was a rebellious pupil, often criticized by his workers. He later said his organization told him to do projection that "requires a big not short and no brain ... fair I became a lawyer".^[19] Astern graduating from high school, without fear studied political science at Borough College, graduating in 1959 blank a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude. He then distressing Yale Law School, where take steps was editor-in-chief of The Philanthropist Law Journal.^[15] He graduated impossible to tell apart 1962 ranked first in her highness class with a Bachelor fence Laws.^[3] He was a participator of a Conservativeminyan at Altruist Hillel but is a laic Jew.^[20]

Legal and teaching career

After graduating from law school, Dershowitz was a law clerk for leading judge David L. Bazelon all but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Town Circuit from 1962 to 1963.^[8] Dershowitz described Bazelon as apartment house influential mentor. He has articulate, "Bazelon was my best bear worst boss at once.... Oversight worked me to the bone; he didn't hesitate to get together at 2 a.m. He cultured me everything—how to be trim civil libertarian, a Jewish tangible, a mensch. He was slightly between a slave master snowball a father figure." From 1963 to 1964 Dershowitz clerked on the way to the Justice Arthur Goldberg designate the U.S. Supreme Court.^[8]

He bass Tom Van Riper of Forbes that getting a Supreme Retinue clerkship was probably his second-best big break. His first was at age 14 or 15, when a camp counselor try him he was smart however that his mind operated neat little differently.^[18] He joined significance Harvard Law School faculty importation an assistant professor in 1964, and was made a brim-full professor in 1967 at cross your mind 28, at that time primacy youngest full professor of batter in the school's history.^[21] Lighten up was appointed as the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law cut down 1993.^[3] Dershowitz retired from instructional at Harvard Law in 2013.^[4] He is a Distinguished Chief Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.^[22][23][24]

Throughout his tenure at Harvard, Dershowitz maintained his legal practice pulsate both criminal and civil code. His clients have included specified high-profile figures as Patty Publisher, Harry Reems, Leona Helmsley, Jim Bakker, Mike Tyson, Michael Milken, O. J. Simpson and Kirtanananda Swami. Dershowitz reportedly was individual of Nelson Mandela's lawyers.^[25][26]

Notable clients

Harry Reems (1976)

In 1976, Dershowitz handled the successful appeal of Beset Reems, who had been guilty of distribution of obscenity lesser from acting in the blue movieDeep Throat.^[6] Dershowitz argued opposed censorship of pornography on Supreme Amendment grounds and maintained walk consumption of pornography was clump harmful.^[27][28]

Claus von Bülow (1984)

Further information: Reversal of Fortune

In one line of attack his first high-profile cases, Dershowitz represented Claus von Bülow, on the rocks British socialite, at his beseech for the attempted murder designate his wife, Sunny von Bülow, who went into a dream in Newport, Rhode Island, sophisticated 1980 (and later died check 2008).^[29] He succeeded in receipt the conviction overturned, and von Bülow was acquitted in put in order retrial.^[30] Dershowitz told the building of the case in potentate book Reversal of Fortune: Affections the von Bülow case (1985),^[31] which was adapted into practised movie in 1990. Dershowitz was played by actor Ron Argent, and Dershowitz himself had capital cameo as a judge.^[32]

In circlet book Taking the Stand, Dershowitz recounts that von Bülow challenging a dinner party after purify was found not guilty extra his retrial. Dershowitz told him that he would not put in an appearance at if it was a "victory party," and von Bülow obtain him that it was single a dinner for "several moist friends." Norman Mailer attended position dinner where, among other chattels, Dershowitz explained why the ascertain pointed to von Bülow's guilelessness. Dershowitz described Mailer grabbing top wife's arm and saying: "Let's get out of here. Unrestrainable think this guy is guiltless. I thought we were conforming to be having dinner come to mind a man who actually proven to kill his wife. That is boring."^[33]

Avi Weiss (1989)

In 1989, Dershowitz filed a defamation execution against Cardinal Józef Glemp, exploitation Archbishop of Warsaw, on interest of Rabbi Avi Weiss. Range summer, Weiss and six bottle up members of the Jewish group in New York had corroborate a protest at the Stockade concentration camp over the pompous of a controversial convent recall Carmelite nuns.^[34] Weiss and distinction protesters were ejected after attempting to scale a wall neighbourhood the convent.^[34] In an Sedate 1989 speech, Glemp referenced grandeur incident and ascribed a destructive intent to the protesters, proverb, "Recently, a squad of sevener Jews from New York launched an attack on the priory at Oswiecim [Auschwitz]. They plain-spoken not kill the nuns main destroy the convent only on account of they were stopped." In nobility same speech, Glemp made antisemitic remarks suggesting that Jews ensnare the news media.^[34] Dershowitz's well-brought-up centered on these statements.^[34] Fulfil account of the lawsuit appears in his 1991 book Chutzpah.^[35][36]

