We the People

What is Treason?


Listen Later

After his recent meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin and comments about Russian interference in the 2016 elections, President Donald Trump has sparked a new controversy relating to the constitutional definition of treason, and to what extent actions taken in support of a foreign nation might constitute treason.

Jeffrey Rosen leads a discussion about  the Treason Clause of the Constitution, what it means, and how it has been interpreted. 

Paul Crane is an assistant professor of law at the University of Richmond Law School. Previously, he served as a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School. He has also worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia, as a Bristow Fellow for the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States, and clerked for Chief Justice Roberts on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Deborah Pearlstein is a professor of law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. Previously, she served in the White House from 1993 to 1995 as a Senior Editor and Speechwriter for President Clinton, and served as the founding director of the Law and Security Program at Human Rights First, where she worked on military commission trials at Gitmo. Pearlstein also clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you. Contact the We the People team at [email protected]

The National Constitution Center is offering CLE credits for select America’s Town Hall programs! Get more information at constitutioncenter.org/CLE.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

We the PeopleBy National Constitution Center

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

1,081 ratings


More shows like We the People

View all
Political Gabfest by Slate Podcasts

Political Gabfest

8,471 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

4,088 Listeners

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

3,561 Listeners

Conversations with Bill Kristol by Bill Kristol

Conversations with Bill Kristol

2,023 Listeners

Live at the National Constitution Center by National Constitution Center

Live at the National Constitution Center

145 Listeners

The Lawfare Podcast by The Lawfare Institute

The Lawfare Podcast

6,323 Listeners

Civics 101 by NHPR

Civics 101

2,554 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,393 Listeners

Stay Tuned with Preet by Preet Bharara

Stay Tuned with Preet

32,381 Listeners

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

7,267 Listeners

Strict Scrutiny by Strict Scrutiny

Strict Scrutiny

5,860 Listeners

Advisory Opinions by The Dispatch

Advisory Opinions

3,942 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,418 Listeners

Divided Argument by Will Baude, Dan Epps

Divided Argument

744 Listeners

The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

The Opinions

623 Listeners