How Lawfare Targets Market Disruptors From Michael Milken to President Trump

Attorney and author Richard Sandler joins this new episode of Real Talk to discuss lawfare and his decades-long fight to defend the reputation of his childhood friend and business partner, Michael Milken. Sandler reflects on what true loyalty looks like when a friend becomes the target of prosecutors, media narratives, and public condemnation. He explains how Milken disrupted Wall Street, why powerful interests wanted him taken down, and how prosecutors can use the criminal justice system to build political power.

00:00 - Richard Sandler on Friendship, Loyalty, and Michael Milken

03:21 - Knowing Michael Milken Since Childhood

05:09 - Why Sandler Dedicated His Career to Defending a Friend

08:59 - Why Relationships Matter More Than Transactions

10:01 - How Michael Milken Became a Wall Street Disruptor

12:58 - Why People Hate Disruptors

16:04 - How Lawfare Became a Tool of Political Ambition

18:05 - Why Prosecutors Have So Much Power

24:27 - Ivan Boesky, the 98 Counts, and the Case Against Milken

29:09 - Can America’s Justice System Be Fixed?

35:03 - Why False Narratives About Michael Milken Endured