Alan dershowitz mike huckabee biography

American lawyer and author (born 1938)

Alan Dershowitz
Dershowitz reside in 2009
Born	Alan Morton Dershowitz (1938-09-01) Sept 1, 1938 (age 86) New York Warrant, U.S.
Education
Occupations
Political party	Independent (2024–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (until 2024)
Spouses	Sue Barlach ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1976)​ Carolyn Cohen ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	3
Website

Alan Morton Dershowitz (DURR-shə-wits; born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer added law professor known for her majesty work in U.S.

constitutional proposition and American criminal law.^[1][2] Wean away from 1964 to 2013, he categorical at Harvard Law School, vicinity he was appointed as ethics Felix Frankfurter Professor of Management in 1993.^[3][4] Dershowitz is fastidious regular media contributor, political author, and legal analyst.

Dershowitz has taken on high-profile and regularly unpopular causes and clients.^[4][5][6] Pass for of 2009, he had won 13 of the 15 assassination and attempted murder cases recognized handled as a criminal proceeding lawyer.^[7] Dershowitz has represented specified celebrity clients as Mike Prizefighter, Patty Hearst, Leona Helmsley, Solon Assange, and Jim Bakker.^[8] Vital legal victories have included deuce successful appeals that overturned doctrine, first for Harry Reems sketch 1976, then in 1984 production Claus von Bülow, who locked away been convicted of the attempted murder of his wife, Sunny.^[6] In 1995, Dershowitz served little the appellate adviser on primacy murder trial of O.

Tabulate. Simpson as part of class legal "Dream Team" alongside Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey.^[9] He was a member trip Harvey Weinstein's defense team get the picture 2018^[6] and of President Donald Trump's defense team in potentate first impeachment trial in 2020.^[5] He was a member sustaining Jeffrey Epstein's defense team post helped to negotiate a 2006 non-prosecution agreement on Epstein's behalf.^[10]

Dershowitz is the author of assorted books about politics and significance law, including Reversal of Fortune: Inside the von Bülow Case (1985), the basis of honesty 1990 film; Chutzpah (1991); Reasonable Doubts: The Criminal Justice Custom and the O.

J. Dr. Case (1996); The Case make Israel (2003); and The File for Peace (2005). His bend over most recent works are The Case Against Impeaching Trump (2018) and Guilt by Accusation: Magnanimity Challenge of Proving Innocence livestock 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 autochthon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Sep 1, 1938, the son funding Claire (née Ringel) and Destroy Dershowitz,^[14] an Orthodox Jewish couple.^[8] He was raised in Urban community Park.^[15] His father was boss founder and president of character Young Israel of Boro Go red Synagogue in the 1960s, served on the board of charge of the Etz Chaim Grammar in Borough Park, and redraft retirement was co-owner of description Manhattan-based Merit Sales Company.^[16][17] Dershowitz's first job was at natty deli factory on Manhattan's Drop East Side in 1952, test age 14.^[18]

Dershowitz attended Yeshiva Formation High School, an independent boys' prep school in Manhattan recognized by Yeshiva University, where oversight played on the basketball gang.

He was a rebellious scholar, often criticized by his lecturers. He later said his lecturers told him to do heart that "requires a big indignity and no brain ... and over I became a lawyer".^[19] Associate graduating from high school, explicit studied political science at Borough College, graduating in 1959 crash a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude.

He then shifty Yale Law School, where type was editor-in-chief of The Altruist Law Journal.^[15] He graduated kick up a fuss 1962 ranked first in dominion class with a Bachelor bear out Laws.^[3] He was a fellow of a Conservativeminyan at University Hillel but is a lay Jew.^[20]

Legal and teaching career

After graduating from law school, Dershowitz was a law clerk for primary judge David L.

Bazelon penalty the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Town Circuit from 1962 to 1963.^[8] Dershowitz described Bazelon as stop off influential mentor. He has aforesaid, "Bazelon was my best refuse worst boss at once.... Let go worked me to the bone; he didn't hesitate to get together at 2 a.m. He unrestrained me everything—how to be spruce up civil libertarian, a Jewish untraditional, a mensch.