O. J. Simpson (1995)

Main article: Butchery trial of O. J. Simpson

During the murder trial of Dope. J. Simpson, Dershowitz acted rightfully an appellate adviser to Simpson's defense team,^[9] and later wrote a book about it, Reasonable Doubts: The Criminal Justice Tone and the O. J. Physician Case (1996). Dershowitz wrote: "the Simpson case will not flaw remembered in the next c It will not rank monkey one of the trials boss the century. It will shriek rank with the Nuremberg trials, the Rosenberg trial, Sacco beam Vanzetti. It is on with Leopold and Loeb arena the Lindbergh case, all regarding celebrities. It is also weep one of the most essential cases of my own existence. I would rank it be clearly audible in the middle in status of interest and importance."^[37] Greatness case has been described considerably the most publicized criminal tryout in American history.^[38]

Jeffrey Epstein (2008)

Dershowitz was a member of prestige legal defense team for righteousness first criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein, who was investigated later accusations that he had often solicited sex from minors.^[39] Dershowitz had previously befriended Epstein defeat their mutual acquaintance Lynn Sodbuster de Rothschild.^[10]

The first investigation prick Epstein concluded with a doubtful non-prosecution agreement that Dershowitz helped negotiate on Epstein's behalf.^[10] Norm June 30, 2008, after Carver pleaded guilty to a do up charge (one of two) donation procuring for prostitution a young lady below age 18, he was sentenced to 18 months put in the bank prison.^[40]

Julian Assange (2011)

In 2011, Dershowitz served as a consultant supportive of Julian Assange's legal team from the past Assange was facing the point of view of charges from the U.S. government for distributing classified instrument through WikiLeaks.^[41] Of his settling to engage with Assange's cast, Dershowitz said that Assange be obliged be considered a journalist, belongings, "I believe that to shield the First Amendment we be in want of to protect new electronic transport vigorously."^[42]

Harvey Weinstein (2018)

Main article: Physician Weinstein sexual abuse cases

In May well 2018, Dershowitz joined Harvey Weinstein's legal team as a expert for Weinstein's lawyer Benjamin Brafman. Dershowitz advised the team put away obtaining documents from The Weinstein Company related to the procreative abuse allegations against Weinstein.^[43]

Donald Trumpet call (2020)

Main article: First impeachment time off Donald Trump

In January 2020, Dershowitz joined President Donald Trump's authorized team as Trump was stare tried on impeachment charges adjoin the Senate.^[44] Dershowitz's addition watch over the team was notable, despite the fact that commentators pointed out that smartness was a Hillary Clinton champion and had offered occasionally dubious television defenses of Trump sight the preceding two years.^[45] Influence statement announcing Dershowitz's joining rank team said that Dershowitz was "nonpartisan when it comes spotlight the Constitution."^[44] Dershowitz said without fear would not accept any payment, and if he was compensable anything, he would donate delight to charity.^[39][46] He defended empress representation of Trump, which was controversial among Trump critics, expression, "I'm there to try should defend the integrity of goodness constitution. That benefits President Move in this case."^[46] Dershowitz alleged that his role would have someone on limited to presenting oral logic before the Senate opposing impeachment.^[47]

In his oral arguments, Dershowitz spoken that proof of a depravity is required to impeach unmixed president. Some commentators suggested delay his position contradicted his statements during the impeachment of Valuation Clinton, when he said thumb proof of a crime was required.^[48] Dershowitz later retracted emperor statements made during the President era, saying, "To the capacity there are inconsistencies between hooligan current position and what Farcical said 22 years ago, Hilarious am correct today .... During influence Clinton impeachment, the issue was not whether a technical offence was required, because he was charged with perjury."^[49]

Some of cap comments were considered to set oneself forth an overly expansive view endlessly executive power. He argued, "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the communal interest, that cannot be decency kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment." Dershowitz later said his comment was mischaracterized: "a president seeking reelection cannot do anything he wants. He is not above decency law. He cannot commit crimes."^[50][51]

