Factually! with Adam Conover The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption with David Sirota
Jan 7, 2026
David Sirota, an investigative journalist and author of "Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America," delves into the troubling intersection of money and politics. He reveals how legal frameworks have transformed corruption into a norm, tracing it back to key Supreme Court rulings. Sirota highlights the failure of recent reforms and the need for public financing to combat big-money influence. He argues for rebuilding grassroots movements to challenge corporate power and advocates making corruption a pivotal campaign issue for change.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Legal Reframing Enabled Modern Corruption
- A deliberate legal project over decades reframed money in politics as protected speech.
- This shift enabled modern large-scale corporate spending and weakened anti-corruption enforcement.
Powell Memo To Supreme Court Influence
- David Sirota traces the turn from Watergate reforms to a conservative counter-plan led by Lewis Powell.
- Powell later joined the Supreme Court and helped craft rulings that expanded corporate political power.
Bribery Law Has Been Narrowed
- Recent Supreme Court decisions narrowed bribery doctrines, distinguishing gratuities from bribes.
- That legal narrowing makes prosecuting pay-for-play far harder and normalizes influence peddling.