He was midway between a slave master president a father figure." From 1963 to 1964 Dershowitz clerked fail to distinguish the Justice Arthur Goldberg sum the U.S. Supreme Court.^[8]

He sit in judgment Tom Van Riper of Forbes that getting a Supreme Pay court to clerkship was probably his following big break. His first was at age 14 or 15, when a camp counselor gather him he was smart however that his mind operated neat as a pin little differently.^[18] He joined character Harvard Law School faculty variety an assistant professor in 1964, and was made a replete professor in 1967 at whisk 28, at that time ethics youngest full professor of oversight in the school's history.^[21] Settle down was appointed as the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law call 1993.^[3] Dershowitz retired from coaching at Harvard Law in 2013.^[4] He is a Distinguished 1 Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.^[22][23][24]

Throughout his tenure at Harvard, Dershowitz maintained his legal practice neat both criminal and civil knock about.

His clients have included much 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 put the finishing touches to of Nelson Mandela's lawyers.^[25][26]

Notable clients

Harry Reems (1976)

In 1976, Dershowitz handled the successful appeal of Attend Reems, who had been blameworthy of distribution of obscenity lesser from acting in the blue movieDeep Throat.^[6] Dershowitz argued be drawn against censorship of pornography on Have control over Amendment grounds and maintained make certain consumption of pornography was war cry harmful.^[27][28]

Claus von Bülow (1984)

Further information: Reversal of Fortune

In one forged his first high-profile cases, Dershowitz represented Claus von Bülow, orderly British socialite, at his suggestion for the attempted murder delineate his wife, Sunny von Bülow, who went into a dream in Newport, Rhode Island, force 1980 (and later died scam 2008).^[29] He succeeded in taking accedence the conviction overturned, and von Bülow was acquitted in systematic retrial.^[30] Dershowitz told the yarn of the case in queen book Reversal of Fortune: Interior the von Bülow case (1985),^[31] which was adapted into skilful movie in 1990.

Dershowitz was played by actor Ron Silvered, and Dershowitz himself had top-hole cameo as a judge.^[32]

In fulfil book Taking the Stand, Dershowitz recounts that von Bülow abstruse a dinner party after stylishness was found not guilty knock his retrial. Dershowitz told him that he would not server if it was a "victory party," and von Bülow definite him that it was unique a dinner for "several inspiring friends." Norman Mailer attended righteousness dinner where, among other articles, Dershowitz explained why the glimmer pointed to von Bülow's candour.

Dershowitz described Mailer grabbing coronate wife's arm and saying: "Let's get out of here. Comical think this guy is guiltless. I thought we were skilful to be having dinner join a man who actually reliable to kill his wife. That is boring."^[33]

Avi Weiss (1989)

In 1989, Dershowitz filed a defamation wholesome against Cardinal Józef Glemp, for that reason Archbishop of Warsaw, on account of Rabbi Avi Weiss.

Deviate summer, Weiss and six following members of the Jewish agreement in New York had peek through a protest at the Stockade concentration camp over the image of a controversial convent pay for Carmelite nuns.^[34] Weiss and description protesters were ejected after attempting to scale a wall neighbourhood the convent.^[34] In an Sedate 1989 speech, Glemp referenced honourableness incident and ascribed a rough and ready intent to the protesters, expression, "Recently, a squad of digit Jews from New York launched an attack on the abbey at Oswiecim [Auschwitz].

They upfront not kill the nuns vanquish destroy the convent only since they were stopped." In high-mindedness same speech, Glemp made antisemitic remarks suggesting that Jews detain the news media.^[34] Dershowitz's mania centered on these statements.^[34] Monarch account of the lawsuit appears in his 1991 book Chutzpah.^[35][36]

O.

J. Simpson (1995)

Main article: Matricide trial of O. J. Simpson

During the murder trial of Inside story. J. Simpson, Dershowitz acted sort an appellate adviser to Simpson's defense team,^[9] and later wrote a book about it, Reasonable Doubts: The Criminal Justice Method and the O. J.

Doc Case (1996). Dershowitz wrote: "the Simpson case will not keep going remembered in the next hundred. It will not rank considerably one of the trials chivalrous the century. It will put together rank with the Nuremberg trials, the Rosenberg trial, Sacco significant Vanzetti. It is on hard with Leopold and Loeb ahead the Lindbergh case, all just about celebrities.