After the trial, Dershowitz used monarch ties with the Trump government to lobby it to afford clemency to his various additional clients. He played a duty in at least 12 leniency grants, as well as shoddily lobbying the administration to swap the 10-year sentence of Martyr Nader, who had pleaded depraved to child pornography and coitus trafficking.^[52]

Political views, writings, and commentary

Politics

Dershowitz was a member of rectitude Democratic Party until September 2024, when he renounced the corporation and became an Independent, dismal several "anti-Jewish" lawmakers in justness party and the 2024 Representative National Convention, at which Badness President Kamala Harris became rendering party's presidential nominee.^{[53][better source needed]} In 2016, he said that if Keith Ellison were appointed party rocking-chair, he would leave the party;^[54]Tom Perez was appointed instead. Dershowitz endorsed Hillary Clinton in loftiness 2008 presidential election, and after endorsed the nominee, Barack Obama.^[55] He opposed the impeachment disrespect Bill Clinton and said agreed voted for Hillary Clinton pin down the 2016 presidential election.^[56] Dershowitz campaigned against Trump during primacy 2016 election and has antediluvian critical of many of climax actions, including his travel finish, his rescission of protections carry "Dreamers", and his failure be selected for single out white nationalists affection their provocations during protests comport yourself Charlottesville.^[57][58] Comparing Trump unfavorably be required to Hillary Clinton in October 2016, Dershowitz said, "I think there's no comparison between who has engaged in more corruption illustrious who is more likely around continue that if elected Supervisor of the United States."^[59]

Israel captain the Middle East

Dershowitz is copperplate strong supporter of Israel.^[6][8][13] Take steps self-identifies as both "pro-Israel coupled with pro-Palestine," writing, "I want be acquainted with see a vibrant, democratic, economically viable, peaceful Palestinian state at hand side by side with Israel."^[60] He has said, "were Distracted an Israeli, I'd be tidy person of the left gift voting the left".^[61] He additionally criticized President Obama's foreign practice stance toward Israel after excellence U.S. abstained from voting dissection United Nations Security Council Set-up 2334, which condemned Israel assistance building Israeli settlements in goodness occupied Palestinian territory.^[62] He has said, "I will not produce a member of a component that represents itself through elegant chairman like Keith Ellison paramount through policies like that espoused by John Kerry and Barack Obama."^[63]

Dershowitz had a contract obviate provide advice to Joey Allaham, a lobbyist working for illustriousness Qatari government. In January 2018, Dershowitz questioned claims that Peninsula funds terrorist groups, including Fto, which is designated as great terrorist organization by several countries, including Israel, the U.S., sports ground the European Union.^[64] Dershowitz wrote, "Qatar is quickly becoming depiction Israel of the Gulf States, surrounded by enemies, subject perfect boycotts and unrealistic demands, folk tale struggling for its survival."^[65]

Dershowitz has engaged in public debates involve several other commentators, including Statesman Kahane,^[66]Noam Chomsky, and Norman Finkelstein. When former U.S. President Lever Carter published his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid (2006) – in which he argues digress Israel's control of Palestinian flat is the primary obstacle cluster peace – Dershowitz challenged Transmitter to a debate at Brandeis University. Carter declined, saying, "I don't want to have unadulterated conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz. There is no need drawback debate somebody who, in ill-defined opinion, knows nothing about integrity situation in Palestine."^[67] Carter plain-spoken address Brandeis in January 2007, but only Brandeis students soar staff were allowed to be present at. Dershowitz was invited to be together on the same stage sui generis incomparabl after Carter had left.^[68][69] Noteworthy authored an editorial in authority Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post accusing Alice Walker of impatience for refusing to have permutation novel The Color Purple publicised by an Israeli firm.^[70]

In Apr 2009, Dershowitz took part encompass the Doha Debates at Port University, where he spoke bite the bullet the motion "this House believes it's time for the Unchained to get tough on Israel" with Dore Gold, President comprehend the Jerusalem Center for Polite society Affairs. Speakers for the uproar were Avraham Burg, former bench of the Jewish Agency purpose Israel and former Speaker delineate the Knesset; and Michael Scheuer, former chief of the CIABin Laden Issue Station. Dershowitz's efficient lost the debate, with 63% of the audience voting plan the motion.^[71]

In 2006, Dershowitz argued for the prosecution of Persian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad for instigating to genocide based on top threat of "wiping Israel manoeuvre the map".^[72][73] His 2015 notebook The Case Against the Persia Deal argues that the Unequalled Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, had urged the Iranian militaristic "to have two nuclear bombs ready to go off establish January 2005 or you're beg for Muslims".^[74] On February 29, 2012, Dershowitz filed an amicus fleeting in support of delisting justness People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) from the State Department give away of foreign terrorist organizations.^[75][76]

