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Every episode
The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell
30 episodes
S2 Ep172: Career Prosecutors Wanted NO PART of What Trump’s DOJ Was Doing (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 172 · Aug 12, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the escalating campaign against Anthony Fauci, why his lawyers may see the congressional investigation as a perjury trap, and what happens now that his contempt referral is headed to Trump’s DOJ. They also take on Bill Cassidy’s vote to confirm Todd Blanche, Trump and RFK Jr.’s attacks on vaccines, and a stunning foreign bribery case involving a $10 billion investment offer, career DOJ prosecutors who wanted no part of the dismissal, and a federal judg…
S2 Ep171: Trump’s Reflecting Pool Case Collapsed in SPECTACULAR Fashion (w/ Andrew Weissmann) | Illegal News
Ep 171 · Aug 5, 2026 · 57 min
Sam Stein and Andrew Weissmann discuss the Justice Department’s dismissal of charges over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, potential recourse for Olympian David Hearn, and Trump’s response. They also examine Todd Blanche’s Senate confirmation prospects, the proposed “anti-weaponization” fund and tax-immunity agreement, Capital One’s anti-money-laundering claims involving Trump Organization accounts, and Anthony Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment before Congress. Head t…
S2 Ep170: George Conway: Trump Showed Up to the Trial and Lost $83 Million
Ep 170 · Jul 31, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Sam Stein and George Conway discuss James Comey’s challenge to the “8647” prosecution, Donald Trump’s Supreme Court bid to overturn E. Jean Carroll’s $83 million defamation judgment, and the administration’s push for new restrictions on mail-in voting. They also cover the withdrawal of subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters and the delayed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code ILLEGALNEWS at https://www.oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS #oneskinpod Go to https://Dupe.com fo…
S2 Ep169: George Conway Is Back—and Trump Gave Him PLENTY to Work With
Ep 169 · Jul 22, 2026 · 52 min
Sarah Longwell welcomes George Conway back to The Illegal News to discuss Trump Media’s plan to sell Wall Street firms early access to Trump’s market-moving Truth Social posts. They also talk about DOJ subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters and their families, Trump’s Qatar jet, the newly activated Alien Terrorist Removal Court, and the Paramount–Warner merger. Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code ILLEGALNEWS at https://laundrysau…
S2 Ep168: Senators Never Asked Blanche the Most Obvious Epstein Question
Ep 168 · Jul 18, 2026 · 60 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss on a week that tested both of them: Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing, and Trump's prime-time speech on election interference. Andrew walks through the cross-examination Senate Democrats didn't run—the statements that went unchallenged, the follow-ups nobody asked, and the one question about the withheld Epstein files that Blanche has still never answered. Then: why he thinks dismantling the government's election-security apparatus isn't neglect, but…
S2 Ep167: Trump's Own Judge Torched DOJ's Insane Election Subpoena (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 167 · Jul 9, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to discuss a big week in legal news: DOJ's stunning concession in a reporter's lawsuit over the Epstein files, the questions senators must make Todd Blanche answer at his confirmation hearing, and the Trump-appointed judge who torched DOJ's demand for the names of every 2020 election worker in Fulton County. Plus: the DOJ letter that signals a plan to challenge the 2026 midterms, and the Supreme Court's surprising ruling on your phone's location data. Reinin…
S2 Ep166: MAGA is Furious at Amy Coney Barrett (w/ Steve Vladeck)
Ep 166 · Jul 1, 2026 · 59 min
Sarah Longwell and Georgetown University Law Center's Steve Vladek discuss the Supreme Court's final day of the term—a narrow 5-4 ruling upholding birthright citizenship, the court gutting independent agency protections (while carving out a suspicious exception for the Fed), and a rapid-fire tour through rulings on mail-in ballots, trans athletes, campaign finance, TPS for Haitians, and asylum seekers at the border. Plus: why Amy Coney Barrett has become the MAGA right's newest target, and what…
S2 Ep165: The Reflecting Pool is a Symbol of Trump’s Failure (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 165 · Jun 25, 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann talk about the Iran nuclear deal—why the "win" Trump is selling actually leaves America with less leverage, fewer allies, and zero nuclear resolution than where we started. Plus: what Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman's book reveals about JD Vance's behind-the-scenes opposition to the war, Trump's habit of comparing himself to history's worst tyrants, and the new DOJ legal theory that could gut Americans' right to sue polluters under environmental law. Head to…
S2 Ep164: Stephen Miller and JD Vance Wanted to Suspend Habeas Corpus (w/ Leah Litman)
Ep 164 · Jun 17, 2026 · 46 min
Sarah Longwell is joined by law professor and Strict Scrutiny co-host Leah Litman to discuss the White House’s plan to suspend habeas corpus, JD Vance’s push to invoke the Insurrection Act, the Gavin Newsom investigation, and the 19 Supreme Court decisions that could reshape American democracy before the midterms. Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code ILLEGALNEWS at https://laundrysauce.com/ILLEGALNEWS #laundrysaucepod Ready to reach you…
S2 Ep163: Trump’s Pick for Attorney General Is Even WORSE Than You Think
Ep 163 · Jun 10, 2026 · 58 min
Trump's AG nominee Todd Blanche lost Trump's own criminal trial, built an illegal slush fund, and lied on Fox News—and Republicans are confirming him anyway. Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss what Democrats can actually do at the hearing, why Trump is screaming election fraud while gutting the unit that investigates it, and why his DOJ now holding the only copy of the Fulton County ballots should concern you. Plus: A federal judge ruled Trump's Kennedy Center takeover illegal, his lawy…
S2 Ep162: Trump’s AG Pick May Not Have the Votes to Get Confirmed
Ep 162 · Jun 6, 2026 · 57 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann return to disuss Todd Blanche’s growing Senate confirmation problems, Trump’s $1.7 billion “weaponization fund” scheme, why the judge isn’t letting the case die, the DOJ’s targeting of Congress members and critics, potential Ghislaine Maxwell fallout, and the reason Weissmann thinks the case against John Bolton is different than other "revenge" prosecutions. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/illegalnews Ready to reach you…
S2 Ep161: Judge Nukes Trump DOJ’s “Vindictive” Prosecution (w/ Mary McCord) | Illegal News
Ep 161 · May 27, 2026 · 47 min
Sarah Longwell welcomes Mary McCord—former DOJ prosecutor and co-host of the Main Justice podcast—to discuss a series of jaw-dropping legal scandals surrounding Trump’s Justice Department. They include the secretive $1.776 billion “slush fund” for January 6 defendants, a federal judge exposing shocking grand jury misconduct in the Broadview Six case, the collapse of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia prosecution, growing judicial distrust of DOJ lawyers, and what happens when prosecutors start acting like…
S2 Ep160: Andrew Weissmann: Trump's Slush Fund Isn't Just Corrupt—It's a Crime
Ep 160 · May 20, 2026 · 1 hr 25 min
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell on launch day for his book 'Liar's Kingdom'—but first they discuss why Weissmann calls Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund" an outright fraud on taxpayers. Then: why election lies are distinct even among Trump's 30,000 lies, what Brazil and the UK do to stop them, and the publisher that vanished the day after a Trump executive order. Plus mob bosses in bathrobes. Head to https://Factormeals.com/illegalnews50off and use code illegalnews50off to ge…
S2 Ep159: Trump Built a System That Pays People to Break the Law (w/ Ben Wittes)
Ep 159 · May 17, 2026 · 53 min
Sarah Longwell and Ben Wittes discuss the Supreme Court mifepristone fight and why it could reshape abortion politics for years to come, then dig into Trump’s proposed $1.7 billion “weaponization” fund for Jan. 6 allies, the DOJ’s effort to protect Jeffrey Clark, and Kash Patel’s increasingly bizarre behavior as FBI director. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code ILLEGALNEWS at https://www.oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS #oneskinpod
S2 Ep158: Jerome Powell is Fueled by Pure Righteous Anger—And We LOVE IT (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 158 · May 7, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the Supreme Court’s voting rights decision, the rush to redraw congressional maps before the midterms, Trump allies pushing criminal investigations against political enemies, the escalating fight over Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve, and the growing fears around abuse of FISA surveillance powers. Plus, Weissmann explains why the SPLC case is already DOA—and why he believes these moves are straight up authoritarian. Illegal News fans can get 15% o…
S2 Ep157: SCOTUS Profoundly Changed Elections—Mid-Vote! (w/ Kate Shaw)
Ep 157 · Apr 30, 2026 · 45 min