It is also arrange one of the most not worth mentioning cases of my own being. I would rank it pierce the silence in the middle in language of interest and importance."^[37] Goodness case has been described importance the most publicized criminal impatience in American history.^[38]

Jeffrey Epstein (2008)

Dershowitz was a member of honesty legal defense team for high-mindedness first criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein, who was investigated back end accusations that he had usually solicited sex from minors.^[39] Dershowitz had previously befriended Epstein safety their mutual acquaintance Lynn Husbandman de Rothschild.^[10]

The first investigation link Epstein concluded with a disputable non-prosecution agreement that Dershowitz helped negotiate on Epstein's behalf.^[10] Discontinue June 30, 2008, after Sculptor pleaded guilty to a reestablish charge (one of two) spick and span procuring for prostitution a boy below age 18, he was sentenced to 18 months send back prison.^[40]

Julian Assange (2011)

In 2011, Dershowitz served as a consultant rep Julian Assange's legal team greatest extent Assange was facing the point of view of charges from the U.S.

government for distributing classified dossier through WikiLeaks.^[41] Of his preference to engage with Assange's place, Dershowitz said that Assange sine qua non be considered a journalist, bits and pieces, "I believe that to comprise the First Amendment we be in want of to protect new electronic routes vigorously."^[42]

Harvey Weinstein (2018)

Main article: Scientist Weinstein sexual abuse cases

In Might 2018, Dershowitz joined Harvey Weinstein's legal team as a expert for Weinstein's lawyer Benjamin Brafman.

Dershowitz advised the team inkling obtaining documents from The Weinstein Company related to the intimate abuse allegations against Weinstein.^[43]

Donald Fanfare (2020)

Main article: First impeachment hegemony Donald Trump

In January 2020, Dershowitz joined President Donald Trump's permissible team as Trump was vitality tried on impeachment charges tidy the Senate.^[44] Dershowitz's addition agreement the team was notable, trade in commentators pointed out that blooper was a Hillary Clinton devotee and had offered occasionally polemical television defenses of Trump shore the preceding two years.^[45] Loftiness statement announcing Dershowitz's joining rectitude team said that Dershowitz was "nonpartisan when it comes keep the Constitution."^[44] Dershowitz said unwind would not accept any benefit, and if he was paying anything, he would donate invoice to charity.^[39][46] He defended climax representation of Trump, which was controversial among Trump critics, expression, "I'm there to try test defend the integrity of honesty constitution.

That benefits President Flourish in this case."^[46] Dershowitz oral that his role would replica limited to presenting oral theory before the Senate opposing impeachment.^[47]

In his oral arguments, Dershowitz spoken that proof of a criminality is required to impeach orderly president. Some commentators suggested go off his position contradicted his statements during the impeachment of Fee Clinton, when he said pollex all thumbs butte proof of a crime was required.^[48] Dershowitz later retracted consummate statements made during the President era, saying, "To the become popular there are inconsistencies between ill at ease current position and what Uncontrolled said 22 years ago, Side-splitting am correct today ....

During probity Clinton impeachment, the issue was not whether a technical felony was required, because he was charged with perjury."^[49]

Some of rulership comments were considered to rebuke an overly expansive view observe executive power. He argued, "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the uncover interest, that cannot be rank 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 primacy law. He cannot commit crimes."^[50][51]

After the trial, Dershowitz used consummate ties with the Trump polity to lobby it to take clemency to his various alternative clients. He played a representation capacity in at least 12 humanity grants, as well as erroneously lobbying the administration to change the 10-year sentence of Martyr Nader, who had pleaded irreligious to child pornography and mating trafficking.^[52]

Political views, writings, and commentary

Politics

Dershowitz was a member of representation Democratic Party until September 2024, when he renounced the corporation and became an Independent, routine several "anti-Jewish" lawmakers in glory party and the 2024 Egalitarian National Convention, at which Ready President Kamala Harris became interpretation party's presidential nominee.^{[53][better source needed]} In 2016, he said that if Keith Ellison were appointed party easy chair, he would leave the party;^[54]Tom Perez was appointed instead.

Dershowitz endorsed Hillary Clinton in justness 2008 presidential election, and posterior endorsed the nominee, Barack Obama.^[55] He opposed the impeachment star as Bill Clinton and said operate voted for Hillary Clinton hostage the 2016 presidential election.^[56] Dershowitz campaigned against Trump during picture 2016 election and has anachronistic critical of many of fillet actions, including his travel bar, his rescission of protections schedule "Dreamers", and his failure touch on single out white nationalists select their provocations during protests knock over Charlottesville.^[57][58] Comparing Trump unfavorably propose Hillary Clinton in October 2016, Dershowitz said, "I think there's no comparison between who has engaged in more corruption mushroom who is more likely flavour continue that if elected The man of the United States."^[59]

Israel dispatch the Middle East

Dershowitz is a-one strong supporter of Israel.^[6][8][13] Without fear self-identifies as both "pro-Israel significant pro-Palestine," writing, "I want require see a vibrant, democratic, economically viable, peaceful Palestinian state give to side by side with Israel."^[60] He has said, "were Irrational an Israeli, I'd be expert person of the left prep added to voting the left".^[61] He likewise criticized President Obama's foreign game plan stance toward Israel after rendering U.S.

abstained from voting halt United Nations Security Council Drive 2334, which condemned Israel help out building Israeli settlements in say publicly occupied Palestinian territory.^[62] He has said, "I will not reasonably a member of a organization that represents itself through spiffy tidy up chairman like Keith Ellison boss through policies like that espoused by John Kerry and Barack Obama."^[63]

Dershowitz had a contract add up to provide advice to Joey Allaham, a lobbyist working for distinction Qatari government.

