Podcast Summary: UnJustified, Episode 55 - "This Job Sucks"

Date: February 8, 2026
Hosts: Allison Gill and Andrew McCabe
Podcast: UnJustified, MSW Media

Episode Overview

In this episode, Allison Gill (creator of Mueller, She Wrote) and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe unpack the accelerating erosion of civil liberties and the rule of law under Trump's Department of Justice. The episode centers on mounting crises within the DOJ, including mass resignations, judicial defiance, the weaponization of federal law enforcement for political retribution, and extraordinary interference in election investigations. With stories from overwhelmed DOJ lawyers in Minnesota to the surreal direct involvement of DNI Tulsi Gabbard in voting machine seizures, the show paints a vivid, urgent, and often darkly humorous picture of institutional breakdown and overt politicization at the heart of America’s justice system.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DOJ in Crisis: Minnesota Immigration Cases & Prosecutor Exodus

• Minneapolis Federal Courts Overwhelmed:

  • Judge Schlitz highlighted ICE's defiance: "ICE had ignored over 90...90 court orders across 74 cases," (Andy McCabe, [02:10]).
  • Operation Metro Surge has caused a "state of emergency" in the courts due to massive habeas petitions from detainees.

• DOJ Attorney Julie Lee’s Collapse in Court:

  • Provider’s quote:
    • “I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I can get 24 hours of sleep…This job sucks. I'm trying with every breath to get you what I need.” (Julie Lee, paraphrased by Andy McCabe [03:33])
  • Lee admitted, "The government system sucks" and broke down, highlighting exhaustion and lack of guidance.

• Systemic Breakdown:

  • ICE “was not prepared to argue cases in federal court,” and personnel were “assigned 88 federal cases in less than a month” (Allison Gill [04:33], Andy McCabe [04:58])
  • Massive exodus: The U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota dropped from 70 AUSAs to just 17, with resignations blamed on demands to violate legal and ethical responsibilities. (Allison Gill [05:24], Stacy Young quote [05:57])

• Consequences:

  • "Crimes are slipping through the cracks... [as] the U.S. attorney's office is flooded with habeas petitions." (Anonymous source via Scott McFarland, Allison Gill [06:37])
  • McCabe: “You just lost…80% of that office…You’re going to see an elevated crime rate. It’s almost unavoidable.” ([09:56])

• Potentially Deliberate Chaos:

  • "I have to wonder if it’s by design…you get an elevated crime rate in Minneapolis and all of sudden the Trump administration’s [claims] crime is out of control, ‘We gotta send the National Guard.’” (Allison Gill [10:53])

2. Murders of Alex Preddy and Renee Good: DOJ Inaction & Congressional Response

• Former Jan. 6 Prosecutors’ Memo:

  • Former DOJ prosecutors advised Congress on how to investigate ICE/CBP misconduct in Minneapolis, calling for independent investigations reminiscent of Jan. 6 tactics. (Allison Gill [12:58])
  • Memo excerpt:
    • "The DOJ has no apparent interest in investigating CBP and ICE crimes, so it will fall to Congress..." (Brendan Ballou, quoted by Gill [15:02])

• Shadow Oversight:

  • Groups of ex-DOJ and FBI officials are informally arming Congress with investigative strategies to bypass DOJ stonewalling. (Andy McCabe [16:27], Allison Gill [17:19])

• Judicial Response to Evidence Handling:

  • Judge Tostrud heavily criticized Trump officials for prejudicial comments but lifted a restraining order on evidence preservation in the Preddy case, deferring to federal investigators ([18:27]-[19:56]).
  • Notable quote:
    • "These statements are troubling. They reflect not a genuine interest in learning the truth, but snap judgments informed by speculation and motivated by political partisanship." (Judge Tostrud, cited by Andy McCabe [20:33])

• Skepticism & Systemic Distrust:

  • Judges reluctant to oversee DOJ; Congress’s inability to conduct effective oversight, and local prosecutors still denied access to evidence. (Allison Gill [22:46])

3. Tulsi Gabbard’s Extraordinary Election Interference

• DNI Tulsi Gabbard at Georgia Ballot Seizures:

  • Gabbard joined FBI agents during a major raid on Fulton County’s election offices, not the typical role for a DNI. ([26:07])
  • She called Trump during the operation; the President addressed agents directly on speakerphone, commending and questioning them.
    • "This is the perfect example of unlawful command interference…" (Andy McCabe [26:54])

• Bizarre, Shifting Explanations from the Trump Admin:

  • Trump, Tulsi, Pam Bondi, and the White House gave at least six contradictory stories about Gabbard’s presence. (Allison Gill [31:18])
  • Gabbard’s spokeswoman: “Two things can be true at the same time.” (Olivia Coleman, [33:29])
  • Gill: “[It’s] evidence that they’re kind of like consciousness of guilt.” ([35:26])

• Wider Implications—Puerto Rico & Maduro:

  • Gabbard also seized voting machines in Puerto Rico for a supposed Maduro/Venezuela election interference probe. (Allison Gill [36:22])
  • Gill speculates, "All roads lead to Putin," tying together election interference, pardons for foreign leaders, and destabilization campaigns. ([38:49])

• Whistleblower Complaint Suppressed:

  • Gabbard withheld a whistleblower report from Congress for eight months, despite legal obligation for 21-day delivery—a repeat pattern from earlier Trump-era scandals.
    • “She’s supposed to do it within 21 days… but… it sat there for eight months.” (Andy McCabe [40:36])

4. The Weaponization Czar Falls: Ed Martin Demoted for Leaking

• Ed Martin’s Misconduct:

  • The “Weaponization Czar” and Pardon Attorney, Ed Martin, was demoted after leaking grand jury material from Trump’s political investigations (including into Adam Schiff and Letitia James). ([43:40])
  • “Ed Martin broke the rules. Andy, can you believe it?” (Allison Gill [44:32])
  • When confronted, Martin initially denied wrongdoing; emails later surfaced proving misconduct - invoking McCabe’s own “lack of candor” firing.
    • “That, folks, is called lack of candor. That’s what I was fired for, allegedly.” (McCabe [45:11])

• Weaponization Group Fizzling, Pressure Mounting:

  • Despite intense pressure from Trump and Bondi, the ‘Weaponization Working Group’ hasn't produced meaningful indictments and faces daily meetings to show results.
    • “Those are gonna be quick meetings. You, like, go around the table like: ‘You got anything?’ ... ‘No, nothing. All right, see you tomorrow.’” (McCabe [48:17])

5. Listener Questions & Moments of Levity

• Personal Tales:

  • McCabe and Gill share behind-the-scenes stories about TV appearances and amusing FBI raids.
    • “It’s business on top and party on the bottom with these video links from home.” (McCabe [51:00])
    • FBI raid misadventures: “None of us has blocked the door, so it just swings back and closes right in our faces.” (McCabe [59:18])

• On Presidential Corruption:

  • “Can the president earn any amount of money with no questions asked?” (Listener Q&A, Kay)
    • McCabe: “No, he shouldn’t. [But]... he’s now just doing it and nobody’s calling him on it.” ([53:41])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Judicial Desperation:

  • "I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I can get 24 hours of sleep…This job sucks." — Julie Lee (as described by Andy McCabe, [03:33])

• On Judicial Laxity:

  • “Though the record is not one sided, the greater weight of the evidence shows that the government is not likely to destroy or improperly alter evidence…” — Judge Tostrud ([19:51])

• Trump Admin’s Narrative Whiplash:

  • “As the President said, he asked for Director Gabbard to be there. Attorney General Bondi also asked for her to be there. Two things can be true at the same time.” — Olivia Coleman, Gabbard’s Spokeswoman ([33:29])
  • “All things can be true at the same time, even though they’re totally contradictory. Just go with it.” — Gill ([33:36])

• On Systemic Incompetence:

  • “In these dark days, strong evidence of incompetence is really one of the most hopeful things I’ve come across…” — McCabe ([35:37])

• Humor Amidst Despair:

  • “She went to Georgia, she was looking for a soul to steal and just happened to be there at this FBI raid.” — Gill ([29:54])
  • “John Wilkes Booth happened to go to the theater that night.” — McCabe ([30:02])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• DOJ Minnesota Crisis & Julie Lee Breakdown:
  • [00:51] – [11:51]
• Jan 6 Prosecutors’ Congressional Memo / Preddy Case:
  • [12:58] – [23:53]
• Tulsi Gabbard in Election Interference:
  • [24:58] – [38:49]
• Ed Martin & “Weaponization Czar” Fallout:
  • [43:40] – [49:04]
• Listener Q&A & FBI War Stories:
  • [49:15] – [59:40]

Final Thoughts

Allison and Andy close by acknowledging the overwhelming and destabilizing effect of the Trump administration’s tactics—but urge listeners to focus on resilience, humor, and vigilance. As investigations and resistance continue, they promise to keep their audience informed, skeptical, and, when possible, entertained.

For additional content and whistleblower interviews, check out UnJustified on the Midas Touch Network and Allison Gill’s Substack.