Kate Shaw—ABC News contributor and co-host of the podcast 'Strict Scrutiny'—joins Sarah Longwell to explain a major Supreme Court ruling that American elections. Then they discuss a string of notable legal news: a DOJ filing that reads like Trump wrote it himself, Trump suing his own government for $10 billion, and the indefensible Comey “seashell” indictment. Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code ILLEGALNEWS at https://mudwtr.com/ILLEGALNEWS! #mudwtrpod Check…
S2 Ep156: Kash Patel's Lawsuit Could Backfire—BIG TIME (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 156 · Apr 23, 2026 · 59 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss a series of major legal developments—from a questionable DOJ indictment targeting the Southern Poverty Law Center, to Kash Patel’s high-risk lawsuit against The Atlantic, to a wave of firings inside the Justice Department that’s raising alarms. They explain what’s actually in these cases (and what’s missing), why some of the legal theories fall apart under scrutiny, and what it all signals about the direction of the DOJ. Plus: a major ruling on Trump’s…
S2 Ep155: Judge Tosses Trump’s WSJ Lawsuit Over Epstein Birthday Card (w/ Elliot Williams)
Ep 155 · Apr 15, 2026 · 48 min
Sarah Longwell and Elliot Williams explain why courts keep rejecting Trump's defamation claims, what “actual malice” really means, and how his wave of lawsuits is really meant to pressure the media. Plus: the bizarre Trump-as-Jesus post, the growing use of the justice system for retribution, and why targeting witnesses like Cassidy Hutchinson should set off alarms. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code ILLEGALNEWS at https://www.oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS #oneskinpod
S2 Ep154: Sorry, The 25th Amendment Can't Save Us From Trump (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 154 · Apr 8, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann explain the legality of Trump’s unhinged Iran threats, the legal reality behind “war crimes” warnings, and the global fallout of a strategy with no clear objective. They also discuss Trump’s push to control elections, why it’s likely unconstitutional—and why losing in court may actually be part of the plan. Plus, the Steve Bannon case and what it says about a system where accountability depends on loyalty to the president. Right now, Betterwild is offering up…
S2 Ep153: Reporters Now Need ESCORTS to Do Their Jobs at the Pentagon (w/ Elliot Williams)
Ep 153 · Apr 1, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Sarah Longwell and Elliot Williams explain a series of legal fights that go to the core of how the country operates—from whether birthright citizenship could actually be undone, to a new immigration detention policy that could keep people locked up for years. They also discuss the Pentagon’s escalating clash with the press and what it means for the First Amendment and the surreal push to rewrite the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Correction (March 31, 2026, 9:20 p.m. EDT): Elliot Williams mi…
S2 Ep152: Todd Blanche’s Jaw-Dropping Ethics Violation (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 152 · Mar 28, 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
JVL (filling in for Sarah Longwell) joins Andrew Weissmann for a wide-ranging breakdown of a system under strain. They discuss the DOJ’s $1.25M payout to Michael Flynn, a surprising leak tied to the Trump investigations, and the backlash that followed—including a top official calling prosecutor Jack Smith a “proven liar.” Buy "Liar's Kingdom”: https://linktr.ee/BulwarkLiarsKingdom Make this the year you stop guessing about your health, with Superpower. Not only did Superpower reduce their price…
S2 Ep151: Trump’s Half-Baked Border Plan Collides With Legal Reality (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 151 · Mar 17, 2026 · 56 min
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to explain Trump’s failed attempt to target Fed Chair Jerome Powell—and why a judge shut it down as harassment. They also discuss the Trump admin's bizarre border strategy that’s collapsing in court, as DOJ lawyers admit they’re being forced to bring cases they can’t prove. Plus: a major Supreme Court fight over immigrant protections, and new warning signs around Trump’s broader legal strategy heading into 2026. Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations…
S2 Ep150: Trump's DOJ Just Proposed a Stunning Ethics Loophole (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 150 · Mar 14, 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss a chaotic week for the rule of law, from the DOJ bizarrely flip-flopping on defending Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms, to a Trump-appointed judge finding evidence of racial profiling in ICE stops in Minnesota, and a new DOJ proposal that could shield government lawyers from ethics investigations. Get OneSkin with 15% off using code ILLEGALNEWS at https://oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS.
