PAST EVENTS
Conversation with Legal Scholar Dr. Laurence Tribe
As Ukraine and Israel, rare outposts of democracy in difficult regions of the world, simultaneously face existential crises caused by fierce and bloody incursions, the U.S. finds itself paralyzed with a rudderless Congress, some of whose members, instead of seeking ways to fund the defense of both these allies, pit one against the other.
Solving the Riddle:
Transferring Russia’s Assets to Ukraine
Without Cutting Funds to Defend Israel
with
Acclaimed Legal Scholar Dr. Laurence Tribe
moderated by
Harvard-trained Lawyer and CEO Richard Salomon
Thursday, October 26th, 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm ET On Zoom
As Ukraine and Israel, rare outposts of democracy in difficult regions of the world, simultaneously face existential crises caused by fierce and bloody incursions, the U.S. finds itself paralyzed with a rudderless Congress, some of whose members, instead of seeking ways to fund the defense of both these allies, pit one against the other.
Our ability to act to help these nations at a time of dire need should not require accepting the false choice of supporting Ukraine over Israel, or Israel over Ukraine.
Happily, a legal path exists to aid both without burdening American taxpayers any more than meeting our obligations to Israel alone would entail: Seize the frozen $325 billion in Russian bank assets and transfer them to Ukraine.
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About Our Speakers
Dr. Laurence H. Tribe is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor of Constitutional Law Emeritus at Harvard University. The title “University Professor” is Harvard’s highest academic honor, awarded to fewer than 75 professors in the University’s history. Tribe taught at Harvard Law School since 1968; received tenure at 30; and was voted the best professor by the graduating class of 2000.
Born in China to Russian Jewish parents, Tribe entered Harvard at 16; graduated magna cum laude with a summa cum laude in Mathematics (1962) and magna cum laude in Law (1966); clerked for the California and U.S. Supreme Courts(1966-68); was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1979 and to the American Philosophical Society in 2010; helped write the constitutions of South Africa, the Czech Republic, and the Marshall Islands; has received eleven honorary degrees, most recently a degree honoris causa from the Government of Mexico in 2011 that was never before awarded to an American and D, Litt. degree from Columbia University in 2013; has prevailed in three-fifths of the many appellate cases he has argued (including 35 in the U.S. Supreme Court); was appointed in 2010 by President Barack Obama to serve as the first Senior Counselor for Access to Justice and in 2021 by President Joseph R. Biden to serve on the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States; and has written 115 books and articles, including his treatise, American Constitutional Law, cited more than any other legal text since 1950.
Former Solicitor General Erwin Griswold wrote: “[N]o book, and no lawyer not on the [Supreme] Court, has ever had a greater influence on the development of American constitutional law,” and former U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig tweeted in January 2023, “Laurence H. Tribe has been the Nation’s preeminent constitutional scholar for the past half-century.”
Richard A. Salomon is a graduate of Carleton College and Harvard Law School and the founder and CEO of Vantage Point Consultants. Vantage Point advises corporations on ways to optimize the expenditure of legal dollars and has worked with over 400 of the Fortune 500 throughout the world. Mr. Salomon is a frequent keynote speaker to groups, including the GC100 (the Chief Legal Officers of the FTSE 100 in London) and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, as well as an occasional lecturer at Harvard Law School. Mr. Salomon is a member of the Advisory Board of the Corporate Counsel’s Guide to Law Department Management and Corporate Counsel’s Guide to Litigation Management. Mr. Salomon is also a co-author of Managing the Corporate Legal Function (2nd ed. 1995, Matthew Bender).
