

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

Jul 29, 2025 • 52min
The Epstein Files (with Ben Wittes)
On this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara is joined by Lawfare editor-in-chief Ben Wittes, while Joyce is out. On the Insider docket:– Deputy AG Todd Blanche’s meeting with Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell;– The battle over unsealing grand jury testimony in the Epstein case;– The firing of Maurene Comey, an SDNY prosecutor and daughter of former FBI director Jim Comey;– Whether there’s any merit to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s allegations that President Obama committed “treason” in the 2016 Russian election interference matter; and– The Department of Defense’s findings that the information shared erroneously by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth via Signal was indeed classified.Shownotes & transcript can be found at CAFE.com.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, Noa Azulai, and Liana Greenway.

Jul 24, 2025 • 5min
Bonus: How Cynicism Erodes Our Politics (with Barry Diller)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet is joined by legendary media executive Barry Diller, who reflects on the current political moment, and whether AI can replace the artist’s 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.

Jul 22, 2025 • 50min
Epstein Fallout
On the Insider docket:– President Donald Trump’s push to unseal grand jury testimony from the Jeffrey Epstein case following weeks of backlash from Trump’s supporters;– Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over a report on Epstein’s birthday letters, including one reportedly bearing Trump’s signature; and– The firing of SDNY prosecutor Maurene Comey, who handled the Epstein prosecution.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.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; Senior Audio Producer: Matthew Billy; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Nat Weiner, Noa Azulai, and Liana Greenway.

Jul 15, 2025 • 50min
AI in Trump's America (with Nita Farahany)
In this engaging discussion, Nita Farahany, a Duke Law School professor and expert on tech ethics, unpacks the evolving landscape of AI in America. She emphasizes the urgent need for Congressional safeguards to tackle AI risks. The conversation dives into 'cognitive liberty' and what it means for privacy, particularly regarding AI's influence over our thoughts. They explore AI's implications in legal settings, healthcare improvements, and the creative industry, highlighting the struggle for regulation amidst rapid technological advancements.

Jul 10, 2025 • 7min
Bonus: How Trump is Undermining Ukraine (with Anne Applebaum)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet is joined by Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum to discuss Trump’s “not very strategic” policy toward Russia and Ukraine, and how Trump has undermined the Ukrainian cause. 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.

Jul 8, 2025 • 50min
Fighting Trump’s Asylum Ban
On the Insider docket:– The Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which affords parents of elementary school children a religious exemption to school lessons on LGBTQ+ storybooks;– A federal judge’s ruling that stops President Trump from limiting who can apply for asylum in the U.S.;– The Supreme Court’s order that cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport a group of immigrants to South Sudan; and– The blowback against Attorney General Pam Bondi following DOJ’s disclosure that Jeffrey Epstein didn’t have a “client list” and wasn’t murdered.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.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; Senior Audio Producer: Matthew Billy; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Nat Weiner, Noa Azulai, and Liana Greenway.

Jul 3, 2025 • 17min
Bonus: Was the U.S. Bombing of Iran Constitutional? (with Jack Goldsmith & Trevor Morrison)

Jul 1, 2025 • 48min
SCOTUS to America: "You Deal With Him"
On the Insider docket:– The Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. CASA limiting lower court judges’ power to issue nationwide injunctions;– The Justice Department’s lawsuit against all 15 of Maryland’s district court judges over a deportation order; and– A whistleblower complaint accusing Emil Bove, a top Trump official and judicial nominee, of disregarding court orders. For more analysis at the intersection of law and politics, head to cafe.com/brief to sign up for CAFE’s free weekly newsletter featuring a Note from Elie Honig, a legal news roundup, and more.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

Jun 26, 2025 • 5min
Bonus: Inside the Situation Room (with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet is joined by Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer, President Biden’s two senior-most national security advisors, to talk about what actually happens inside the White House Situation Room. 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.

Jun 24, 2025 • 50min
Deportations at SCOTUS
On the Insider docket:– The Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Trump administration to deport immigrants to countries other than their homeland;– A judge’s order releasing pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil from custody while his deportation case proceeds;– A ruling ordering the release of Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego García while he awaits his criminal trial; – A federal appeals court decision allowing President Trump to retain control of the National Guard in Los Angeles; and– The Supreme Court’s recent decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti upholding a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. For more analysis at the intersection of law and politics, head to cafe.com/brief to sign up for CAFE’s free weekly newsletter featuring a Note from Elie Honig, a legal news roundup, and more.We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at letters@cafe.com with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.