华盛顿律师事务所的证人准备业务即将迎来爆发。随着民主党似乎即将掌握主导权，至少在热衷举行听证会的众议院，帮助企业高管为出席听证作证做准备——华盛顿的一种做法被称为“模拟严厉盘问” —— 将变得需求旺盛。
The witness-prep business is about to take off for Washington law firms. As Democrats appear poised to take the gavel, at least in the hearing-happy House of Representatives, the task of helping corporate executives prepare for their turn in the chair — a DC practice known as “murder-boarding” — will be in high demand.
据 Semafor 的 Nicholas Wu 今年早些时候报道，民主党几个月来一直在谋划如何追究那些曾寻求特朗普认可的企业的责任，引用了发给公司的函件，内容涉及舞会基金、反垄断诉讼，以及涉及特朗普家族和曾任“第一好友”埃隆·马斯克的商业交易。
Democrats have been plotting for months about how to go after corporations that have courted Trump’s approval, Semafor’s Nicholas Wu reported earlier this year, citing missives sent to companies over things like ballroom funds, antitrust suits, and business deals involving the Trump family and one-time “first buddy” Elon Musk.
“在总统敦促下作出投资或承诺的公司应做好接受审查的准备，”J. Peter Donald 说，他曾任 FBI 纽约外勤办公室发言人和纽约市警察局助理局长，现为陷入困境的公司提供咨询。“所有事情都将摆上台面。首席执行官应准备好在宣誓下解释他们的决定。”
“Companies that made investments or commitments at the president’s urging should prepare for scrutiny,” said J. Peter Donald, a former spokesman for the FBI’s New York field office and assistant NYPD commissioner who now advises companies in tight spots. “Everything will be on the table. CEOs should be ready to explain their decisions under oath.”
现在是公司预付任何未付律师事务所账单、并在首席执行官日程上预留时间进行模拟盘问的好时机。
It’s a good time for companies to prepay any outstanding law firm bills and book some time on CEOs’ calendars for mock grilling.