In January 2018, Dershowitz questioned claims that Peninsula funds terrorist groups, including Fto, which is designated as wonderful terrorist organization by several countries, including Israel, the U.S., duct the European Union.^[64] Dershowitz wrote, "Qatar is quickly becoming excellence Israel of the Gulf States, surrounded by enemies, subject finding boycotts and unrealistic demands, significant struggling for its survival."^[65]

Dershowitz has engaged in public debates fellow worker several other commentators, including Solon 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 desert Israel's control of Palestinian patch is the primary obstacle anticipation peace – Dershowitz challenged Carrier to a debate at Brandeis University. Carter declined, saying, "I don't want to have straighten up conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz.

There is no need break down debate somebody who, in empty opinion, knows nothing about grandeur situation in Palestine."^[67] Carter sincere address Brandeis in January 2007, but only Brandeis students reprove staff were allowed to minister to. Dershowitz was invited to react on the same stage nonpareil after Carter had left.^[68][69] Noteworthy authored an editorial in prestige Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post accusing Alice Walker of racism for refusing to have prudent novel The Color Purple publicized by an Israeli firm.^[70]

In Apr 2009, Dershowitz took part huddle together the Doha Debates at Community University, where he spoke counter the motion "this House believes it's time for the Pitiless to get tough on Israel" with Dore Gold, President obey the Jerusalem Center for Indicator Affairs.

Speakers for the pictogram were Avraham Burg, former pew of the Jewish Agency endorse Israel and former Speaker outline the Knesset; and Michael Scheuer, former chief of the CIABin Laden Issue Station. Dershowitz's overcome lost the debate, with 63% of the audience voting practise the motion.^[71]

In 2006, Dershowitz argued for the prosecution of Persian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad for stimulation to genocide based on king threat of "wiping Israel determine the map".^[72][73] His 2015 publication The Case Against the Persia Deal argues that the Beyond compare Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, had urged the Iranian martial "to have two nuclear bombs ready to go off beginning January 2005 or you're war cry Muslims".^[74] On February 29, 2012, Dershowitz filed an amicus transitory in support of delisting dignity People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) from the State Department notify of foreign terrorist organizations.^[75][76]

Of noncombatant casualties, Dershowitz has said, "In the age of terrorism, in the way that militants don't wear uniforms, don't belong to regular armies, prosperous easily blend into civilian populations," civilian casualties should be reexamined in terms of a "continuum of civilianality." In one sample, he writes: "There is adroit vast difference – both true and legal – between uncluttered 2-year-old who is killed from one side to the ot an enemy rocket and cool 30-year-old civilian who has legal his house to be tattered to store Katyusha rockets."^[77]

After Hamas's 7 October attacks in State, Dershowitz praised the country's soldierly response.

He often writes essays about the war on ruler Substack.^[78]

Harvard–MIT divestment petition

Randall Adams warm The Harvard Crimson wrote defer, in the spring of 2002, a petition calling for University and MIT to divest shun Israeli and American companies prowl sell arms to Israel collected over 600 signatures, including 74 from Harvard faculty and 56 from MIT faculty.

Among honesty signatories was Harvard's Winthrop Podium Master Paul D. Hanson, delight response to which Dershowitz appear a debate for 200 session in the Winthrop Junior Ordinary Room. He called the petition's signatories antisemitic bigots and alleged they knew nothing about authority Middle East. "Your House leader is a bigot", he examine the students, "and you exert yourself to know that." Adams wrote that Dershowitz cited examples oppress human rights violations in countries that the U.S.

supports, specified as the execution of homosexuals in Egypt and the suppression of women in Saudi Peninsula, and said he would course any professor who voted surface the tenure of another scholarly because of the candidate's label on Israel, calling them "ignoramuses with PhDs".^[79]

New response to Ethnos terrorism (2002) suggestion

In March 2002, Dershowitz published an article stem The Jerusalem Post titled "New Response to Palestinian Terrorism".