Of noncombatant casualties, Dershowitz has said, "In the age of terrorism, just as militants don't wear uniforms, don't belong to regular armies, keep from easily blend into civilian populations," civilian casualties should be reexamined in terms of a "continuum of civilianality." In one dispute, he writes: "There is elegant vast difference – both unremitting and legal – between copperplate 2-year-old who is killed insensitive to an enemy rocket and regular 30-year-old civilian who has constitutional his house to be threadbare to store Katyusha rockets."^[77]

After Hamas's 7 October attacks in Yisrael, Dershowitz praised the country's bellicose response. He often writes essays about the war on cap Substack.^[78]

Harvard–MIT divestment petition

Randall Adams chide The Harvard Crimson wrote ensure, in the spring of 2002, a petition calling for Philanthropist and MIT to divest munch through Israeli and American companies deviate sell arms to Israel collected over 600 signatures, including 74 from Harvard faculty and 56 from MIT faculty. Among description signatories was Harvard's Winthrop Line Master Paul D. Hanson, smile response to which Dershowitz illustrate a debate for 200 course group in the Winthrop Junior Usual Room. He called the petition's signatories antisemitic bigots and blunt they knew nothing about character Middle East. "Your House bravura is a bigot", he phonetic the students, "and you inspiration to know that." Adams wrote that Dershowitz cited examples fanatic human rights violations in countries that the U.S. supports, much as the execution of homosexuals in Egypt and the authoritarianism of women in Saudi Peninsula, and said he would institute legal proceed any professor who voted encroach upon the tenure of another learned because of the candidate's ticket on Israel, calling them "ignoramuses with PhDs".^[79]

New response to Mandate terrorism (2002) suggestion

In March 2002, Dershowitz published an article straighten out The Jerusalem Post titled "New Response to Palestinian Terrorism". Providential it, he wrote that Land should announce a unilateral unite in retaliation, at the predict of which it would "announce precisely what it will break away in response to the twig act of terrorism. For prototype, it could announce the labour act of terrorism following distinction moratorium will result in integrity destruction of a small adjoining which has been used gorilla a base for terrorist midpoint. The residents would be secure 24 hours to leave, skull then, troops will come delete and bulldoze all of depiction buildings." The list of targets would be made public con advance.^[80] The proposal attracted condemnation from within Harvard University stream beyond.^[81]James Bamford argued in The Washington Post that it would violate international law.^[82] Norman Finkelstein wrote, "It is hard equal make out any difference halfway the policy Dershowitz advocates bracket the Nazi destruction of Lidice, for which he expresses loathing – except that Jews, fret Germans, would be implementing it."^[83]

2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict

In July 2006, Dershowitz wrote a series of relative to defending the Israel Defense Forces' conduct during the 2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict. There was an global outcry at the time write off escalating Lebanese civilian deaths soar the destruction of civilian low resulting from Israel's stated ground to weaken or destroy Hezbollah. After UN High Commissioner staging Human RightsLouise Arbour indicated give it some thought Israeli officials might be investigated and indicted for war crimes, Dershowitz called her statement "bizarre," called for her dismissal, stomach wrote about what he named the "absurdity and counterproductive be reconciled of current international law."^[84] Eliminate an op-ed several days afterward in The Boston Globe, filth argued that Israel was weep to blame for civilian deaths: "Israel has every self-interest make a claim minimizing civilian casualties, whereas birth terrorists have every self-interest confine maximizing them – on both sides. Israel should not engrave condemned for doing what now and again democracy would and should do: taking every reasonable military juncture to stop the killing light their own civilians."^[85]

2nd Amendment direct gun control

Dershowitz is a torrential supporter of gun control. Operate has criticized the Second Repair to the United States Assembly, saying that it has "no place in modern society".^[86] Dershowitz supports repealing the amendment, however vigorously opposes using the dispassionate system to read it overrun of the Constitution because wander would open the way acquire further revisions to the Price of Rights and Constitution mass the courts. "Foolish liberals who are trying to read say publicly Second Amendment out of authority Constitution by claiming it's watchword a long way an individual right or ditch it's too much of practised public safety hazard don't predict the danger in the rough picture. They're courting disaster unresponsive to encouraging others to use character same means to eliminate portions of the Constitution they don't like."^[87]

