Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

Matt Gaetz And The Clown Car Crash Into The Justice Department

Nov 16, 2024

Mark Joseph Stern, a senior writer at Slate known for his incisive legal commentary, joins Dahlia Lithwick to discuss Trump's shocking pick of Matt Gaetz for the Justice Department. They dissect the implications for law and democracy, facing a potential erosion of nonpartisan values. Mary Anne Franks, a law professor and author of "Fearless Speech," delves into the escalating crisis of online censorship, particularly against women, arguing that free speech advocates often silence marginalized voices while pushing dangerous narratives.

01:18:49

Episode guests

Mary Anne Franks

Mark Joseph Stern

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The nomination of Matt Gaetz for Attorney General symbolizes a challenge to the integrity of the justice system amidst ongoing scandals.

Discussions on Elon Musk's influence reveal significant concerns about monopolization of public discourse and the complexities of free speech today.

The podcast highlights toxic masculinity in politics, emphasizing the need for diverse perspectives to foster genuine democratic engagement and equity.

Deep dives

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Intro

3min

Implications of Controversial Nominations

18min

Exploring Authoritarianism and Free Speech in Today's Climate

4min

Free Speech and Women's Safety: A Complex Intersection

13min

Reevaluating Free Speech in Political Discourse

8min

Free Speech and Power Dynamics

26min

The Paradox of Dominance and Desire in Politics

6min

Trump’s announcement of Matt Gaetz as his pick to head the Justice Department was met with gasps around the Capitol. Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s senior legal writer Mark Stern to, yes, gasp together, but also to dig into what this stunt Attorney General appointment means for the law and the rule of law.

Next, Dahlia talks to Dr. Mary Anne Franks, author of Fearless Speech about the new era of censorship we are entering under the unprecedented power of Elon Musk and the oligarchs screaming “free speech” as they sue in their forum-shopped court of choice.

Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.

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