The MeidasTouch Podcast: Interview with Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell on Lawsuits Against Trump

Date: November 16, 2025
Guest: Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Overview

This episode centers around Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s frontline efforts—and broader Democratic AG actions—against the Trump administration’s attempts to block SNAP (food stamp) benefits during the government shutdown. The discussion also dives into the Trump regime’s wider assaults on blue states, transparency and due process concerns at the federal level, and the crucial but often-overlooked power of state Attorneys General. Throughout, the Meiselas brothers combine sharp legal insight with their signature banter to create an urgent, accessible conversation about democracy’s current fight.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The SNAP Benefits Lawsuit: Trump Administration’s Attempts to Block Food Support

• Cruelty and Political Gaslighting Around SNAP

  • The hosts criticize House Speaker Mike Johnson (“MAGA Mike”) and the Trump administration for celebrating opulence while cutting food programs for the vulnerable.
  • Quote (Host):
    “The arsonist with the blowtorch using it. Burning down the country. ‘Why are you making me do this? Why are you making me burn you down?’... It’s just so Utterly ridiculous.” [04:42]

• Campbell’s Frontline Experience

  • Campbell describes the real impact: seniors, mothers, people with disabilities, and children in Massachusetts and across the country went hungry due to SNAP cuts.
  • Quote (Andrea Campbell):
    “Cruel, inhumane, unconscionable. And frankly, what you heard from the President and the speaker is total bullshit... I’ve witnessed firsthand people, seniors on fixed income who did not have enough resources to buy food. A mother who ate less here in Massachusetts because she wanted to make sure she had enough benefits to feed her child.” [05:43]
  • She emphasizes that never before, even in war or previous shutdowns, was SNAP denied to Americans.

• Legal Battle and Federal Resistance

  • Campbell led 25 AGs and 3 governors in suing the Trump administration for withholding SNAP despite there being sufficient funds.
  • She asserts the administration’s claims of not having money were lies, with billions actually available.
  • Quote (Andrea Campbell):
    “They made a policy choice at some random moment... to say, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’ So we mobilized to file a lawsuit... They would not have done it without our lawsuit, even though they had the power to do it at the outset.” [09:14]

2. Democratic Attorneys General as “Firewall”

• Broader Legal Resistance

  • The hosts note that blue-state AGs have kept billions in public investments, climate programs, and public health funding secure from federal rollback attempts.
  • Quote (Andrea Campbell):
    “In Massachusetts, we have filed over 40 lawsuits against this administration that tried to take away $3.24 billion in Massachusetts investments... Our 40 plus lawsuits have protected $3.02 billion.” [11:41]
  • Not a single Republican AG joined these lawsuits, highlighting the partisan divide.
  • AGs are often overlooked, but their litigation ensures states remain “autonomous, not fully falling into this Trump dystopia.”

• Helping Real People, Not Just Scoring Political Points

  • Campbell stresses Democratic AG action is about serving actual constituents:
    “The work we’re doing as Democratic AGs is to deliver for real people, regardless of whatever letters [are] by their name, because we understand our jobs and most importantly, we love this country and we know what it’s capable of...” [12:41]

3. Federal Prosecutions and Due Process Fears

• Concerns About Politicized Federal Prosecution

  • The hosts bring up recent federal prosecution irregularities, particularly in grand jury procedures overseen by Trump loyalists (e.g., Lindsey Halligan).
  • Judges are raising alarms about missing transcripts and questionable appointments.

• AG Campbell on Constitutional Erosion

  • She warns that the disregard for due process and legal procedure at the federal level threatens core democratic principles.
  • Quote (Andrea Campbell):
    “How they are proceeding… is by shredding the Constitution itself. And everyone should be concerned about that. ... If we have folks who are not lawfully appointed, not following grand jury procedure ... then you have no due process. You have a rogue justice system.” [15:08]
  • She draws a direct line between rule-of-law and everyday freedoms, arguing if the Constitution is ignored, no rights are secure: “If you don’t have a Constitution, you don’t have a guarantee that this government owes you anything.” [16:01]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump Administration's SNAP Actions:
  “Misinformation, total nonsense. But we won’t be distracted as we do our jobs ... of being the American, the Attorney General.”
  — Andrea Campbell [07:09]

• On the Broader Significance of Democratic AGs:
  “The most effective individual right now is your Democratic AG. And I say Democratic because not one Republican AG has signed on to any of our lawsuits. Not for clinical trials, not for SNAP benefits.”
  — Andrea Campbell [12:11]

• On Constitutional Stakes:
  “If I were to do that ... for every hateful thing they said against me, the Constitution wouldn’t matter. ... So that’s what Democratic AGs are fighting for. The very principles and the very Constitution itself...”
  — Andrea Campbell [16:05]

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• SNAP Benefits Debacle & Lawsuit: [04:42] – [09:14]
• Role of Democratic AGs Against the Trump Administration: [10:30] – [13:24]
• Discussion of Federal Grand Jury Irregularities & Campbell’s Warning on Due Process: [13:24] – [17:03]

Tone and Style

The episode features the Meiselas brothers’ signature mix of brotherly comedy, righteous anger at injustice, and deep legal/constitutional analysis. Andrea Campbell brings candid clarity, using strong language where warranted to name government cruelty and emphasizing the real-world impact of legal fights in the defense of democracy.

Conclusion

In this episode, Attorney General Andrea Campbell offers a powerful account of how state-level legal actions have preserved essential protections and funding for millions of Americans against deliberate federal sabotage. The discussion underscores the pivotal, often-unsung, role of Democratic AGs as guardians of both states and democratic norms—especially vital in periods of federal overreach and erosion of due process.