Noah Feldman is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard University where he focuses on constitutional law. He joins Preet to discuss recent laws that test the constitutional doctrine of separation of church and state in the U.S., his experience helping craft Iraq’s first democratic constitution two decades ago, and the urgency of regulating AI tools like Chat GPT. Plus, why is Rep. Jim Jordan compelling Mark Pomerantz to testify before Congress? And why is there so much concern over th...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 17 min
In this excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Chief Justice John Roberts’s refusal to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Supreme Court’s ethics rules. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down: – Former Vice President Mike Pence’s reported testimony before a grand jury in DOJ’s January 6 investigation; and – Writer E. Jean Carroll’s testimony in her battery and defamation case against former President Donald Trump. Stay informed. ...
May 02, 2023•17 min
Preet speaks with Coral Davenport, a reporter at the New York Times who covers energy and environmental policy, with a focus on climate change. They discuss the newly-proposed EPA rules affecting electric vehicle production and greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. References & Supplemental Materials: “Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Strongest-Ever Pollution Standards for Cars and Trucks,” EPA , 4/12/23 “E.P.A. Lays Out Rules to Turbocharge Sales of Electric Cars and Trucks,” NYT ...
May 01, 2023•24 min
Jen Psaki served as the White House press secretary for President Biden from January 2021 until May 2022. She’s currently an MSNBC political analyst and host of the Sunday MSNBC show, “Inside with Jen Psaki.” She joins Preet to discuss Biden’s reelection campaign announcement, the state of the 2024 presidential race, and her tenure in the White House. Plus, charges dropped against Alec Baldwin, an announcement by Fulton County DA Fani Willis about the timing of her decision on charges in the Tru...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 17 min
In this excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance delve into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s agreement with GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, which permits former assistant DA Mark Pomerantz to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down: – The Supreme Court’s ruling that allows the abortion pill Mifepristone to remain on the market while litigation proceeds in a lower court; – The decision by a New Mexico special prosecut...
Apr 25, 2023•14 min
Preet speaks with Bellingcat reporter Aric Toler about the effort he led to reveal the identity of the 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard accused of publishing top-secret Pentagon documents on social media. References & Supplemental Materials: “The Airman Who Gave Gamers a Real Taste of War,” NYT, 4/13/23 “The FBI Called Me”: Meet Aric Toler, the Bellingcat Sleuth Who Helped The New York Times Find Suspected Pentagon Leaker Jack Teixeira,” Vanity Fair , 4/18/23 “From ...
Apr 24, 2023•23 min
Joan Biskupic, CNN’s Senior Supreme Court Analyst, has been covering the Court for over three decades. She joins Preet to discuss the recent controversy over Justice Thomas’ financial nondisclosures, the fast-moving Mifepristone case, and her new book, Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences . Plus, what is a superseding indictment and how does it work? Don’t miss the Insider bonus, where Biskupic talks about the craft of reporting on the Sup...
Apr 20, 2023•59 min
In this sample from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s failure to disclose a real estate deal with a billionaire GOP donor. To what extent might this undermine public confidence in the judiciary? And might Thomas have violated ethics rules? In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down: – The Supreme Court’s imminent decision on whether to freeze a court order out of Texas that revokes FDA approval of the abortion drug Mifepr...
Apr 18, 2023•19 min
Nita Farahany is a professor at Duke University School of Law and the author of “The Battle for Your Brain.” Her work focuses on the ethical, legal, and social implications of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. How will these emerging technologies affect our rights to privacy, freedom of thought, and self-determination? The conversation took place in San Francisco on April 16th at the Sydney Goldstein Theater, and was hosted by City Arts & Lectures. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented...
Apr 17, 2023•50 min
Maggie Haberman is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, senior political correspondent at the New York Times and author of the 2022 book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America . She joins Preet to discuss how Trump is handling the indictment and the political ramifications for the 2024 election. Plus, Preet assesses whether we could soon see charges stemming from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Trump Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation. Don’t miss the Insi...
Apr 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min
In this sample from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the pair of conflicting court orders issued by federal judges in Texas and Washington state that have put access to the abortion drug Mifepristone in limbo. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down: – Issues stemming from former President Trump’s indictment in Manhattan, including whether prosecutors should have named the particular crime they allege Trump intended to conceal by falsifying business records...
Apr 11, 2023•18 min
Preet speaks with Martin Indyk, the former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, about the political crisis unfolding in Israel following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to pursue an overhaul of the country’s independent judiciary. Programming Note: This episode was recorded on Thursday, April 6th, shortly after the militant group Hamas fired dozens of rockets into Jerusalem from northern Lebanon, and before Israel’s retaliation. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podca...
Apr 10, 2023•25 min
How strong are the Manhattan DA’s charges against Donald Trump? Preet discusses (and at times, debates) the Trump indictment with former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance and Lawfare editor-in-chief Ben Wittes. Preet, Joyce, and Ben also map out what comes next in the Trump case and analyze the political implications of bringing criminal charges against a former president. Preet and Joyce will continue to analyze the latest news stemming from the Trump indictment on the CAFE Insider podcast. Try the mem...
Apr 05, 2023•56 min
A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Donald Trump, making him the first former president in American history to face criminal charges. Preet reacts to the news with Joyce Vance, co-host of the CAFE Insider podcast and the former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Preet and Joyce also preview what to expect from Trump’s arraignment, and the full unsealed indictment. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts an...
