
It's Complicated
Join former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti and former FBI Special Agent and Yale Law School lecturer Asha Rangappa as they break down for Legal AF the biggest legal and political stories with sharp insight, real experience, and an unapologetic pro-democracy perspective. No spin, no both-sides nonsense — just the facts, the law, and what it all means for our democracy.
Latest episodes

Jun 7, 2024 • 53min
Episode 78 | Trump's Guilty; Hunter’s on Trial; Cicadas Gone Wild
Trump has been found guilty on all 24 counts. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on July 11th. What kind of sentence should we expect?Hunter Biden is on trial for a gun charge in Delaware. What is his team’s strategy?Plus. Henry really likes cicada season!Read Renato’s Piece in the NYTOpinion | How Trump’s Team Blew It - The New York TimesQuestions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVe
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 30, 2024 • 40min
Episode 77 | Jury Instructions; Travel Delays
The jury in Trump’s Manhattan trial is deliberating. What do they have to find in order to convict Trump? Did prosecutors do enough to convict?Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVeTrump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 24, 2024 • 44min
Episode 76 | Trump’s Witness; Jury Instructions; Bad Haircuts
Trump called his only witness and it was kind of a disaster.The jury of the first ever criminal trial of a former US President will be deliberating soon. Their instructions are somewhat complicated.Plus, a criminal haircut?Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVeTrump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=postWatch us on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/nidx0H8ptcM
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 2024 • 45min
Episode 75 | Cohen’s Testimony; Mother’s Day
Michael Cohen has a story to tell. He also has a lot of baggage. It remains to be seen whether the jury will find his story credible. Also, why isn’t everything he’s saying Trump said hearsay?Plus, we hope you had a better Mother’s Day than Melania.Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVeTrump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 10, 2024 • 41min
Episode 74 | Trump Trial Potpourri
Stormy Daniels’ testimony in Trump’s trial may be problematic for the prosecution.Judge Merchan admits that he is treating Trump differently from most other defendants.Other than Trump not being there, what are you looking for in a hotel?Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVeTrump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 3, 2024 • 55min
Episode 73 | Woke SCOTUS; Trump's Trial; RIP Cricket
The podcast discusses Trump's trial, Supreme Court immunity arguments, shocking animal abuse cases, complexities of legal cases, and exploring gender perceptions in VP picks and the unifying power of pets in society.

Apr 26, 2024 • 48min
Episode 72 - Trump on Trial; Gag Violation; Taylor Swift
The People of the State of New York against Donald J. Trump has begun. Asha and Renato break down the first couple of days of the trial–– from opening statements to jury selection, The People’s first witness, and Trump’s continued violation of Judge Merchan’s gag order.Plus, Asha is open to becoming a Swifty.Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVeTrump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=postWatch us on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/nidx0H8ptcMSubscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/Subscribe to our podcast https://link.chtbl.com/its-complicatedFollow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariottiOpening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 19, 2024 • 55min
Episode 71 - Trump’s Jury; FISA; Hair & Makeup*
*The original upload of this episode had some sync issues. Those issues are fixed in this version.Jury selection and seating in Trump’s election interference trial in Manhattan; people are confused about FISA– Asha will straighten them out.Plus, what does it take to be “camera ready?”Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/euYIPJdVe
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 12, 2024 • 55min
Episode 70 - Cannon’s Chaos; Sun God Trump; Operation Game Night
Jack Smith responded to Judge Cannon’s jury instruction request as the Mar-a-Lago case continues to go off the rails; Trump is still arguing that he has immunity before, during, and after his presidency; plus, maybe Asha should have been a doctor. Trump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 5, 2024 • 50min
Episode 69 - Pump and Dump? Re-Gagged; and HOA Issues
This week: Truth Social hit the NASDAQ and its share price seems untethered from its financials; Trump gets gagged by the judge in the hush money case; plus Asha has an HOA issue.Trump Court Cases Cheat Sheethttps://asharangappa.substack.com/p/your-trump-court-cases-cheat-sheet?r=3od4c&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=postWatch us on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/nidx0H8ptcMSubscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/Subscribe to our podcast https://link.chtbl.com/its-complicatedFollow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariottiOpening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5
Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/ Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariottiFollow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices