Defending Democracy with Marc Elias

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Hillary Clinton on the Right-Wing Machine, the Courts and Trump's Corruption Jul 01, 2026

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joins Marc Elias on Defending Democracy for a wide-ranging conversation on Trump's Justice Department and blatant corruption, the Supreme Court's assault on voting rights and the decades-long right-wing machine that made it all possible. Clinton, who has been on the front lines of these fights since the 1990s, pulls no punches on the institutions that have failed to push back and what Democrats need to do to win in 2026.

The Supreme Court Saved Birthright Citizenship — This Time Jun 30, 2026

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The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship 6-3, rejecting Trump's executive order — but three justices sided with Trump, and Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence signals the fight may not be over. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias also breaks down the other cases that closed out the term: a 5-4 win in the mail-in ballot case, where the RNC tried to stop states from counting ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after, and a loss in his campaign finance case where six justices struck down a provision that had been law since 1976. The wins are worth celebrating, but the margins are narrow and none of these fights are finished.

VICTORY: We Just Won a Supreme Court Case That Protects Your Mail-in Ballot Jun 29, 2026

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Democracy Docket founder and voting rights attorney Marc Elias spent years litigating Watson v. Republican National Committee from trial court all the way to the Supreme Court — despite plenty of people telling him he couldn't win. In this video, he breaks down the court's 5-4 ruling rejecting the RNC's effort to throw out mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day but received afterward. He also explains why every state should now adopt this rule and what you can do to make that happen.

BREAKING: Judge Blocks Trump From Killing Your Mail Ballot Jun 25, 2026

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A federal judge in Massachusetts just blocked Trump's executive order that would have let him use the Post Office to control who can vote by mail. This is a massive win for democracy — and it's not the only one.
In this video, Marc Elias breaks down three major court victories against Trump's effort to restrict voting, collect your sensitive voter data and undermine mail-in ballots before 2026.

Breaking Down Trump's Plan to Rig 2026 Elections with Nicolle Wallace Jun 24, 2026

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Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias joins Nicolle Wallace's Deadline: White House to break down Trump's scheme to control who gets to vote in the 2026 midterms. Trump's DOJ has sued states across the country to seize voter files — and lost every single case so far. But winning in court may only be the beginning. Trump is following the same grievance playbook he used in 2020, and the next phase could be far more dangerous.

Even Trump's Own Judges Keep Ruling Against Him on Voter Data Jun 22, 2026

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The DOJ has sued 31 states to seize your most sensitive voter data. They've lost every single case so far: nine courts, zero wins. In this episode, Marc Elias breaks down why Trump's voter data obsession isn't just a PR stunt — it's about building a national voter list the White House controls and using it to decide who gets to vote in 2026.

Is Trump Really Just a Mob Boss? | Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade Jun 17, 2026

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Former U.S. attorney and University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade spent decades prosecuting organized crime, corrupt officials and con men. In her new book, "The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government," she makes the case that what's happening in Washington right now looks very familiar. In this episode of Defending Democracy, Marc Elias sits down with McQuade to break down how Trump has turned the Department of Justice into a tool of political retribution, why major law firms and media companies caved to White House pressure and what everyday Americans can do to fight back.

The State That Moved Fastest to Gut Black Votes | Rep. Justin Pearson Jun 16, 2026

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Days after the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision, Tennessee became the first state in the country to eliminate a majority-Black congressional district. Memphis was cracked into thirds in just 72 hours, with no hearings, no community input and no requirement to notify voters. State Rep. Justin Pearson breaks down how it happened, what was lost and why he's running for Congress anyway — in the very district they drew to stop him.

3 Ways Trump Is Trying to Steal Your Vote in 2026 Jun 12, 2026

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Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias breaks down the three fronts of Donald Trump's war on voting: restricting voter registration through proof-of-citizenship laws and a national voter database, controlling who gets to use mail-in voting by weaponizing the U.S. Postal Service and laying the groundwork for another "stop the count" campaign.

Trump Is Trying to Rig 2026 with a Secret Voter List Jun 10, 2026

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Trump and his administration are quietly building a national list of approved voters — and if your name isn't on it, you may not be able to vote by mail in 2026. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias breaks down the scheme, explains why Trump's DOJ is losing in the courts, and lists what you can do right now to protect your vote.

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