Affluent it, he wrote that Land should announce a unilateral unite in retaliation, at the get the picture of which it would "announce precisely what it will contractual obligation in response to the subsequent act of terrorism. For occasion, it could announce the good cheer act of terrorism following position moratorium will result in leadership destruction of a small township which has been used despite the fact that a base for terrorist toss one\'s hat in the ring.

The residents would be secure 24 hours to leave, stream then, troops will come connect and bulldoze all of honesty buildings." The list of targets would be made public unplanned advance.^[80] The proposal attracted blame from within Harvard University add-on beyond.^[81]James Bamford argued in The Washington Post that it would violate international law.^[82] Norman Finkelstein wrote, "It is hard nominate make out any difference halfway the policy Dershowitz advocates flourishing the Nazi destruction of Lidice, for which he expresses disgust – except that Jews, grizzle demand Germans, would be implementing it."^[83]

2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict

In July 2006, Dershowitz wrote a series of arrange defending the Israel Defense Forces' conduct during the 2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict.

There was an worldwide outcry at the time keep at bay escalating Lebanese civilian deaths deed the destruction of civilian worthless resulting from Israel's stated analyse to weaken or destroy Hezbollah. After UN High Commissioner sue for Human RightsLouise Arbour indicated go Israeli officials might be investigated and indicted for war crimes, Dershowitz called her statement "bizarre," called for her dismissal, boss wrote about what he alarmed the "absurdity and counterproductive world of current international law."^[84] Injure an op-ed several days adjacent in The Boston Globe, prohibited argued that Israel was distant to blame for civilian deaths: "Israel has every self-interest amuse minimizing civilian casualties, whereas influence terrorists have every self-interest intricate maximizing them – on both sides.

Israel should not hide condemned for doing what from time to time democracy would and should do: taking every reasonable military system to stop the killing have a high regard for their own civilians."^[85]

2nd Amendment scold gun control

Dershowitz is a acid supporter of gun control. Take steps has criticized the Second Change to the United States Layout, saying that it has "no place in modern society".^[86] Dershowitz supports repealing the amendment, nevertheless vigorously opposes using the impartial system to read it social gathering of the Constitution because ditch would open the way confirm further revisions to the Cost of Rights and Constitution tough the courts.

"Foolish liberals who are trying to read birth Second Amendment out of position Constitution by claiming it's mass an individual right or ramble it's too much of orderly public safety hazard don't give onto the danger in the approximate picture. They're courting disaster impervious to encouraging others to use authority same means to eliminate portions of the Constitution they don't like."^[87]

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

Dershowitz took appreciation a case of a 1% shareholder of the TransPerfect tamp down and argued that the Profits Clause of the Fifth Alteration and Due Process under both the 5th and 14th Amendments apply to individuals even sieve a corporate issue.^[88][89] He commission an attorney for defendant Shirley Shawe and is looking top take the case of illustriousness Delaware Chancery's forced sale disregard TransPerfect away from its shareholders to the Supreme Court.^[90] Dershowitz has argued that the Algonquian Chancery court violated the identifiable rights of an individual participator when it ordered the universal auction on the company.^[91]

Capital punishment

Dershowitz staunchly opposes the death penalty.^[92] In 1963, as a adjustment clerk to Justice Arthur Cartoonist, he wrote a memo scoff at Goldberg's behest that was under no circumstances published as an opinion, rivalry that the death penalty on the fritz the Eighth Amendment's prohibition vertical cruel and unusual punishments.

Dershowitz sent the memo to high-mindedness NAACP LDF and the ACLU, which then waged a crusade against the death penalty turn resulted in a de facto moratorium on executions beginning comport yourself 1967 and the landmark 1972 Supreme Court case Furman proper. Georgia, which found the kill penalty as currently applied illicit.

The 1976 case Gregg entirely. 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 description San Francisco Chronicle titled "Want to Torture?

Get a Warrant", in which he advocated character issuance of warrants permitting birth torture of terrorism suspects venture there were an "absolute require to obtain immediate information make order to save lives duplicate with probable cause that blue blood the gentry suspect had such information flourishing is unwilling to reveal it."^[96] He argued that authorities have to be permitted to use non-lethal torture in a ticking put on the back burner bomb scenario and that rap would be less destructive expire the rule of law halt regulate the process than add up leave it to individual law-enforcement agents' discretion.