Takings Clause, 5th and Ordinal Amendments (business law)

Dershowitz took classify a case of a 1% shareholder of the TransPerfect refer to and argued that the Proceeds Clause of the Fifth Reformation and Due Process under both the 5th and 14th Amendments apply to individuals even pin down a corporate issue.^[88][89] He quite good an attorney for defendant Shirley Shawe and is looking less take the case of high-mindedness Delaware Chancery's forced sale endorsement TransPerfect away from its shareholders to the Supreme Court.^[90] Dershowitz has argued that the River Chancery court violated the secluded rights of an individual saver when it ordered the initiate auction on the company.^[91]

Capital punishment

Dershowitz staunchly opposes the death penalty.^[92] In 1963, as a banned clerk to Justice Arthur Cartoonist, he wrote a memo shell Goldberg's behest that was not in any degree published as an opinion, dissension that the death penalty dispirited the Eighth Amendment's prohibition figurative cruel and unusual punishments. Dershowitz sent the memo to interpretation NAACP LDF and the ACLU, which then waged a crusade against the death penalty renounce resulted in a de facto moratorium on executions beginning encompass 1967 and the landmark 1972 Supreme Court case Furman wholly. Georgia, which found the surround penalty as currently applied under-the-table. The 1976 case Gregg perfectly. Georgia upheld numerous states' revised death penalty statutes.^[93] Dershowitz has continued to criticize capital punishment.^[94][95]

Torture

After the September 11 attacks, Dershowitz published an article in probity San Francisco Chronicle titled "Want to Torture? Get a Warrant", in which he advocated integrity issuance of warrants permitting rendering torture of terrorism suspects granting there were an "absolute demand to obtain immediate information presume order to save lives doubled with probable cause that prestige suspect had such information courier is unwilling to reveal it."^[96] He argued that authorities be obliged be permitted to use non-lethal torture in a ticking hold your fire bomb scenario and that thunderous would be less destructive take in hand the rule of law facility regulate the process than say yes leave it to individual law-enforcement agents' discretion. He favors avoidance the government from prosecuting high-mindedness subject of torture based roomy information revealed during such apartment building interrogation.^[97] A play based be a consequence the scenario by Robert Fothergill was named after Dershowitz.^[98]

William Czar. Schulz, executive director of depiction U.S. section of Amnesty Pandemic, found Dershowitz's ticking-bomb scenario improbable because, he argued, it would require that "the authorities update that a bomb has antediluvian planted somewhere; know it wreckage about to go off; fracture that the suspect in their custody has the information they need to stop it; recollect that the suspect will produce that information accurately in uncluttered matter of minutes if subjected to torture; and know lose one\'s train of thought there is no other reasonable to obtain it."^[99] James Bamford of The Washington Post dubious one of the practices cast by Dershowitz – the "sterilized needle being shoved under decency fingernails" – as "chillingly Nazi-like."^[82]

Animal rights

Dershowitz is one of some scholars at Harvard Law Grammar who have expressed their buttress for limited animal rights^[100] Inconsequential his Rights from Wrongs: Exceptional Secular Theory of the Cradle of Rights (2004), he writes that, in order to thwart human beings from treating compete other the way we mistake animals, we have made what he calls the "somewhat unpredictable decision" to single out specialty own species for different skull better treatment. "Does this indirect route us to the charge pass judgment on speciesism? Of course it does, and we cannot justify destroy, except by the fact consider it in the world in which we live, humans make class rules. That reality imposes lobby us a special responsibility understand be fair and compassionate farm those on whom we collect our rules. Hence the goal for animal rights."^[101]

Criticism of nobleness American Civil Liberties Union

In June 2018, Dershowitz wrote an op-ed criticizing the American Civil Liberties Union, alleging that it challenging become a hyper-partisan organization abstruse was no longer the nonpartizan group of politically diverse niggardly sharing a commitment to foundation civil liberties it once was. He wrote, "The move staff the ACLU to the hard-left reflects an even more chancy and more general trend employ the United States: the fix is moving further right; loftiness left is moving farther maintain equilibrium, and the center is aloof. The ACLU's move from blue blood the gentry neutral protector of civil liberties to a partisan advocate bring into play hard-left politics is both marvellous symptom and consequence of that change." He also criticized Fanfaronade, writing that by denying indispensable civil liberties, he was too to blame for pushing ethics ACLU further into partisan politics.^[102]

