The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Former Attorney General Holder Discusses Tuesday’s Election

Date: November 4, 2025
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett & Jordy Meiselas)
Guest: Eric Holder, former U.S. Attorney General

Overview

This special pre-election episode dives into the heightened stakes of Tuesday’s major elections, focusing on California’s Proposition 50 and its national significance. The Meiselas brothers host a candid conversation with former Attorney General Eric Holder, exploring threats to democracy, attempts to undermine elections, the politicization of the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court’s crisis of legitimacy, and the urgent need for civic action. Holder contextualizes the escalating authoritarian tactics of Trump and his allies, and offers an inspiring call to action for all Americans committed to defending democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Stakes of Prop 50 and California’s Role

• [04:16] Eric Holder opens by emphasizing Prop 50’s gravity, echoing Governor Newsom’s recent speech about fighting back against Trump-aligned attempts at redistricting and election manipulation.

  • Quote (Holder, 04:16):
    “The stakes are just enormous. And I really applaud Governor Newsom and all the people in California who had the guts and the foresight to put this before the people…in response to that which Republicans have tried to do...in Texas and in other states as well. This is all about power.”

• Prop 50 is framed as a direct response to Republican efforts to control outcomes through gerrymandering and rewriting the rules to entrench minority power.

2. Power, Authoritarianism, and Why This Moment Is Different

• [06:01] Holder contextualizes the GOP’s current maneuvers, comparing them to tactics in authoritarian states.

  • Quote (Holder, 06:01):
    “This is all about power. That’s the through line…That’s the thing that explains everything they’re doing. And it’s what authoritarians do.”

• Drawing parallels to Russia, he warns that democracy is at risk of becoming “election in name only” if these power grabs aren’t stopped.

• Holder challenges progressives and Democrats to embrace power for good, invoking FDR and LBJ, and stressing that using power responsibly is essential and not inherently negative.

3. The DOJ, Voting Rights, and Weaponization of Government

• [08:03] Holder details the origins and integrity of DOJ election monitors, contrasting their intended use with Trump’s threat to send partisan “monitors” to California.

  • Quote (Holder, 08:03):
    “They’re trying to send that person out there to somehow, potentially intimidate people, to somehow call into question what I think is going to be a victory by the proponents of Proposition 50.”

• He laments the perversion of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division for intimidation, not protection, and the laying of groundwork (“predicate”) to contest legitimate elections.

• The hosts and Holder zero in on the dangerous politicization of the DOJ under Trump, including direct meddling in prosecutions and using loyalists in federal legal cases.

  • Quote (Holder, 09:54):
    “If you politicize the Justice Department...if you weaponize the Justice Department to go after the perceived enemies of the president...that is a frightening thing that goes to the core against…the rule of law.”

4. The Chilling Effect on Justice and Law Enforcement

• [12:19] The discussion turns to how Trump’s actions have led not just to high-profile abuses, but also to the quiet evisceration of federal law enforcement and prosecution at all levels.

  • Retirements, dismissals, and the exodus of career prosecutors and FBI agents are “an important point” as they deeply weaken America’s counterintelligence, national security, and anti-corruption efforts.

• Quote (Holder, 12:19):
  “You take away from those components from DOJ and from the FBI, these experienced people, and you leave in place those people who are potentially less experienced and potentially politically motivated. And that puts the nation at risk...”

5. Supreme Court's “Shadow Docket” and Institutional Crisis

• [14:32] Holder is blunt about the Supreme Court’s overreach, shadow docket abuse, and its erosion of legitimacy:

  • District and appeals courts are “doing the right thing,” but the Supreme Court “sweeps in” to stay decisions, effectively neutering them before proper review.

• Quote (Holder, 15:11):
  “The Supreme Court is a broken institution. And it’s something that has to be, I think, a part of the national conversation in ’26 and in ’28 — what are we going to do about the Supreme Court?”

• Recommendations: term limits, possible expansion, and a need for real reform if and when Democrats regain full federal control.

6. Constitutional Good Faith and the Need for Civic Action

• [17:09] Holder highlights the Constitution’s traditional reliance on “good faith,” now increasingly ignored by those leveraging power in bad faith.

• He issues a forceful call for mass civic engagement and local action as the bulwark against institutional failures, invoking Dr. King’s famous metaphor:

  • Quote (Holder, 17:33):
    “Dr. King said, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. But here’s the deal. It doesn’t bend on its own. It only bends when people like us put our hands on that arc and pull it towards justice.”

• Explicitly urges every listener to find their role in “pulling the arc towards justice” and saving democracy, stressing that there are “no miracles” — only people power.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Governor Newsom's warning, replayed in the episode
  “They poked the bear and the bear is poking back.” (02:11)

• Holder’s call to action:
  “There’s no cavalry coming. There are no miracles...Our institutions have failed us...But the power that the American people have is substantially greater than I think we know.” (17:09)

• On Supreme Court reform:
  “If there is a Democratic trifecta in 2028...Supreme Court reform is something that has to be considered. Term limits…Potentially expanding the court…” (15:33)

Key Timestamps

• 01:00–02:38 — Governor Newsom’s fiery remarks on Prop 50 and Trump’s efforts to undermine democracy
• 04:16–07:35 — Holder on the stakes of Prop 50, the broader authoritarian strategy, and parallels to Russia
• 08:03–09:54 — Holder on Trump’s misuse of DOJ monitors and weaponization of legal institutions
• 12:19–13:27 — Holder on the impact of DOJ/FBI personnel losses on American security
• 14:32–16:09 — Shadow docket discussion and what’s broken at the Supreme Court
• 17:09–18:30 — Holder’s closing rally: Dr. King, people power, and democracy’s future

Overall Tone

The conversation is urgent, at times grimly humorous, never cynical. Holder and the hosts are direct, passionate, and unsparing in their diagnosis of the threats facing American democracy. Holder’s demeanor is serious but hopeful, repeatedly emphasizing the agency of ordinary citizens when institutions have become unreliable guardians of liberty.

Actionable Message

Holder's call is clear: Prop 50 in California is just one flashpoint in a nationwide fight. There are no saviors coming — only “people power.” It is upon everyday citizens to engage, organize, and vote to preserve what remains of American democracy.

For listeners: This episode provides a comprehensive, high-level overview of current existential threats to voting rights, the rule of law, and public institutions, as well as an urgent roadmap for action as the 2026 midterms approach.