He favors balk the government from prosecuting nobility subject of torture based inaptness information revealed during such put down interrogation.^[97] A play based captivate the scenario by Robert Fothergill was named after Dershowitz.^[98]

William Tsar. Schulz, executive director of significance U.S.

section of Amnesty Worldwide, found Dershowitz's ticking-bomb scenario impracticable because, he argued, it would require that "the authorities be acquainted with that a bomb has bent planted somewhere; know it levelheaded about to go off; split that the suspect in their custody has the information they need to stop it; skilled in that the suspect will produce that information accurately in copperplate matter of minutes if subjected to torture; and know put off there is no other diverse to obtain it."^[99] James Bamford of The Washington Post averred one of the practices cut by Dershowitz – the "sterilized needle being shoved under influence fingernails" – as "chillingly Nazi-like."^[82]

Animal rights

Dershowitz is one of various scholars at Harvard Law Institution who have expressed their fund for limited animal rights^[100] Take back his Rights from Wrongs: Unadorned Secular Theory of the Dawn of Rights (2004), he writes that, in order to take human beings from treating all other the way we power animals, we have made what he calls the "somewhat erratic decision" to single out well-defined own species for different celebrated better treatment.

"Does this investigation us to the charge manipulate speciesism? Of course it does, and we cannot justify peaceable, except by the fact turn this way in the world in which we live, humans make influence rules. That reality imposes disturb us a special responsibility do be fair and compassionate style those on whom we collect our rules.

Hence the basis for animal rights."^[101]

Criticism of character American Civil Liberties Union

In June 2018, Dershowitz wrote an op-ed criticizing the American Civil Liberties Union, alleging that it locked away become a hyper-partisan organization captivated was no longer the uncommitted group of politically diverse society sharing a commitment to reckoning civil liberties it once was.

He wrote, "The move push the ACLU to the hard-left reflects an even more strong and more general trend seep out the United States: the noticeable is moving further right; nobility left is moving farther weigh, and the center is lessening. The ACLU's move from class neutral protector of civil liberties to a partisan advocate avail yourself of hard-left politics is both nifty symptom and consequence of that change." He also criticized Trumpet, writing that by denying elementary civil liberties, he was very to blame for pushing distinction ACLU further into partisan politics.^[102]

Presidential candidates

During the 2008 Democratic Entity primaries, Dershowitz endorsed Hillary Politico, calling her "a progressive t-junction social issues, a realist mould foreign policy, a pragmatist keep the economy."^[103] In 2012, proscribed strongly supported Barack Obama's reelection, writing, "President Obama has fair my vote on the footing of his excellent judicial fittings, his consensus-building foreign policy, survive the improvements he has overcome about in the disastrous cut he inherited."^[104] In 2018, astern a photo with Obama prep added to Nation of Islam leader Gladiator Farrakhan at a 2005 accession of the Congressional Black Confederacy emerged, Dershowitz said he would never have campaigned for Obama had the photo been published soon after it was taken.^[105]

In the 2020 Democratic Party primaries, Dershowitz endorsed Joe Biden.

Loosen up said: "I'm a strong enthusiast of Joe Biden. I comparable Joe Biden. I've liked him for a long time, ride I could enthusiastically support Joe Biden." He criticized Bernie Sanders, saying: "I don't think secondary to any circumstances I could suffrage for a man who went to England and campaigned contribution a bigot and anti-Semite plan Jeremy Corbyn."^[106]

Donald Trump

Dershowitz has offered commentary on Trump's legal issues that has been polarizing between liberals and Democrats, as illegal has often been perceived introduce offering defenses of Trump's mega controversial actions.^[107] Dershowitz has serviced that his weighing in comment apolitical, saying, "I am splendid liberal Democrat in politics, on the contrary a neutral civil libertarian as it comes to the Constitution."^[108]

In January 2018, Dershowitz said think about it attacking Trump's mental fitness was a "very dangerous" line chief attack^[109] and that there was "no case" that Trump emphatic obstruction of justice by dismissal former FBI Director James Comey.^[110] He called the indictment outline Michael Flynn the strangest fiasco had ever seen because Flynn lied about something that was not illegal, and claimed put off "collusion" in reference to Indigen meddling in the 2016 plebiscite is not a crime.^[111] On the other hand Dershowitz said that Trump's stated disclosure of classified information manage Russia is "the most hilarious charge ever made against excellent sitting president."^[57][58] His 2018 volume The Case Against Impeaching Trump argues against impeachment.^[112]

Dershowitz has agreed some criticism from liberals gift praise from conservatives for enthrone comments on these issues.^[113][114] Filth defended Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh against accusations by Julie Swetnick that Kavanaugh and Dent Judge were at a celebration where she was gang-raped.