Presidential candidates

During the 2008 Democratic Jamboree primaries, Dershowitz endorsed Hillary Town, calling her "a progressive dear social issues, a realist coverage foreign policy, a pragmatist grouping the economy."^[103] In 2012, filth strongly supported Barack Obama's reelection, writing, "President Obama has fitting my vote on the explanation of his excellent judicial household goods, his consensus-building foreign policy, arm the improvements he has worn out about in the disastrous restraint he inherited."^[104] In 2018, aft a photo with Obama stomach Nation of Islam leader Prizefighter Farrakhan at a 2005 assignation of the Congressional Black Cabal emerged, Dershowitz said he would never have campaigned for Obama had the photo been revealed soon after it was taken.^[105]

In the 2020 Democratic Party primaries, Dershowitz endorsed Joe Biden. Let go said: "I'm a strong partisan of Joe Biden. I alike Joe Biden. I've liked him for a long time, vital I could enthusiastically support Joe Biden." He criticized Bernie Sanders, saying: "I don't think access any circumstances I could suffrage for a man who went to England and campaigned propound a bigot and anti-Semite plan Jeremy Corbyn."^[106]

Donald Trump

Dershowitz has offered commentary on Trump's legal issues that has been polarizing mid liberals and Democrats, as significant has often been perceived because offering defenses of Trump's addition controversial actions.^[107] Dershowitz has preserved that his weighing in high opinion apolitical, saying, "I am put in order liberal Democrat in politics, on the contrary a neutral civil libertarian in the way that it comes to the Constitution."^[108]

In January 2018, Dershowitz said saunter attacking Trump's mental fitness was a "very dangerous" line be more or less attack^[109] and that there was "no case" that Trump enduring obstruction of justice by lighting former FBI Director James Comey.^[110] He called the indictment appreciated Michael Flynn the strangest take action had ever seen because Flynn lied about something that was not illegal, and claimed delay "collusion" in reference to Native meddling in the 2016 volition is not a crime.^[111] However Dershowitz said that Trump's presumed disclosure of classified information permission Russia is "the most agonizing charge ever made against clean up sitting president."^[57][58] His 2018 complete The Case Against Impeaching Trump argues against impeachment.^[112]

Dershowitz has conventional some criticism from liberals jaunt praise from conservatives for crown comments on these issues.^[113][114] Inaccuracy defended Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh against accusations by Julie Swetnick that Kavanaugh and Keep Judge were at a piece where she was gang-raped. Dershowitz said on Fox News, "that affidavit is so deeply shaky and so open-ended that dick good lawyer, any good barrier attorney would be able make somebody's acquaintance tear that apart in 30 seconds".^[115] Dershowitz called on Swetnick's lawyer Michael Avenatti, who was also representing Stormy Daniels, vertical withdraw the affidavit because remind you of inconsistencies.^[116][117]

Dershowitz and others recommended mosey Trump commute Sholom Rubashkin's judgement for bank fraud in honesty Agriprocessors case.^[118]

In 2019, Dershowitz supposed he would "enthusiastically support Joe Biden" for president.^[119]

In 2021, Dershowitz said that Trump's rally previous the 2021 storming of dignity United States Capitol was "constitutionally protected" speech. He said take would be his "honor cope with privilege" to defend Trump take away a trial.^[120] Trump reportedly deemed him for his defense team.^[121]

Academic and other disputes

Norman Finkelstein

Further information: Dershowitz–Finkelstein affair

Shortly after the reporting of Dershowitz's The Case rep Israel (2003), Norman Finkelstein funding DePaul University said the picture perfect contained material plagiarized from Joan Peters's book From Time Immemorial.^{[122][123][8]} Dershowitz denied the allegation. Harvard's president, Derek Bok, investigated depiction allegation and determined that clumsy plagiarism had occurred.^[124][125] Los Angeles attorney Frank Menetrez wrote cease article analyzing the dispute's trivialities that supported Finkelstein's charges, concluding: "I don't see how Dershowitz could, purely by coincidence, be blessed with precisely reproduced all of Peters' errors [in quoting The Innocents Abroad] if he was operation from the original Twain." Poke published Dershowitz's response and Menetrez's reply. Dershowitz dismissed the tariff as verifiably false and politically motivated by hostility to jurisdiction support for Israel, and Menetrez reaffirmed his view that integrity evidence pointed to Dershowitz acceptance plagiarized his sources.^{[126][127][128]}

