Harry Litman

{{Short description|American lawyer and commentator (born 1958)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Harry Litman

| image = Updated harry litman headshot.png

| office = United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania

| president = Bill Clinton

| term_start = 1998

| term_end = 2001

| predecessor = Frederick Thieman

| successor = Mary Beth Buchanan

| birth_date = {{circa}} {{birth year and age|1958}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| relatives = Roslyn Litman (mother)
Jessica Litman (sister)

| education = Harvard University (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (JD)

| caption = Litman in 2023

}}

Harry P. Litman (born c. 1958) is an American lawyer, law professor and political commentator. He is a former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General.{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/105th-congress/1313 |title=PN1313 – Nomination of Harry Litman for Department of Justice, 105th Congress (1997–1998) |date=October 21, 1998}}{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/107th-congress/971 |title=PN971 – Nomination of Mary Beth Buchanan for Department of Justice, 107th Congress (2001–2002) |date=September 14, 2001}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Harry Litman – USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy |url=https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/fellows/senior-fellows/harry-litman/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=communicationleadership.usc.edu}} 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

Litman grew up in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a Jewish family and was named a presidential scholar upon graduation from high school in 1976.{{Cite web|url=http://www.duq.edu/about/centers-and-institutes/cyril-h-wecht-institute-of-forensic-science-and-law/litman|title=Harry Litman, Esq.|website=duq.edu|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175050/http://www.duq.edu/about/centers-and-institutes/cyril-h-wecht-institute-of-forensic-science-and-law/litman|url-status=live}} Both his parents, Roslyn Litman and S. David Litman, were lawyers as well as civil liberties advocates.{{cite news|url=https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/pittsburgh-native-former-us-attorney-creates-talking-feds-podcast/|title=Pittsburgh native, former US attorney, creates 'Talking Feds' podcast|first=David|last=Rullo|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle|date = October 9, 2020}} He attended the Tree of Life Synagogue as a youth.{{Cite news|first=Harry |last= Littman|title= Op-Ed: After the Tree of Life shooting, my children will grow up less secure than their parents |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 30, 2018 |url= https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-litman-how-squirrel-hill-and-jewish-life-changed-20181030-story.html |via=}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Harry Litman |url=https://www.latimes.com/people/harry-litman |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite news|last=Ove|first=Torsten|date=April 17, 2001|title=U.S. Attorney Litman to depart April 27|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010417litman2.asp|access-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122053002/http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010417litman2.asp|archive-date=November 22, 2017}}

Career

Litman served as a law clerk to Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit;{{Cite news |title=In a Mentor, Kagan's Critics See Liberal Agenda |work=The New York Times |date=June 26, 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/us/politics/26mikva.html |last1=Schwartz |first1=John }} and Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and Anthony Kennedy during the 1987 and 1988 terms.{{cite journal|last=Meuller|first=Kimberly J.|author-link=Kimberly Mueller|date=May 2019|title=Justice Kennedy, Teacher|url=https://lawreview.law.ucdavis.edu/online/vol52/52-online-Mueller.pdf#page=12|format=pdf|journal=UC Davis Law Review Online|publisher=UC Davis School of Law|volume=52|page=341|access-date=September 23, 2020|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926113023/https://lawreview.law.ucdavis.edu/online/vol52/52-online-Mueller.pdf#page=12|url-status=live}}{{cite journal|last=Garrow|first=David J.|author-link=David Garrow|url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/216739381.pdf#page=28|format=pdf|title=Lowest Form of Animal Life?: Supreme Court Clerks and Supreme Court History|journal=Cornell Law Review|volume=84|issue=3|date=March 1999|pages=881–2|publisher=Cornell University Law Library|access-date=September 23, 2020|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926113026/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/216739381.pdf#page=28|url-status=live}}

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.{{Cite web |last1=Conte |first1=Andrew |last2=Bowling |first2=Brian |title=Video doesn't guarantee civil rights charges against police officers |url=http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/9939705-74/police-officers-video |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108180557/http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/9939705-74/police-officers-video |archive-date=January 8, 2018 |access-date=January 8, 2018 |website=TribLIVE.com}}

From 1993 to 1998 he was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General{{Cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?101055-1/independent-counsel-structure-function|title=Independent Counsel Structure & Function, February 19, 1998 |website=C-SPAN.org|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233305/https://www.c-span.org/video/?101055-1%2Findependent-counsel-structure-function|url-status=live}} under Janet Reno 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.

