Remember JournoList, the private Google Groups forum created by Ezra Kein and consisting of some 400 "left-leaning" journalists and academics. This is how all of the mainstream journalists formulated their talking points and expressed their violent fantasies about right-wingers like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh.
Politico reports that media legal correspondents have their own version of JournoList now. Once a week, these pundits get together over Zoom to coordinate talking points about the Donald Trump trial.
Anyone surprised that there is a group like this? 'As I was reporting this story, I learned that some members of the group were understandably anxious about its publication. Trump has claimed that there is a legal conspiracy against him...' https://t.co/ZhFYPQOhD9
— Byron York (@ByronYork) April 23, 2024
Ankush Khardori reports:
The group’s gathering was not a one-time event, but in fact an installment in an exclusive weekly digital salon, whose existence has not been previously reported, for prominent legal analysts and progressive and conservative anti-Trump lawyers and pundits. Every Friday, they meet on Zoom to hash out the latest twists and turns in the Trump legal saga — and intellectually stress-test the arguments facing Trump on his journey through the American legal system.
The meetings are off the record — a chance for the group’s members, many of whom are formally or loosely affiliated with different media outlets, to grapple with a seemingly endless array of novel legal issues before they hit the airwaves or take to print or digital outlets to weigh in with their thoughts. About a dozen or more people join any given call, though no one takes attendance. Some group members wouldn’t describe themselves with any partisan or ideological lean, but most are united by their dislike of Trump.
The group’s host is Norman Eisen, a senior Obama administration official, longtime Trump critic, and CNN legal analyst. Politico reports that he was also a key member of the team of lawyers assembled by House Democrats to handle Trump’s first impeachment.
There's probably a lot of Toobining ground around as they discuss the lawfare against Trump.
Of course there is a legal conspiracy against him. It's called Lawfare and it's been going on since the moment he came down the escalator.
— TheAuMan (@TheAuMan1) April 23, 2024
Nothing to see here. Just another Obama "journolist" ListServ operation to take out the political opposition.
— Grandpa Woody (@Woody_Grandpa) April 23, 2024
The usual suspects. I knew Kristol must be one of them. Conway too.
— John Wisniewski (@WhiskeyMD247365) April 23, 2024
So why meet in secret and only comment anonymously if they are proud of what they are doing?
— F.X. Regan (@FXRegan) April 23, 2024
Not surprising, but still disappointing, to see the level of coordination between the various baskets of deplorables with TDS. Good to know. Explains a lot about how to consider the various commentators and “experts” on certain of the “news” shows.
— MichaelFLRunner (@MichaelFLRunner) April 23, 2024
Not surprised. Nice to have affirmation though.
— Natalie Butterfield (@natlbutterfield) April 23, 2024
Why is the author of this so article so sanguine about the existence of this group effort? Can he point to any corresponding organization of pro-Trump former high-level government officials and media analysts who meet to discuss strategy?
— james patrick (@jamespa11258853) April 23, 2024
What a circle jerk....🙄
— Robyn Lynn Starnes (@honeyhush29) April 23, 2024
This is election interference pure and simple. These people are not worried about legal repercussions for now.
— CattusFelis (@sosMachiavelli) April 23, 2024
The article says Trump and his allies like to say he’s a victim of lawfare but the author assures us that that’s nonsense. They always have to take an absurd shot at Trump even when the story obviously uncovers incredible anti-Trump bias.
— Pancake Batter (@cmsdfwnbjv) April 23, 2024
“There is a risk, for instance, that the calls could breed groupthink or perhaps help dubious information spread, where it might then reach people watching the news.” Ya think!?
— PAO ☘️☘️ (@pao91855) April 23, 2024
The author writes...
— Beau Bronson (@BeauBronson2) April 23, 2024
"...most are united by their dislike of Trump"
and...
“It runs the risk of creating the impression that there is an agreement or cooperation or conspiracy across mainstream media entities,”
But we don't see any kind of conflict here...
Every one of the names mentioned is a person who you would absolutely expect to be involved in something like this.
— Festivus96 (@Festivus96) April 23, 2024
What is interesting is that when you watch congressional hearings there is one side that uses news articles as evidence and one side that uses actual first hand original documents. I can’t imagine arguing for a position using the MSM as your guide to form conclusions.
— Mental Hegemony (@Mental_Hegemony) April 23, 2024
Summary: They are coordinating legal attacks on Trump, but the author wasn't invited and is lashing out at the group.
— Ken (@Ken_on_X) April 23, 2024
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