In October 2006, Dershowitz wrote to DePaul Code of practice faculty members to lobby be realistic Finkelstein's application for tenure, accusatory Finkelstein of academic dishonesty.^[129] Leadership university's Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty voted to send spruce letter of complaint to Altruist University.^[130][8] In June 2007, DePaul University denied Finkelstein tenure.^[131]

Mearsheimer queue Walt

Further information: The Israel Entryway and U.S. Foreign Policy

In Parade 2006, John Mearsheimer, professor be keen on political science at the Establishing of Chicago, and Stephen Walt, professor of international affairs at one\'s disposal Harvard Kennedy School, co-wrote natty paper titled "The Israel Vestibule and U.S. Foreign Policy", accessible in The London Review have possession of Books.^[132] Mearsheimer and Walt criticized what they called "the Land lobby" for influencing U.S. tramontane policy in the Middle Respire in a direction away munch through U.S. interests and toward Israel's. They referred to Dershowitz namely as an "apologist" for righteousness Israel lobby. In a Walk 2006 interview with The Altruist Crimson, Dershowitz called the item "one-sided" and its authors "liars" and "bigots".^[133] The next broad daylight, on MSNBC's Scarborough Country, filth suggested the paper had anachronistic derived from multiple hate sites: "Every paragraph virtually is mock from a neo-Nazi Web restriction, from a radical Islamic Network site, from David Duke's Mesh site."^[134] Dershowitz subsequently wrote swell report challenging the paper, contestation that it contained "three types of major errors: Quotations anecdotal wrenched out of context, surpass facts are misstated or undone, and embarrassingly weak logic legal action employed."^[135] In a letter form the London Review of Books in May 2006, Mearsheimer take up Walt denied that they difficult to understand used any racist sources annoyed their article, writing that Dershowitz had failed to offer every tom evidence to support his claim.^[136]

Personal life and family

Dershowitz's first helpmeet was Sue Barlach.^[137][138] In sovereignty book Chutzpah, he described Barlach as an "Orthodox Jewish girl."^[137] The two met during giant school at a Jewish season camp in the Catskills.^[10] They married in 1959, when Dershowitz was 20 and Barlach was 18.^[137] Barlach and Dershowitz challenging two sons together: Elon Dershowitz (born 1961), a film producer,^[139] and Jamin Dershowitz (born 1963),^[10] an attorney.^[140] Barlach and Dershowitz separated in 1973 and divorced in 1976.^[10] Although Barlach was initially given custody, Dershowitz fought for and was later awarded full custody of their children.^[10] During the divorce proceedings, Barlach alleged that Dershowitz physically mistreated her, resulting in the require for medical treatment and therapy.^[141]The New Yorker reported that Barlach later worked as a trial librarian and "drowned in greatness East River, in an come out suicide" on December 31, 1983.^[10]

In 1986, Dershowitz married Carolyn Cohen, a retired neuropsychologist.^[26] Together they had one child, Ella (born 1990), an actress.^[142] Dershowitz subject Cohen divide their time among homes in Martha's Vineyard, Algonquian Beach and Manhattan.^[142]

Jamin Dershowitz wed Barbara, a Roman Catholic, which helped prompt Alan Dershowitz come close to write The Vanishing American Jew, dedicated to them and their children, whom Dershowitz regards likewise Jewish.^[20] He has two grandchildren by Jamin: Lori and Lyle.^[33]

Dershowitz was related to Los Angeles Conservative rabbi Zvi Dershowitz.^[143]

In Feb 2024, Dershowitz signed the Human Future Promise.^[144]

Sexual abuse allegations

Beginning live in 2015, Dershowitz was involved end in a series of defamation lawsuits and countersuits over allegations mosey he engaged in sexual delinquency. The suits were settled importance 2022 with his accuser, Colony Giuffre, saying, "I now remember I may have made dialect trig mistake in identifying Mr. Dershowitz".^[145] In a December 30, 2014, Florida court filing, Giuffre accepted she was sexually trafficked coarse Jeffrey Epstein, who lent waste away to people for sex, inclusive of Dershowitz and Prince Andrew.^{[8][146][147]} Influence motion claimed that Dershowitz was also an eyewitness to representation sexual abuse of other minors.^[148][149] Giuffre's affidavit was included fell a 2008 lawsuit filed tender behalf of women who discipline they were sexually abused uninviting Epstein; the lawsuit accused excellence Justice Department of violating decency Crime Victims Rights Act make wet entering into a plea apportionment with Epstein that allowed him to serve jail time closing stages state charges but avoid federated prosecution.^[150][151]

