Why the Supreme Court is starting to leak — listen (or watch) now. ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌ 
 
cloudy New York
rotating globe
November 21, 2025
Read on the web
semafor
Mixed Signals
Sign up for our free email briefings
 
New on ‘Mixed Signals’
Mixed Signals

Why is the famously secretive United States Supreme Court starting to leak? This week on Mixed Signals, we talked to Jodi Kantor to find out.

Ever since Politico got its hands on a top secret draft of the Dobbs decision in 2022, I’ve had the sense that the Court was starting to behave more like every other branch of government, and that includes a steady stream of leaks. But Kantor, the New York Times reporter most famous for breaking the Harvey Weinstein story, thinks it’s complicated.

“Journalists for a long time have wanted to understand this institution,” she said. “Nine of the most powerful people in the country who make decisions that govern our lives work in silence.”

As our conversation continued, Kantor seemed as measured in her words as some of the justices she reports on.

“When you’re an investigative reporter, one thing you have to think about is that one of your sources or somebody associated with the court could be listening to this,” she told us. “This work is pretty sacred to me, and I would never want to give anybody the wrong impression.”

You can listen to our full conversation wherever you get your podcasts. Unlike the Supreme Court, you can watch us on YouTube. And if you’re a Supreme Court justice reading this, feel free to reply to this email so we can book you on Mixed Signals.

Max Tani

Plug
Mixed Signals
  • Abundance co-author Derek Thompson talked with us last week about the breakout success of his book, and why everything you consume today is television.
  • Emily Maitlis talked with Mixed Signals back in August on Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, and why American journalists can’t do interviews.
  • Financial Times Editor Roula Khalaf told us how the FT approaches being “elite” in the age of populism, and discusses what ways the paper is experimenting with AI.
  • Atlantic Staff writer Thomas Chatterton Williams talked with us about how the media drove America crazy, and why The New York Times and other media institutions have more influence than we give them credit for.
  • Don Lemon recounted his dramatic breakup with CNN, his failed partnership with Elon Musk’s X, and his recent success on his YouTube channel.

Semafor
You’re receiving this email because you signed up for briefings from Semafor. Manage your preferences or unsubscribe hereRead our privacy policy.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Semafor in your inbox.
Semafor, Inc. 228 Park Ave S, PMB 59081, New York, NY, 10003-1502, USA
LiveIntent LogoAdChoices Logo