Mr. Salomon is involved in numerous philanthropic and social service-related activities. He is a co-founder, member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center; and a member of the Advisory Board for the Visas for Life Foundation (relating to Consul General Chiune Sugihara, who rescued his father and uncle during the Holocaust). In addition, Mr. Salomon is on the Board of New York University’s Of Many Institute as well as on the President's Council of the Interfaith Youth Core, and the President’s Global Forum of the Auburn Theological Seminary. Mr. Salomon is a frequent public speaker at the 92nd Street Y, Temple Emanu-El, and other venues.
suggested Reading
Letter From 11 Members of Congress to President Joe Biden-
Oct 23rd, 2023
NAVALNY Screening and Discussion
The gripping CNN film, “Navalny”, follows Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, through his rise as political rival to Vladimir Putin, the attempted assassination of Navalny, and revelations discovered in the search to uncover the truth.
Saturday, July 23, 2022
5:00 PM 9:00 PM
Regal UA East Hampton
Hamptons, NY United States
NAVALNY
Screening and Discussion
with
Alec Baldwin and Daniel Roher
Regal UA East Hampton, Saturday, July 23rd, 2022
5:00-9:00 PM EST
The gripping CNN film, “Navalny”, follows Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, through his political rise as rival to Vladimir Putin, the attempted assassination against him and the search to uncover the truth.
The documentary interweaves interviews with Navalny, Navalny’s wife and children, and eyewitnesses to key events. It then follows the suspenseful recap of Navalny’s post-recovery return to Russia and his arrest. Navalny now sits in a Russian prison cell with no release in sight.
The New York Times says this documentary “has assembled a tense and absorbing look at Navalny and his inner circle” and this might be the last time we get to see him for many years. Maybe ever.
Join The Common Good and the Hamptons International Film Festival on July 23rd.
Produced in partnership with the Hamptons International Film Festival
Kati Marton: The Chancellor
Join The Common Good for a far-ranging and informative conversation.
About The Event
Kati Marton, an acclaimed journalist and author The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel, joins The Common Good to discuss the incredible and enduring legacy of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Moderated by former US Ambassador to Germany, John Emerson. This definitive biography details the remarkable rise and political brilliance of the most powerful—and elusive—woman in the world.
The Chancellor is at once a riveting political biography and an intimate human story of a complete outsider—a research chemist and pastor’s daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany—who rose to become the unofficial leader of the West.
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Kati Marton is an acclaimed journalist and author, as well as an activist advocate for human rights and the freedom of the press. She is an award-winning former NPR and ABC News Correspondent, the former chairwoman of the International Women’s Health Commission, a director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Marton has published eight books, which have been translated into five languages. Her Cold War Memoir Enemies of the People: My Family’s Journey to America was a National Book Critics Circle finalist in 2009.
John Emerson is currently the Vice Chairman of Capital International, Inc., following a four year leave to serve as US Ambassador to Germany. Serving as United States Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from 2013 through 2017, Emerson was Chief of Mission Germany, which includes the operation and activities of the Embassy, five consulates and nearly 2,000 employees, as well as coordinating with the U.S. military command in Germany. He interacted with the highest levels of the U.S. and German governments, as well as with the EU and NATO leaderships.
Gamechanger? Russia’s Growing Aggressiveness with Fiona Hill
Join The Common Good for a far-ranging and informative conversation.
About The Event
Russia has been amassing troops on the border with Ukraine, threatening a massive invasion. NATO and EU nations have threatened severe economic sanctions, and have moved troops and weapons into Ukraine to help the fledgling democracy's defense. Will we see the outbreak of war in Europe? What will the effect be for the United States and our allies?
Dr. Fiona Hill, former Senior Director for Europe and Russia at the United States National Security Council, is a leading expert on Russia and international affairs. She will discuss recent developments with Russia, Kazakhstan , and Ukraine as well as her excellent book There’s Nothing For You Here.
Moderated by Mary Boies.
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Dr. Fiona Hill is a leading expert on modern Russia, a guardian of U.S. security through smart diplomacy, and a powerful advocate for the principled approach to public service. Risking her career and reputation, she offered her nonpartisan testimony about the president's actions in Ukraine.
Her new book There is Nothing For You Here, describes how declining opportunity has set America on a grim path. She is a senior fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. From 2006 to 2009, she served as a national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at The National Intelligence Council. She is co-author of “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin”.