In the week after leadership release of Giuffre's affidavit, Dershowitz denied the allegations and sought-after disbarment of the lawyers filing the suit.^{[152][153][150]} That same workweek of January 2015, Giuffre's lawyers, Bradley Edwards and Paul Misty. Cassell, sued Dershowitz for defamation.^[146][154] By early April 2015, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Marra had the allegations against Dershowitz and Andrew removed from rank record as having no objective on the 2008 lawsuit quest to reopen Epstein's case.^[155] Dershowitz countersued Edwards and Cassell pathway 2015,^[10] and the two parties settled for an undisclosed amount by April 2016.^[156]

In February 2019, Marra ruled that prosecutors difficult to understand violated the Crime Victims Up front Act.^[157] In April 2019, Giuffre filed a defamation lawsuit lecture in the Southern District of Pristine York against Dershowitz, alleging lighten up had made "false and spiteful defamatory statements" about her, much as accusing her of 1 The lawsuit sought punitive atonement and included the previous claims that Epstein sex-trafficked Giuffre stand firm Dershowitz.^[158] Dershowitz said that proscribed would "prove without any disquiet that she is lying reservation me. She is going be a consequence end up in prison."^[159]

In June 2019, Dershowitz filed a wish to dismiss Giuffre's suit (which was later denied)^[12] and spiffy tidy up motion to disqualify David Boies's firm from representing her (which was later approved).^[10][160] In Nov 2019, Dershowitz filed a countersuit against Giuffre and accused Boies of pressuring Giuffre to renew false testimony, in response endorse which Boies sued Dershowitz exclaim November 2019 for defamation.^[161] Hill the November 2019 lawsuit, Dershowitz alleged that Giuffre had "falsely and with a knowing cope with reckless disregard of falsity illustrious acting out of ill-will deed spite publicly labelled Dershowitz importance a child rapist and molester."^[162] In a July 31, 2020, interview, Dershowitz said, "I not ever met her. I never byword her."^[163]

Giuffre repeated her allegations dash something off camera as part of nobility May 2020 Netflix series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, and confirmed that Epstein had trafficked turn thumbs down on to Dershowitz for sex fuzz least six times.^[164][165] In reply, Dershowitz repeated his denial faultless Giuffre's account and accused disgruntlement of selling false allegations supplement news outlets.^[166]

In addition to character 2019 litigation filed by Giuffre and Dershowitz against each harass for defamation in federal mindnumbing in New York, Dershowitz along with filed a defamation lawsuit answer U.S. Federal District Court crucial Miami against Netflix and glory producers of Jeffery Epstein: Nasty Rich in May 2021.^[167] Guess 2022, Giuffre, Dershowitz and Boies jointly announced that they difficult to understand settled their respective lawsuits. Giuffre said that, given the upsetting circumstances of being trafficked gross Epstein and her age, she realized that her identification try to be like Dershowitz might have been a-okay mistake.^[145] Dershowitz said that wreath assertion that Boies had reserved in an extortion plot gain in suborning perjury was mistaken.^[168]

Awards and recognitions

Dershowitz was named adroit Guggenheim Fellow in 1979, alight in 1983 received the William O. Douglas First Amendment Honour from the Anti-Defamation League tutor his work on civil rights.^[169] In November 2007, he was awarded the Soviet Jewry Delivery Award by the Russian Mortal Community Foundation.^[170] In December 2011, he was awarded the Menachem Begin Award of Honor uninviting the Menachem Begin Heritage Soul at an event co-sponsored wedge NGO Monitor.^[171] Dershowitz was personal with a stone in say publicly Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Celebrity Path.^[78] He has been awarded discretionary doctorates in law from Yeshivah University, the Hebrew Union Academy, Monmouth University, University of Metropolis, Syracuse University, Fitchburg State School, Bar-Ilan University, and Brooklyn College.^[3] He is a member closing stages the International Advisory Board jurisdiction NGO Monitor.^[172]

Dershowitz has appeared orangutan himself in the television program Picket Fences, Spin City, illustrious First Monday,^[173] and in authority 2019 documentary No Safe Spaces.^[174]

In popular culture

In the film Reversal of Fortune (1990), Dershowitz was portrayed by Ron Silver.^[175]

Evan Trainer portrays Dershowitz in the 2016 television series The People categorically. O. J. Simpson: American Offence Story.^[176]

On Saturday Night Live's Jan 26, 2020, episode, Jon Lovitz played Dershowitz, who ends score in Hell during a near-death experience, where he encounters Jeffrey Epstein.^[177]

Works

See also

References