

CAFE Insider
CAFE
Co-hosts Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance help you to make sense of law and politics each week, plus weekly notes and bonus content exclusive to CAFE Insider members.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 2, 2025 • 4min
Bonus: Running the Process (with Antony Blinken)
In the bonus for Insiders, Secretary Blinken shares his thoughts on his successor, Secretary Marco Rubio, and what it means to “run the process.” Thank you for being a member of the CAFE Insider community.Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #AskPreet, email us at letters@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Sep 30, 2025 • 52min
Is the Comey Prosecution Fatally Flawed?
On the Insider docket:– The indictment of former FBI Director Jim Comey, charging him with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding; and– The Justice Department’s decision to close an investigation into Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, for allegedly accepting a $50,000 bribe.Shownotes & transcript can be found at CAFE.com.Want to see Preet and Joyce live? They’ll be having an in-person conversation about Joyce’s upcoming book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable, hosted by the 92NY on October 21 at 7:30pm ET. Head to this link to purchase in-person or virtual tickets.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. Watch livestreams on YouTube or Substack.This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Audio Producer: Nat Weiner; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Matthew Billy, and Liana Greenway.

Sep 25, 2025 • 4min
Bonus: Comedy Informs Common Knowledge Informs Comedy… (with Steven Pinker)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet speaks with cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker about how laughter and comedy can inform common knowledge and vice versa.Thank you for being a member of the CAFE Insider community.Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #AskPreet, email us at letters@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Sep 22, 2025 • 55min
Trump Ramps Up Retribution
On the Insider docket:– Eastern District of Virginia US Attorney Erik Siebert’s resignation amid pressure from President Trump to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James;– Trump’s Truth Social post urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute political rivals;– Charlie Kirk’s assassination and its aftermath; and– FBI Director Kash Patel’s testimony before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees.Shownotes & transcript can be found at CAFE.com.Want to see Preet and Joyce live? They’ll be having an in-person conversation about Joyce’s upcoming book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable, hosted by the 92NY on October 21 at 7:30pm ET. Head to this link to purchase in-person or virtual tickets.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. Watch livestreams on YouTube or Substack.This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Audio Producer: Nat Weiner; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Matthew Billy, and Liana Greenway.

Sep 18, 2025 • 8min
Bonus: When the Mob Tried to Kill Curtis Sliwa (with Elie Honig)
In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Elie discuss what makes Elie such a prolific writer, plus, that one time the mob tried to kill Curtis Sliwa. Thank you for being a member of the CAFE Insider community.Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #AskPreet, email us at letters@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Sep 16, 2025 • 58min
SCOTUS’ Game of Chicken with Trump (with Dahlia Lithwick)
On this week’s Insider episode, Joyce Vance is joined by Slate senior editor and host of the Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lithwick, while Preet is out. On the Insider docket:– The appeasement theory and how the Supreme Court is emboldening Trump in his continued fight for power;– Some of the most important cases the Court will decide in its upcoming term, covering tariffs, transgender rights, voting rights, and campaign financing;– How politics and culture wars are factoring into the Court’s decisions; and– Dynamics between the nine justices.Shownotes & transcript can be found at CAFE.com.Want to see Preet and Joyce live? They’ll be having an in-person conversation about Joyce’s upcoming book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable, hosted by the 92NY on October 21 at 7:30pm ET. Head to this link to purchase in-person or virtual tickets.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. Watch livestreams on YouTube or Substack.This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Audio Producer: Nat Weiner; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Matthew Billy, and Liana Greenway.

Sep 11, 2025 • 6min
Bonus: Refusing to Prosecute Gun Crimes in D.C. (with John Feinblatt and Adam Winkler)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt and Second Amendment expert Adam Winkler speak with Preet about U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s decision not to federally prosecute individuals for carrying rifles or shotguns in D.C.Thank you for being a member of the CAFE Insider community.Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #AskPreet, email us at letters@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Sep 9, 2025 • 38min
Trump’s America: Do We All Need to Carry Papers Now?
Recent Supreme Court rulings have sparked a heated debate about immigration enforcement and racial profiling. Legally dubious military tactics from the Trump administration raise ethical questions, especially concerning federal troop involvement in domestic issues. A humorous debate on taco preferences lightens the tone, illustrating how food culture intertwines with politics. Legal challenges surrounding the Alien Enemies Act and the controversial detention center in Florida further highlight the complexities of presidential power and immigration law.

Sep 4, 2025 • 7min
Bonus: What People Get Wrong About the ‘AI Revolution’ (with Daron Acemoglu)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Nobel Prize-winning economist and MIT professor Daron Acemoglu discusses what people often overlook when comparing the Industrial Revolution to the AI revolution. Thank you for being a member of the CAFE Insider community.Tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #AskPreet, email us at letters@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

9 snips
Sep 2, 2025 • 51min
Can Trump Do Whatever He Wants?
Dive into the complexities of federal authority versus local governance as they discuss Trump’s law enforcement strategies. Explore the implications of halting shotgun prosecutions in D.C. and its effects on Second Amendment rights. Hear about grand juries, their inconsistencies in legal treatment, and humorous critiques of today’s legal absurdities. The conversation intertwines nostalgic tales of childhood books and science fiction with pressing themes of democracy and liberty, making for an engaging exploration of current political dynamics.