The MeidasTouch Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Trump’s Own DOJ Destroys Its Filings After Accusing Trump
Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the Trump-led Department of Justice’s (DOJ) alarming actions after its own prosecutors submitted (and then retracted) official court documents linking Donald Trump to the January 6 Capitol insurrection and to threats against former President Obama. The Meiselas brothers break down the sequence of events: the filing, the mysterious firing of prosecutors, and the subsequent sanitization of court documents. Broader concerns about the DOJ’s leadership and its weaponization against political dissent and democratic institutions are explored, with a focus on real examples of prosecutorial overreach, incompetence, and possible war crimes.

The tone is urgent, skeptical, and sharply critical of the Trump administration's handling of the DOJ, with the brothers’ signature banter and “unapologetic support of democracy.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Explosive DOJ Filing and Its Quick Erasure

[02:33 – 09:45]

• Background:
  Ben recaps his previous reporting on a DOJ sentencing memorandum which explicitly connected Donald Trump to the January 6th insurrection and accused him of posting Barack Obama’s home address, after which an insurrectionist (Taylor Franklin Toronto) used this to make threats against Obama.

• Retaliation and Firings:
  Quote: “Trump has retaliated against the two federal prosecutors whose names were on that pleading, Carlos Valdevia and Samuel White.” – Ben [03:32]
  The two prosecutors were placed on leave (effectively fired), after referencing Trump’s incitement and Obama's doxxing in their legal arguments. Ben points out this move was anticipated:

  • "Remember what I said? I said they're going to get fired. I know what Donald Trump was going to do. It was obvious." [09:38]

• Orwellian Moves:
  The original sentencing memo, which acknowledged Jan 6 and Trump’s role, was quietly deleted from the public docket—an extremely rare move. A scrubbed version was refiled, removing all mention of Trump and Jan 6.

• Ken Delaney Quote:
  Ben references the NBC journalist’s comment:
  “I think this fits the definition of Orwellian.” [05:40]

2. Systemic DOJ Gutting & Unqualified Appointments

[09:45 – 12:27]

• Pattern of Replacing Career Prosecutors:
  Ben details the replacement of legitimate, Senate-confirmed DOJ professionals with Trump loyalists or TV personalities, many lacking proper credentials:

  • “You have, like, pretender or fake United States attorneys.” [10:37]
  • Examples: Lindsey Halligan (VA), Alina Haba (NJ), A. Salie (CA)—none Senate-confirmed, many unlawfully serving.
  • Point: Under the Appointments Clause, these positions require Senate confirmation. Trump repeatedly skips this.

• Impact on DOJ Performance:
  Ben: “The bench of good lawyers at the DOJ is basically being all but extinguished.” [13:47]
  He notes decent lawyers are being pushed out, replaced by incompetent loyalists who are “just bad lawyers” and “don’t know what they’re doing.”

3. Concrete Consequences: Collapse of Prosecutions

[13:47 – 17:45]

• Losing Cases:
  Ben highlights the DOJ’s growing losing streak as a result of poor lawyering:

  • Example: Peter Stinson, former Coast Guard officer, quickly acquitted of threatening Trump.
  • Quote: “Not guilty. Not guilty. Not guilty. Not guilty. ... The DOJ doesn’t lose like this in the past.” [14:43]

• DEA Sinaloa Cartel Farce:
  The Boston Globe investigates supposed arrests of 200 “Sinaloa cartel members.” Turns out the arrested were mostly local drug addicts, not cartel players.

  • “They just wanted to round up the usual suspects... then they said these are Sinaloa cartel members and it’s again why these cases are not sticking.” – Ben [16:45]

• Connection to Broader Injustices:
  Ben raises alarms about alleged war crimes overseas, suggesting the administration labels foreign targets as “cartel” or “terrorist” to justify severe actions, including lethal force without proper legal process.

4. Criminalizing Protest and Silencing Dissent

[17:45 – 22:37]

• The Case of Kat Abu Ghazale:

  • Kat, a congressional candidate, was federally charged after a peaceful protest outside an ICE facility in Chicago.

  • She releases a statement on the show defending the First Amendment and warning of the administration’s efforts to silence dissent:

    • Quote (Kat Abu Ghazale, 20:29):
      “This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent … This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize, protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them.”

  • She urges unity and resilience:

    “We cannot diminish ourselves in the face of these attacks. … As scary as all of this is, I have spent my career fighting America’s backslide into fascism. I’m not going to stop now, and I hope you won’t either.” [21:29]

5. Closing Thoughts

[22:37 – 23:08]

• The Meidas brothers reiterate their support for whistleblowers, protesters, and the remaining career DOJ professionals resisting these “Orwellian” and “anti-democratic” efforts.
• Encouragement to support independent media and stay vigilant.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Retaliation:
  “Trump has retaliated against the two federal prosecutors whose names were on that pleading.” – Ben [03:32]

• On DOJ Filing Scrubbing:
  "They removed it from the docket. They just withdrew the docket document because of what it said about January 6th and Trump's involvement ... They almost never do this." – Ben [04:41]

• On Fake Appointments:
  “They're basically like playing Halloween in dress up … They're not allowed to be doing it.” – Ben [11:12]

• On DOJ Professional Exodus:
  “The bench of good lawyers at the DOJ is basically being all but extinguished.” – Ben [13:47]

• On Criminalizing Protest:
  “This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment.” – Kat Abu Ghazale [20:29]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:33] DOJ memo links Trump to Jan 6 and Obama doxxing; prosecutors fired
• [05:40] Ken Delaney: “I think this fits the definition of Orwellian.”
• [09:45] Discussion on fake, unconfirmed Trump DOJ appointments
• [13:47] DOJ "bench" gutted; examples of losing key cases
• [16:45] Sinaloa cartel arrests exposed as false; critique of DOJ tactics
• [20:29] Kat Abu Ghazale’s statement on political prosecutions and First Amendment
• [22:37] Episode closing and call to action

Tone and Takeaways

• Tone: Outraged, factual, darkly humorous, and deeply concerned for the rule of law
• Takeaway: The episode paints a dire portrait of DOJ under Trump—purging truth-tellers, replacing them with cronies, scrubbing damning public records, losing critical prosecutions, and weaponizing the legal system to target dissent. Protesters and lawyers alike are urged to unite, resist, and document these abuses for the sake of democracy.

Ideal for listeners seeking a deep, critical, and engaging rundown on the Trump DOJ’s alarming recent actions, with clear explanations and pointed commentary.