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Our system of government is rooted in the Constitution and designed to ensure that power is shared, not concentrated in any one branch. But what happens when the institutions that were meant to hold one another accountable are tested in new and unprecedented ways?
Season 6 of Democracy Decoded tackles a range of topics from the separation of powers and the role of the Department of Justice to presidential pardons, political dissent, citizenship and safeguarding our elections. Each episode unpacks the latest developments, why they matter and what solutions are needed in our rapidly evolving political landscape.
Through conversations with leading legal experts, advocates and policymakers, we go beyond the headlines to examine the legal principles and constitutional framework that form the backbone of our democracy.
1. What Happens When the Balance of Power Becomes Unbalanced?
In this episode, host Simone Leeper is joined by Melissa Murray, Michael Luttig, and Brent Ferguson to examine how the rule of law is being dismantled by the Trump administration — one court ruling, one fired commissioner, and one unchecked executive action at a time.
2. Are Political Loyalty and Partisanship Replacing the Rule of Law at the DOJ?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by Michael Feinberg, Joyce Vance, and Dana Paikowsky to unpack how loyalty to the president and his political agenda has replaced impartiality and serving the public good inside the Department of Justice.
3. What Happens When Political Dissent Is Suppressed?
Host Simone Leeper traces a throughline from a handcuffed senator to blacklisted law firms, surveilled protesters, and hijacked government emails — and asks Yale Law Professor Robert Post and Campaign Legal Center's Danielle Lang what's left of the First Amendment when dissent comes with a price.
4. Who Gets a Pardon in Trump's America — and Why?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by former pardon attorney Liz Oyer and Campaign Legal Center’s Brendan Fischer to expose how President Trump has turned the pardon power into a tool for personal and political gain — rewarding donors, shielding corrupt allies, and fueling a lobbyist-driven market for clemency.
5. Is the Trump Administration Trying to Undermine Our Elections?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by Campaign Legal Center’s Jonathan Diaz and Chad Dunn of the UCLA Voting Rights Project to explore how attempts to undermine our elections reveal a coordinated effort to erode trust in American democracy, both historically and in the run-up to the 2026 midterms.
6. Can a President Control Who Votes in America?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by League of Women Voters' Marcia Johnson, Campaign Legal Center's Anna Baldwin, and Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar to trace the Trump administration's multi-front campaign against naturalized and first-generation voters and discuss what happens when a president tries to choose his voters instead of the other way around.
7. How Is the Supreme Court Undermining the Freedom To Vote?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by George Washington University law professor Spencer Overton, alongside Campaign Legal Center’s Gilda Daniels and Bruce Spiva, to examine how the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and Trump's redistricting push have left voters of color with fewer protections — and what it will take to get them back.