S2 Ep149: Andrew Weissmann: This is Why America’s Institutions Are Failing
Ep 149 · Mar 11, 2026 · 30 min
Sarah Longwell talks with former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann about his new book: "Liar’s Kingdom" They discuss how Donald Trump exposed weaknesses in American institutions, why misinformation has become so central to modern politics, and what that means for the future of democracy. Weissmann explains why simply winning elections won’t fix the problem, explores how other democracies handle threats to the rule of law, and lays out reforms that could strengthen guardrails without rewriting…
S2 Ep148: Is This War Legal? (w/ Tess Bridgeman)
Ep 148 · Mar 7, 2026 · 47 min
Sarah Longwell talks with Just Security’s Tess Bridgeman about whether the Iran war is legal under the Constitution, the War Powers Resolution, and international law. They discuss how presidents have stretched their authority for decades, why Congress keeps failing to act, and what it means when one man can take the country to war on his own. Read more from Tess: https://www.justsecurity.org/author/bridgemantess/ Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September: https://www.ba…
S2 Ep147: Trump’s Face on DOJ Is a Big Deal—Here’s Why (w/ Elliot Williams)
Ep 147 · Feb 25, 2026 · 52 min
Sarah Longwell is joined by CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams to break down Trump’s latest legal battles—from the Supreme Court limiting his tariff plan to a judge holding ICE in contempt for ignoring court orders. They also discuss the FCC targeting late-night shows, questions about DOJ independence after Trump put his face on the building, and new reporting on the Epstein files. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code ILLEGALNEWS at https://www.oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS #oneskinpod If you’re tired of b…
S2 Ep146: Supreme Court Slams Door on Trump’s Tariff Power Grab (w/ Andrew Weissmann) | Illegal News
Ep 146 · Feb 21, 2026 · 55 min
The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s sweeping tariffs in a 6–3 decision—including votes from two of his own appointees. Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann explain why the Court said Congress, not the president, controls the power to tax, what the “major questions” fight was really about, and why Chief Justice Roberts appeared to take direct aim at Kavanaugh’s dissent. Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code ILLEGALNEWS at https://laundry…
They Don’t Want Borders. They Want Your Ballot (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Feb 18, 2026 · 1 hr 16 min
Andrew Weissmann explains to Sarah Longwell the new filing from officials in Georgia’s Fulton County election office attacking the FBI's search of the county's election records last month. They also discuss the latest around ICE cases in Minnesota and get to Sarah's rapid fire questions. Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code ILLEGALNEWS at https://laundrysauce.com/ILLEGALNEWS F*%k your khakis and get The Perfect Jean 15% off with the cod…
S2 Ep145: In the Epstein Releases, Victims Came LAST (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Ep 145 · Feb 13, 2026 · 59 min
Andrew Weissmann explains to Sarah Longwell why Pam Bondi’s bizarre hearing indicates deep problems at the Justice Department. From the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files to the FBI’s raid on Georgia’s Fulton County election office, they discuss what’s happening behind the scenes—and whether core legal standards are being ignored. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code ILLEGALNEWS at https://www.oneskin.co/ILLEGALNEWS #oneskinpod
S2 Ep144: Trump Is Treating Elections Like Crimes (w/ Elliot Williams)
Ep 144 · Feb 6, 2026 · 59 min
Sarah Longwell and CNN legal analyst Elliott Williams walk through a stunning week of norm-breaking: the arrest of journalists after a Minnesota protest, Trump hovering over federal law enforcement, an FBI raid on a Georgia election office, and open talk of "nationalizing" U.S. elections. They also discuss Trump’s jaw-dropping $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and his move to take over—and potentially shut down—the Kennedy Center. Head to https://FactorMeals.com/illegalnews50off and use code i…
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