Mar 31, 2023•28 min
George Packer is an Atlantic staff writer who has been one of the incisive observers of American culture and politics for over two decades. He joins Preet to discuss the potential impact of a Trump indictment on the 2024 presidential election, whether we should be optimistic about America’s future, and his recent Atlantic article criticizing “equity language.” Plus, why is it taking so long for the Manhattan DA to indict Donald Trump? Don’t miss the Insider bonus, where Preet and Packer talk abo...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 15 min
This week on CAFE Insider , Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s involvement in a 2016 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. In this sample from the show, Preet and Joyce refine their thoughts on the strength of the potential criminal charges and Trump’s possible defenses to the charges. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down the prosecutorial discretion considerations that come into play when deciding whethe...
Mar 28, 2023•14 min
Preet speaks with Shannon K. O’Neil, the Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, about the latest in Mexican politics — the controversial electoral reform legislation, the recent kidnappings of Americans, and the long-standing war with the drug cartels. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. References & Supplemental...
Mar 27, 2023•21 min
Preet speaks with three former federal prosecutors about the expected indictment of former President Donald Trump by the Manhattan DA’s office. He’s joined by former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barb McQuade, and former Organized Crime Chief at the Southern District of New York Elie Honig. They discuss the timing of the indictment, the expected charges, the likely defenses, the potential for a conviction...
Mar 23, 2023•53 min
Sheila Bair is the former chair of the FDIC where she was a central figure in decision making during the financial crisis in 2008. Preet and Bair discuss whether the defunct Silicon Valley Bank should have received a bailout from the government and why Bair believes the Federal Reserve should stop raising interest rates. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-...
Mar 20, 2023•21 min
Mehdi Hasan, a political journalist and the host of The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC, has a reputation for debating guests across the political spectrum. He joined Preet live at The Strand Book Store in New York City to discuss his new book, Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking . Plus, the Manhattan DA’s office is reportedly close to charging Donald Trump, and the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the failure of Silicon Valley Bank. For show ...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 6 min
In this special episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Joyce Vance interviews Michael Dreeben, while Preet is out. Dreeben served in the Solicitor General’s office for over 30 years, including 24 years as the Deputy Solicitor General in charge of the federal government’s criminal docket. He is one of only eight people, in the history of the country, to have argued over 100 cases before the Supreme Court. In this sample from the show, Dreeben discusses some of the most memorable moments from his ma...
Mar 14, 2023•21 min
Dan Diamond is a national health reporter for the Washington Post. He’s written extensively on the debate about whether to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Preet speaks with Diamond about the tug of war on Capitol Hill to pass legislation and why not all states are on the same page about what to do. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. Referenc...
Mar 13, 2023•23 min
Zanny Minton Beddoes has been editor-in-chief of The Economist since 2015. She joined the international weekly publication in 1994 as its emerging markets correspondent. In 2018, Beddoes was ranked among Forbes’ 100 most powerful women in the world. She joins Preet to discuss the state of U.S.-China relations, whether AI technology should be regulated, and an unexpected silver lining of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Plus, the possibility that Mike Pence evades testifying in the Justice Department’s J...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Springfield, Massachusetts, 2003. Mob boss Alfonso “Big Al'' Bruno is shot dead in a parking lot, shocking the community. How does an “untouchable” man get killed? This is Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew . Host Elie Honig takes you inside the notorious Genovese crime family and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan where prosecutors are hard at work, trying to dismantle organized crime. New episodes drop every Wednesday starting March 1st. Head to the Up Against The Mob feed now to li...
Mar 08, 2023•32 min
In this sample from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the Supreme Court oral arguments in a pair of challenges to the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – The court filing by the Department of Justice in which prosecutors argued that former President Donald Trump is not entitled to immunity from civil lawsuits stemming from January 6; and – Trump’s court battle to shield former Vice President Mike P...
Mar 08, 2023•16 min
Veteran journalist Jonathan Alter is a contributing correspondent to NBC and the author of a biography of President Jimmy Carter, “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life.” In light of the news that Carter has entered hospice care in Georgia, Preet speaks with Alter about Carter’s presidency, his life, and his legacy. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-733...
Mar 06, 2023•37 min
Jia Tolentino is a staff writer at the New Yorker and the bestselling author of 2019’s “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self Delusion.” At age 34, she has quickly become one of the most celebrated essayists and cultural critics of her generation. Tolentino joins Preet to discuss the incentive structure behind social media companies, how becoming a mother has affirmed her belief in abortion rights, and how the current economic environment is affecting online journalism. Plus, what did Fani Willis, t...
Mar 02, 2023•1 hr 6 min
In this sample from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the public statements made by the foreperson of the Fulton County, Georgia special purpose grand jury, which conducted an investigation into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Did the grand jury recommend that the district attorney bring charges against Trump? Did the foreperson’s statements violate the judge’s instructions or criminal statutes? And will her comments undermine th...
Mar 01, 2023•16 min
Preet speaks with Sadie Gurman, a reporter at the Wall Street Journal covering the Department of Justice, about Attorney General Merrick Garland’s approach to death penalty cases. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. References & Supplemental Materials: Sadie Gurman, “Merrick Garland Raises the Bar for Death Penalty,” Wall Street Journal , 2/17...
Feb 27, 2023•20 min
Bianna Golodryga is a senior global affairs analyst and anchor at CNN. She joins Preet on the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to discuss the state of the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky's emblematic leadership throughout the conflict, the effectiveness of economic sanctions against Russia, and more. Plus, what did we learn from the unsealed portions of the Fulton County Trump investigation Grand Jury report? And could comments made to the press by the Grand Jury foreperson...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 12 min