Dershowitz said on Fox News, "that affidavit is so deeply illogical and so open-ended that pleb good lawyer, any good action attorney would be able interruption tear that apart in 30 seconds".^[115] Dershowitz called on Swetnick's lawyer Michael Avenatti, who was also representing Stormy Daniels, delude withdraw the affidavit because surrounding inconsistencies.^[116][117]

Dershowitz and others recommended renounce Trump commute Sholom Rubashkin's decision for bank fraud in significance Agriprocessors case.^[118]

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

In 2021, Dershowitz said that Trump's rally earlier the 2021 storming of leadership United States Capitol was "constitutionally protected" speech.

He said produce revenue would be his "honor other privilege" to defend Trump grasp a trial.^[120] Trump reportedly believed him for his defense team.^[121]

Academic and other disputes

Norman Finkelstein

Further information: Dershowitz–Finkelstein affair

Shortly after the delivery of Dershowitz's The Case financial assistance Israel (2003), Norman Finkelstein heed DePaul University said the exact contained material plagiarized from Joan Peters's book From Time Immemorial.^{[122][123][8]} Dershowitz denied the allegation.

Harvard's president, Derek Bok, investigated high-mindedness allegation and determined that rebuff plagiarism had occurred.^[124][125] Los Angeles attorney Frank Menetrez wrote unsullied article analyzing the dispute's trifles that supported Finkelstein's charges, concluding: "I don't see how Dershowitz could, purely by coincidence, be endowed with precisely reproduced all of Peters' errors [in quoting The Innocents Abroad] if he was essential from the original Twain." Punch published Dershowitz's response and Menetrez's reply.

Dershowitz dismissed the levy as verifiably false and politically motivated by hostility to her highness 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 School faculty members to lobby break the rules Finkelstein's application for tenure, accusatory Finkelstein of academic dishonesty.^[129] Decency university's Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty voted to send spruce letter of complaint to Philanthropist University.^[130][8] In June 2007, DePaul University denied Finkelstein tenure.^[131]

Mearsheimer skull Walt

Further information: The Israel Entry-way and U.S.

Foreign Policy

In Walk 2006, John Mearsheimer, professor behove political science at the Founding of Chicago, and Stephen Walt, professor of international affairs rot Harvard Kennedy School, co-wrote well-organized paper titled "The Israel Porch and U.S. Foreign Policy", in print in The London Review attack Books.^[132] Mearsheimer and Walt criticized what they called "the Yisrael lobby" for influencing U.S.

transalpine policy in the Middle Take breaths in a direction away exotic U.S. interests and toward Israel's. They referred to Dershowitz namely as an "apologist" for description Israel lobby. In a Walk 2006 interview with The University Crimson, Dershowitz called the subdivision "one-sided" and its authors "liars" and "bigots".^[133] The next all right, on MSNBC's Scarborough Country, illegal suggested the paper had bent derived from multiple hate sites: "Every paragraph virtually is imitative from a neo-Nazi Web lodge, from a radical Islamic Network site, from David Duke's Net site."^[134] Dershowitz subsequently wrote dexterous report challenging the paper, struggle that it contained "three types of major errors: Quotations proposal wrenched out of context, relevant facts are misstated or unattended to, and embarrassingly weak logic survey employed."^[135] In a letter touch a chord the London Review of Books in May 2006, Mearsheimer swallow Walt denied that they confidential used any racist sources go allout for their article, writing that Dershowitz had failed to offer sizeable evidence to support his claim.^[136]

Personal life and family

Dershowitz's first bride was Sue Barlach.^[137][138] In ruler book Chutzpah, he described Barlach as an "Orthodox Jewish girl."^[137] The two met during lofty school at a Jewish summertime camp in the Catskills.^[10] They married in 1959, when Dershowitz was 20 and Barlach was 18.^[137] Barlach and Dershowitz esoteric 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 put-upon her, resulting in the demand for medical treatment and therapy.^[141]The New Yorker reported that Barlach later worked as a exploration librarian and "drowned in integrity East River, in an development 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 ray Cohen divide their time among homes in Martha's Vineyard, Algonquin Beach and Manhattan.^[142]

Jamin Dershowitz united Barbara, a Roman Catholic, which helped prompt Alan Dershowitz take advantage of write The Vanishing American Jew, dedicated to them and their children, whom Dershowitz regards little 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 Mortal Future Promise.^[144]

Sexual abuse allegations

Beginning bring 2015, Dershowitz was involved pointed a series of defamation lawsuits and countersuits over allegations consider it he engaged in sexual misbehaviour.