Mary Boies has held major roles in law, business, NGOs, and government. She is Counsel to Boies Schiller Flexner LLP where she specializes in antitrust and corporate commercial litigation. She has served as Vice President at CBS Inc., General Counsel of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board, Assistant Director of the Domestic Policy Staff at the White House, and Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce.
She is also a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served on its Board of Directors and chaired its Committee on Nominations and Governance.
The Russia Investigation with Congressman Adam Schiff and Secretary Jeh Johnson
Newsmaker and rising congressional leader, Congressman Adam Schiff, appeared with special host & TCG Honorary Board Member Secretary Jeh Johnson for an elegant luncheon and briefing. Congressman Schiff, the Ranking Minority Member on the House Intelligence Committee and Russia Investigation Task Force, gave the latest on the Russia election interference probe, the growing threat to liberal democracies from a rise in authoritarianism, prospects for the Midterm elections, and many other consequential topics.
Newsmaker and rising congressional leader, Congressman Adam Schiff, appeared with special host & TCG Honorary Board Member Secretary Jeh Johnson for an elegant luncheon and briefing. Congressman Schiff, the Ranking Minority Member on the House Intelligence Committee and Russia Investigation Task Force, gave the latest on the Russia election interference probe, the growing threat to liberal democracies from a rise in authoritarianism, prospects for the Midterm elections, and many other consequential topics. Financial advisor Peter Maroney and TCG Founder Patricia Duff co-hosted the event.
listen:
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Congressman Adam Schiff is the Ranking Minority Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and spearheads the Russia Investigation Task Force. As the U.S. Representative for California’s 28th District, Schiff has focused on growing the economy, bolstering national security, strengthening our communities, helping small businesses, and improving education, safety and health care. In his 9th term, Schiff served as State Senator for California’s 21st District, chairing the Judiciary Committee, the Select Committee on Juvenile Justice and the Joint Committee on the Arts. Before serving in the Legislature, Schiff served with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in LA for six years.
Former Secretary Jeh Johnson has distinguished himself in both public service and private corporate law practice. He served in the Obama cabinet as Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017) with vast responsibilities for homeland security, immigration, natural disaster relief, and many other critical policy areas. Prior to becoming Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson served as General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012) and General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force under President Clinton (1998-2001). Earlier in his career, he was Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1989-1991). Currently, he is a partner with the law firm of Paul Weiss. We are honored to have added Secretary Johnson to The Common Good Honorary Advisory board this year.
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The Changing World Order: Richard Haass
Richard Haass addressed the current issues and the critically important long-term trends arund the globe that challenge the relative stability of our post-World War II geopolitical and economic framework. How do we navigate, as Haass puts it, a “world in disarray?” A timely discussion with one of the globe’s top foreign policy practitioners, authors, and thought leaders.
With President Trump, foreign policy issues are front and center. New ballistic missiles tested by North Korea, possible Russian interference in our election, a US attack on a terrorist site in Yemen and loss of a Navy Seal, new restrictions on visitors from six Middle Eastern nations, conflicting statements of policy to European allies and others from various administration officials - these are just some of the most recent issues raised within the first two months of the new administration.
Richard Haass addressed the current issues and the critically important long-term trends around the globe that challenge the relative stability of our post-World War II geopolitical and economic framework. How do we navigate, as Haass puts it, a “world in disarray”? A timely discussion with one of the globe’s top foreign policy practitioners, authors, and thought leaders.
Dr. Richard Haass is at the apex of expertise and leadership in foreign affairs and national security as President of the Council on Foreign Relations- a position he has held for fourteen years. Until 2003, Richard Haass was director of policy planning for the Department of State, where he was a principal adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell on a broad range of foreign policy concerns. Richard Haass is also the author or editor of eleven books on American foreign policy, including his recent book, A World in Disarray. He regularly writes and speaks on global issues.
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The Common Good has been hosting events since 2006 that cover important issues of today, highlighting speakers who have worked to bolster our democracy and can provide great insight on the issues that matter.