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Here’s the highlight reel of last week’s posts and events. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to catch up on anything you missed.
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The Week Ahead: We started the week with a look at political shifts in Hungary following the defeat of Hungarian strongman Viktor Orbán. Then, we looked at the accusations against Eric Swalwell and the importance of believing women so allegations like this are investigated, instead of being swept under the rug.
Monday Morning Legal Analysis: When Scott MacFarlane invited me to join him for a live chat, we had no idea what a busy news morning it would be. We started with Trump’s overnight social media frenzy, discussed Eric Swalwell’s situation (and had a great discussion of due process rights in criminal proceedings, and the difference in political ones). We also touched on former AG Pam Bondi’s failure to testify in Congress this week despite getting a subpoena—we are not forgetting about Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump.
Big Bird’s Obituary: Greatly Exaggerated: We took an in-depth look at what has happened legally since Trump’s executive order in May 2025 that resulted in the dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and NPR and PBS have soldiered on. You won’t want to miss this one!
Politics Disguised as Prosecution: DOJ Claims Biden's Administration Was Wrong To Prosecute Violence At Clinics: In a case of irony is dead (again), DOJ released an 882-page report Tuesday about the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, concluding that the Biden administration “weaponized” DOJ against people protesting outside abortion clinics, that it criminalized their conservative beliefs. I use my experience as a federal prosecutor to break down what this means and what it’s really about.
Substack Live with Harry Litman: Former US Attorney and current host of the Talking Fed podcast, Harry Litman, and I got together for a catch-up chat about the state of the Justice Department. We discussed the decision by state prosecutors in Minnesota to prosecute an ICE agent who pointed his gun directly at a man who was in his vehicle, the barriers the case may face, and the implications of that case for prosecuting the homicides of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Ice and the Absence of Accountability: With this administration, especially with ICE, the horribles come so fast and furious that it becomes important to take a step back and look at the entire landscape, not just the most recent event. Thursday night we took the time to do just that, in light of the most recent incident at the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” and across the country. If you have time for just one piece this morning, let it be this one. ICE is trying to take their most outrageous conduct underground and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The Librarians!: Next Tuesday, April 21, I’m joining the folks behind the film The Librarians for a virtual screening and conversation. The film explores the growing book banning crisis in American schools and the librarians who are fighting censorship and I’m looking forward to this conversation.
Five Questions with Independent Journalist Scott MacFarlane: How does independent journalism work? Scott MacFarlane peels back the curtain and gives us some insight into how he does his new job and why he thinks it’s important. Scott’s candor, enthusiasm, and sense of humor will make you fall in love with independent journalism, if you haven’t already.
LiveNation, Ticket Master, DOJ's Betrayal, and State AGs' Success: In May of 2024, DOJ, along with 33 states and Washington, D.C., sued Live Nation after the November 2022 Taylor Swift Ticketmaster fiasco, arguing the company, which owns Ticket Master, was behaving like a monopoly. When DOJ abruptly settled, the bipartisan coalition of states to proceed alone, and California Attorney General AG Rob Bonta and his colleagues stepped up. I set up the jury’s decision, what happens next, and the key issue in this case in this piece. Read it before AG Bonta joins us live at 11:45 a.m. ET this morning, to get fully up to speed.
These are complicated legal times, and it’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Civil Discourse doesn’t just track today’s headlines—it connects them to the legal and political history that explains why they matter. We won’t forget what’s at stake, or let Trump and his allies rewrite the past. You can subscribe to Civil Discourse for free and get clear analysis that helps you see the whole picture, delivered straight to your inbox. If you’re in a position to, your paid subscription helps me devote the time and resources it takes to write the newsletter. That means everyone has access to information they can share with friends and family—a constructive act we can all participate in right now, helping more Americans understand how critical this moment is.
We’re in this together,
Joyce