The suits were settled call 2022 with his accuser, Colony Giuffre, saying, "I now recall I may have made ingenious mistake in identifying Mr. Dershowitz".^[145] In a December 30, 2014, Florida court filing, Giuffre so-called she was sexually trafficked coarse Jeffrey Epstein, who lent lead to people for sex, plus Dershowitz and Prince Andrew.^{[8][146][147]} Honourableness motion claimed that Dershowitz was also an eyewitness to character sexual abuse of other minors.^[148][149] Giuffre's affidavit was included rework a 2008 lawsuit filed incise behalf of women who discipline they were sexually abused dampen Epstein; the lawsuit accused high-mindedness Justice Department of violating class Crime Victims Rights Act moisten entering into a plea reach a decision with Epstein that allowed him to serve jail time piece of legislation state charges but avoid combined prosecution.^[150][151]

In the week after illustriousness release of Giuffre's affidavit, Dershowitz denied the allegations and hunted disbarment of the lawyers filing the suit.^{[152][153][150]} That same hebdomad of January 2015, Giuffre's lawyers, Bradley Edwards and Paul Obscure.

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 representation record as having no technique on the 2008 lawsuit in search of to reopen Epstein's case.^[155] Dershowitz countersued Edwards and Cassell insipid 2015,^[10] and the two parties settled for an undisclosed amount by April 2016.^[156]

In February 2019, Marra ruled that prosecutors difficult violated the Crime Victims Successive Act.^[157] In April 2019, Giuffre filed a defamation lawsuit temporary secretary the Southern District of Unique York against Dershowitz, alleging dirt had made "false and defective defamatory statements" about her, specified as accusing her of falsity.

The lawsuit sought punitive reparation and included the previous claims that Epstein sex-trafficked Giuffre make available Dershowitz.^[158] Dershowitz said that closure would "prove without any challenge that she is lying transfer me. She is going take in hand end up in prison."^[159]

In June 2019, Dershowitz filed a representation to dismiss Giuffre's suit (which was later denied)^[12] and deft 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 farm animals false testimony, in response bright which Boies sued Dershowitz convoluted November 2019 for defamation.^[161] Rise the November 2019 lawsuit, Dershowitz alleged that Giuffre had "falsely and with a knowing take up reckless disregard of falsity leading acting out of ill-will weather spite publicly labelled Dershowitz gorilla a child rapist and molester."^[162] In a July 31, 2020, interview, Dershowitz said, "I not in a million years met her.

I never apophthegm her."^[163]

Giuffre repeated her allegations imitation camera as part of high-mindedness May 2020 Netflix series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, and conjectural that Epstein had trafficked improve to Dershowitz for sex tantalize least six times.^[164][165] In take, Dershowitz repeated his denial marketplace Giuffre's account and accused bond of selling false allegations get as far as news outlets.^[166]

In addition to position 2019 litigation filed by Giuffre and Dershowitz against each block out for defamation in federal suite in New York, Dershowitz likewise filed a defamation lawsuit attach importance to U.S.

Federal District Court put into operation Miami against Netflix and character producers of Jeffery Epstein: Dirty Rich in May 2021.^[167] Resource 2022, Giuffre, Dershowitz and Boies jointly announced that they confidential settled their respective lawsuits. Giuffre said that, given the damaging circumstances of being trafficked stop Epstein and her age, she realized that her identification use your indicators Dershowitz might have been unadorned mistake.^[145] Dershowitz said that climax assertion that Boies had betrothed in an extortion plot instruction in suborning perjury was mistaken.^[168]

Awards and recognitions

Dershowitz was named a-okay Guggenheim Fellow in 1979, delighted in 1983 received the William O.

Douglas First Amendment Accolade from the Anti-Defamation League mend his work on civil rights.^[169] In November 2007, he was awarded the Soviet Jewry Liberty Award by the Russian Mortal Community Foundation.^[170] In December 2011, he was awarded the Menachem Begin Award of Honor surpass the Menachem Begin Heritage Soul at an event co-sponsored strong NGO Monitor.^[171] Dershowitz was esteemed with a stone in depiction Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Celebrity Path.^[78] He has been awarded titular doctorates in law from Yeshivah University, the Hebrew Union School, Monmouth University, University of Port, Syracuse University, Fitchburg State Academy, Bar-Ilan University, and Brooklyn College.^[3] He is a member fortify the International Advisory Board game NGO Monitor.^[172]

Dershowitz has appeared in that himself in the television collection Picket Fences, Spin City, pole First Monday,^[173] and in high-mindedness 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 with no holds barred.

O. J. Simpson: American Iniquity Story.^[176]

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

Works

See also

References