The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell

Latest Episodes:

S2 Ep160: Andrew Weissmann: Trump's Slush Fund Isn't Just Corrupt—It's a Crime May 20, 2026

Show notes

Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell on launch day for his book 'Liar's Kingdom'—but first they discuss why Weissmann calls Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund" an outright fraud on taxpayers. Then: why election lies are distinct even among Trump's 30,000 lies, what Brazil and the UK do to stop them, and the publisher that vanished the day after a Trump executive order. Plus mob bosses in bathrobes.

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Buy Andrew Weissmann’s book, Liar’s Kingdom: https://bookshop.org/p/books/liar-s-kingdom-how-to-stop-trump-s-deceit-and-save-america-andrew-weissmann/e79cc4410e81f719?ean=9780316601306&next=t&next=t&affiliate=2344

Buy 'Liar's Kingdom' on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0505rxTd

S2 Ep159: Trump Built a System That Pays People to Break the Law (w/ Ben Wittes) May 17, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Ben Wittes discuss the Supreme Court mifepristone fight and why it could reshape abortion politics for years to come, then dig into Trump’s proposed $1.7 billion “weaponization” fund for Jan. 6 allies, the DOJ’s effort to protect Jeffrey Clark, and Kash Patel’s increasingly bizarre behavior as FBI director.

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S2 Ep158: Jerome Powell is Fueled by Pure Righteous Anger—And We LOVE IT (w/ Andrew Weissmann) May 07, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the Supreme Court’s voting rights decision, the rush to redraw congressional maps before the midterms, Trump allies pushing criminal investigations against political enemies, the escalating fight over Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve, and the growing fears around abuse of FISA surveillance powers. Plus, Weissmann explains why the SPLC case is already DOA—and why he believes these moves are straight up authoritarian.

Illegal News fans can get 15% off Andrew's book, 'Liar's Kingdom' by using this link to pre-order: https://bookshop.org/a/2344/9780316601306

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S2 Ep157: SCOTUS Profoundly Changed Elections—Mid-Vote! (w/ Kate Shaw) Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Kate Shaw—ABC News contributor and co-host of the podcast 'Strict Scrutiny'—joins Sarah Longwell to explain a major Supreme Court ruling that American elections. Then they discuss a string of notable legal news: a DOJ filing that reads like Trump wrote it himself, Trump suing his own government for $10 billion, and the indefensible Comey “seashell” indictment.

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S2 Ep156: Kash Patel's Lawsuit Could Backfire—BIG TIME (w/ Andrew Weissmann) Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss a series of major legal developments—from a questionable DOJ indictment targeting the Southern Poverty Law Center, to Kash Patel’s high-risk lawsuit against The Atlantic, to a wave of firings inside the Justice Department that’s raising alarms.

They explain what’s actually in these cases (and what’s missing), why some of the legal theories fall apart under scrutiny, and what it all signals about the direction of the DOJ. Plus: a major ruling on Trump’s January 6 liability—and whether taxpayers could end up footing the bill.

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S2 Ep155: Judge Tosses Trump’s WSJ Lawsuit Over Epstein Birthday Card (w/ Elliot Williams) Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Elliot Williams explain why courts keep rejecting Trump's defamation claims, what “actual malice” really means, and how his wave of lawsuits is really meant to pressure the media.

Plus: the bizarre Trump-as-Jesus post, the growing use of the justice system for retribution, and why targeting witnesses like Cassidy Hutchinson should set off alarms.

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S2 Ep154: Sorry, The 25th Amendment Can't Save Us From Trump (w/ Andrew Weissmann) Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann explain the legality of Trump’s unhinged Iran threats, the legal reality behind “war crimes” warnings, and the global fallout of a strategy with no clear objective. They also discuss Trump’s push to control elections, why it’s likely unconstitutional—and why losing in court may actually be part of the plan. Plus, the Steve Bannon case and what it says about a system where accountability depends on loyalty to the president.

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Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-eat-an-elephant-sarah-longwell/1149619381?ean=9781250464170

S2 Ep153: Reporters Now Need ESCORTS to Do Their Jobs at the Pentagon (w/ Elliot Williams) Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Longwell and Elliot Williams explain a series of legal fights that go to the core of how the country operates—from whether birthright citizenship could actually be undone, to a new immigration detention policy that could keep people locked up for years.

They also discuss the Pentagon’s escalating clash with the press and what it means for the First Amendment and the surreal push to rewrite the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Correction (March 31, 2026, 9:20 p.m. EDT): Elliot Williams mistakenly mentioned San Antonio, Texas as the location of a court conducting legal proceedings involving abortion pills; in fact, the court is in Amarillo, Texas.

S2 Ep152: Todd Blanche’s Jaw-Dropping Ethics Violation (w/ Andrew Weissmann) Mar 28, 2026

Show notes

JVL (filling in for Sarah Longwell) joins Andrew Weissmann for a wide-ranging breakdown of a system under strain. They discuss the DOJ’s $1.25M payout to Michael Flynn, a surprising leak tied to the Trump investigations, and the backlash that followed—including a top official calling prosecutor Jack Smith a “proven liar.”

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S2 Ep151: Trump’s Half-Baked Border Plan Collides With Legal Reality (w/ Andrew Weissmann) Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to explain Trump’s failed attempt to target Fed Chair Jerome Powell—and why a judge shut it down as harassment. They also discuss the Trump admin's bizarre border strategy that’s collapsing in court, as DOJ lawyers admit they’re being forced to bring cases they can’t prove. Plus: a major Supreme Court fight over immigrant protections, and new warning signs around Trump’s broader legal strategy heading into 2026.

Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations Against Department of Justice Attorneys: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/05/2026-04390/review-of-state-bar-complaints-and-allegations-against-department-of-justice-attorneys

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Pre-order Andrew's new book, "Liar's Kingdom":

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- Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MHQ8MR
- Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/402H2xc
- Bookshop.org: Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3N5hVa3

Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-eat-an-elephant-sarah-longwell/1149619381?ean=9781250464170

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