Podcast
Defending Democracy with Marc Elias
Hosted by Democracy Docket · EN
Every week, election lawyer Marc Elias interviews lawmakers, policy leaders and changemakers about the problems facing our democracy and how we fix them.
70episodes
Episodes
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Trump Just Disabled a Key Federal Election Agency Months Before Midterms
Yesterday00:26:15Tap to summarizeDemocracy Docket founder Marc Elias breaks down Trump's firing of the remaining commissioners at the Election Assistance Commission, the federal agency that certifies voting equipment, administers a national backup voter registration form and provides expertise and training to state election officials. It's now legally paralyzed months before the 2026 midterms. Marc argues Trump likely has two main motives: sidelining nonpartisan election expertise (as he's done with vaccines, food safety and the military) and deliberately degrading state election administration to manufacture a post-election narrative. He also warns that without commissioners, the White House may try to pressure EAC staff directly.
Transcribe →What Democrats Keep Getting Wrong | Brian Tyler Cohen
5d ago00:33:43Tap to summarizeMarc Elias sits down with Brian Tyler Cohen to discuss his new book, "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World," which makes the case that Democrats need to fight harder and prioritize outcomes over institutional deference. They break down the Supreme Court's latest term and the case for court reform, but also dig into the bigger argument: that clinging to norms like the filibuster risks squandering a rare chance to win back disillusioned voters. Brian lays out what he believes Democrats need to be ready to act on from day one, including voting rights reform and election integrity They also break down how independent media is reshaping political strategy heading into the midterms.
Transcribe →The Supreme Court Just Went on Break. Here's Why We Can't.
1w ago00:20:42Tap to summarizeThe Supreme Court's term just ended, and the results were mixed for voting rights. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias breaks down the wins — including a 5-4 ruling protecting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day — and the losses, including Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and the Slaughter case, which lets Trump fire independent agency officials at will (except at the Federal Reserve). But there's no time to sit with these rulings. Trump doesn't accept a loss and move on. With 196 voting cases pending nationwide and the midterms just four months away, Marc explains why the pro-democracy movement needs to stay ready for what comes next.
Transcribe →Hillary Clinton on the Right-Wing Machine, the Courts and Trump's Corruption
2w ago00:51:20Tap to summarizeFormer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joins Marc Elias on Defending Democracy for a wide-ranging conversation on Trump's Justice Department and blatant corruption, the Supreme Court's assault on voting rights and the decades-long right-wing machine that made it all possible. Clinton, who has been on the front lines of these fights since the 1990s, pulls no punches on the institutions that have failed to push back and what Democrats need to do to win in 2026.
Transcribe →The Supreme Court Saved Birthright Citizenship — This Time
2w ago00:13:45Tap to summarizeThe Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship 6-3, rejecting Trump's executive order — but three justices sided with Trump, and Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence signals the fight may not be over. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias also breaks down the other cases that closed out the term: a 5-4 win in the mail-in ballot case, where the RNC tried to stop states from counting ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after, and a loss in his campaign finance case where six justices struck down a provision that had been law since 1976. The wins are worth celebrating, but the margins are narrow and none of these fights are finished.
Transcribe →VICTORY: We Just Won a Supreme Court Case That Protects Your Mail-in Ballot
2w ago00:14:49Tap to summarizeDemocracy Docket founder and voting rights attorney Marc Elias spent years litigating Watson v. Republican National Committee from trial court all the way to the Supreme Court — despite plenty of people telling him he couldn't win. In this video, he breaks down the court's 5-4 ruling rejecting the RNC's effort to throw out mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day but received afterward. He also explains why every state should now adopt this rule and what you can do to make that happen.
Transcribe →BREAKING: Judge Blocks Trump From Killing Your Mail Ballot
3w ago00:25:30Tap to summarizeA federal judge in Massachusetts just blocked Trump's executive order that would have let him use the Post Office to control who can vote by mail. This is a massive win for democracy — and it's not the only one.In this video, Marc Elias breaks down three major court victories against Trump's effort to restrict voting, collect your sensitive voter data and undermine mail-in ballots before 2026.
Transcribe →Breaking Down Trump's Plan to Rig 2026 Elections with Nicolle Wallace
3w ago00:14:22Tap to summarizeDemocracy Docket founder Marc Elias joins Nicolle Wallace's Deadline: White House to break down Trump's scheme to control who gets to vote in the 2026 midterms. Trump's DOJ has sued states across the country to seize voter files — and lost every single case so far. But winning in court may only be the beginning. Trump is following the same grievance playbook he used in 2020, and the next phase could be far more dangerous.
Transcribe →Even Trump's Own Judges Keep Ruling Against Him on Voter Data
3w ago00:25:27Tap to summarizeThe DOJ has sued 31 states to seize your most sensitive voter data. They've lost every single case so far: nine courts, zero wins. In this episode, Marc Elias breaks down why Trump's voter data obsession isn't just a PR stunt — it's about building a national voter list the White House controls and using it to decide who gets to vote in 2026.
Transcribe →Is Trump Really Just a Mob Boss? | Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade
4w ago00:36:03Tap to summarizeFormer U.S. attorney and University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade spent decades prosecuting organized crime, corrupt officials and con men. In her new book, "The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government," she makes the case that what's happening in Washington right now looks very familiar. In this episode of Defending Democracy, Marc Elias sits down with McQuade to break down how Trump has turned the Department of Justice into a tool of political retribution, why major law firms and media companies caved to White House pressure and what everyday Americans can do to fight back.
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