In 1998, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania by President Bill Clinton. File:HarryLitmanLiveFromTheTrumpTrial.jpgLitman in 2000 personally litigated a gun trafficking case under Operation Target.{{Cite web |last=Ove |first=Torsten |date=23 May 2000 |title=US Attorney in Rare Role Wins Gun Case |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/90234304/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |page=31 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Operation targets weapons, violence |url=https://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20000124guns1.asp |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=old.post-gazette.com}} 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.{{Cite news|last1=Smolkin|first1=Rachel|author-link1=Rachel Smolkin|last2=Ove|first2=Torsten|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010908judge0908p1.asp|title=Federal bench in Western Pa. may lose another judge|date=September 8, 2001|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822181344/http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010908judge0908p1.asp|archive-date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 23, 2020}} While in government, Litman also taught at Berkeley Law School, Georgetown Law School and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.{{Cite web |title=U.S. Attorney Litman to depart April 27 |url=https://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010417litman2.asp |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=old.post-gazette.com}}

Litman developed a nationally recognized gun-violence reduction initiative known as Operation Target,https://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20000124guns1.asp {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} and personally litigated cases in the district court and the court of appeals.{{Cite web |date=2000-05-23 |title=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/90234304/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-3rd-circuit/1153540.html | title=UNITED STATES v. McGLORY (2000) }}

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.https://lapa.princeton.edu/history/2010-2011_annual_report.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}

As of 2024, he is associated with Whistleblower Partners.{{Cite web |title=Harry Litman |url=https://whistleblower.law/harry-litman |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Whistleblower Partners LLP |language=en-US}}

File:Nancy Pelosi & Harry Litman 10-15-2024 -4.jpg

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.{{Cite web |title=Talking Feds |url=https://www.talkingfeds.com/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Talking Feds |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Talking San Diego |url=https://www.talkingsandiego.net/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Talking San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=A Conversation with Congressman Jamie Raskin |url=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-conversation-with-congressman-jamie-raskin-tickets-827544847917 |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Eventbrite |language=en-us}}

Other activities

= Legal commentary =

File:LitmanRaskinClarkDNC.jpg

He has contributed opinion commentary to the Los Angeles Times,{{Cite web |date=2021-10-22 |title=Column: Don't be too sure about the Justice Department's 'duty' to indict Bannon |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-10-22/steve-bannon-house-subpoena-executive-privilege-criminal-contempt-merrick-garland |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} The New York Times,{{Cite news |last=Litman |first=Harry |date=2018-11-21 |title=Opinion {{!}} How Long Before Trump Destroys the Rule of Law? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/opinion/trump-clinton-mcgann-prosecution.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |issn=0362-4331}} The Atlantic{{Cite web |title=Harry Litman, The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/author/harry-litman/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Atlantic |language=en-US}}, The Washington Post,https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/02/this-race-could-be-bellwether-future-prosecution/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} The Wall Street Journal,{{Cite news |last=Cordray |first=Harry Litman And Rich |date=2010-05-14 |title=Harry Litman and Rich Cordray: The Highest Court in the Land |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703339304575240380083814238 |access-date=2023-09-10 |issn=0099-9660}} CNN,{{Cite web |last=Litman |first=Harry |date=2018-06-13 |title=The AT&T merger decision and the wages of Trump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/13/opinions/att-merger-decision-and-the-wages-of-trump-litman/index.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=CNN |language=en}} and Lawfare.{{cite web | url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/dont-expect-trump-testify-anytime-soon | title=Don't Expect Trump to Testify Anytime Soon }}

Litman was the Senior Legal Columnist for the LA Times' Op-Ed section{{Cite web |title=Harry Litman |url=https://www.latimes.com/people/harry-litman |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} from 2021 until he resigned in 2024. His resignation was in protest over LA Times' leadership currying favor with President-elect Trump. The resignation triggered widespread national and international coverage.{{Cite web |last=Hays |first=Gabriel |date=2024-12-06 |title=LA Times columnist resigns, accuses newspaper owner of 'shameful capitulation' to Trump |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/la-times-columnist-resigns-accuses-newspaper-owner-shameful-capitulation-trump |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Shirin |date=2024-12-11 |title=He Quit His Job to Protest the Media Bending to Trump. Here's What He Thinks the Press Needs to Do Now. |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/12/trump-journalism-la-times-washington-post-harry-litman.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}{{Cite news |last=Litman |first=Harry |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Why I Just Resigned From The Los Angeles Times |work=RealClearPolitics |url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2024/12/06/why_i_just_resigned_from_the_los_angeles_times_636943.html |access-date=2024-12-27}} He is a regular commentator on legal issues for cable television networks including MSNBC,https://www.msnbc.com/yasmin-vossoughian-reports/watch/judge-orders-trump-and-children-to-testify-in-new-york-ag-investigation-13358189367 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} CNN,{{cite news |title=Trump Organization accounting firm severs ties |work=CNN |date=2022-02-16 |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2022/02/15/exp-tsr-todd-mazars-accounting-severs-ties-with-trump-org.cnn |access-date=2023-09-10 |language=en}} and Fox News.{{Cite news |date=2019-06-13 |title=Justice Department looking to interview senior CIA officials |work=Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/video/6047697266001 |access-date=2023-09-10 |language=en-US}} Litman also provides legal and political analysis on BBC News, National Public Radio (NPR), and France 24.

= Notable cases in private practice =

Litman was lead counsel for the relator in Washington v. EDMC,{{Cite news |last=Lewin |first=Tamar |date=2011-08-09 |title=For-Profit College Group Sued as U.S. Lays Out Wide Fraud |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/education/09forprofit.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |issn=0362-4331}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Cordray book details his near-firing {{!}} News by Edition {{!}} RESPA News |url=https://www.respanews.com/RN/ArticlesRN/Cordray-book-details-his-nearfiring-78576.aspx |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.respanews.com |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |title=How Murphy's lawyers faced down feds |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2006/06/27/How-Murphy-s-lawyers-faced-down-feds/stories/200606270135 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}

= Teaching =

As of 2018 Litman taught Constitutional Law and National Security Law at UCLA School of Law{{Cite web|title=Harry Litman|url=https://law.ucla.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/harry-litman|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224102529/https://law.ucla.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/harry-litman/|archive-date=December 24, 2017|access-date=December 24, 2017|website=UCLA}} and University of California, San Diego School of Political Science.{{Cite web|date=2018|title=Professor Harry Litman|url=https://polisci.ucsd.edu/_files/newsletter-winter-2018.pdf|website=UC San Diego}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Catalog Navigator: Harry Litman |url=https://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/cam-law_0911/pg184.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=catalogs.rutgers.edu}}

Litman is also a senior fellow at the USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.{{Cite web |title=USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy |url=https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=communicationleadership.usc.edu}}

= Civic Activities =

Litman currently serves on the Regional Leadership Councils of Brady,{{Cite web |title=Regional Leadership Councils |url=https://www.bradyunited.org/about-us/our-team/regional-leadership-councils}} and the boards of the Constitutional Accountability Center and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.{{Cite web |title=Board of Trustees - Jewish Healthcare Foundation |url=https://jhf.org/board-of-trustees |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=jhf.org |language=en}}

= ''Talking Feds'' podcast =

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.{{Cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Alexis|last2=Rodriguez|first2=Bianca|date=March 5, 2020|title=The Best Politics Podcasts to Help You Cut Through the Noise|url=https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/g28470810/political-podcasts/|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=Marie Claire|language=en-US}}

In October 2024 the podcast won a Silver Award at the W3 Awards{{Cite web |title=Winners Gallery |url=https://www.w3award.com/winners/gallery/?event=1080&search=talking%20feds&id=317045 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=w3 Awards |language=en-US}} and a Silver Signal Award.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-29 |title=Signal Awards Reveal 2024 Winners, Recognizing The Podcasts That Define Culture |url=https://www.signalaward.com/2024/10/29/2024-winners/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Signal Awards |language=en}}

Personal life

Litman is married to Julie Roskies Litman, a mathematician,https://www.ams.org/publicoutreach/math-in-the-media/mathdigest-200309-polygon {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} and jiu jitsu world champion.{{Cite web |title=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation - |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/895/PublicRegistrations?lang=en-US |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.ibjjfdb.com}} They have three children.{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Ken |date=2020-04-26 |title=Harry Litman at Home: CNN Talking Head Adds 'Talking Feds' Podcast to Portfolio |url=http://timesofsandiego.com/life/2020/04/25/harry-litman-at-home-cnn-talking-head-adds-talking-feds-podcast-to-portfolio/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}} Litman's sister, Jessica Litman, is a lawyer and copyright scholar at the University of Michigan. His mother was attorney Roslyn Litman.{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Sam |date=8 October 2016 |title=Roslyn Litman, Antitrust Lawyer and Civil Liberties Advocate, Dies at 88 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/us/roslyn-litman-antitrust-lawyer-and-civil-liberties-advocate-dies-at-88.html |website=New York Times}} He is a member of the Democratic Party.{{cite news |last=Litman |first=Harry |date=December 7, 2018 |title=Count Me as One Democrat Who Thinks Trump Made an Excellent Choice in William Barr |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/08/count-me-one-democrat-who-thinks-trump-made-an-excellent-choice-william-barr/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}