Shows
Brennan Center LIVEThe Trouble Between Trump and the States on Education PolicyPresident Trump has ordered cuts to the Department of Education and federal education funding. The brunt of these cuts will likely fall on low-income communities. The president is also demanding changes to school services and curricula, including the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. State courts and constitutions stand in the president’s way. States are required by their constitutions to provide a public education, and many must meet certain standards, teach certain curricula, and provide student services. In cases where these state obligations conflict with the administration’s orders, both state and federal judges may be cal...2025-07-2947 minBrennan Center LIVEThe Constitutional Obligation to JusticeThe end of the 20th century saw the rise of mass incarceration as well as originalism, the idea that judges must interpret the Constitution according to its supposed original intent. In a new book, Justice Abandoned: How the Supreme Court Ignored the Constitution and Enabled Mass Incarceration, legal scholar Rachel Barkow highlights the conflict between the two. Using six Supreme Court cases, she shows how mass incarceration is at odds with the Constitution’s text and original meaning. In this event, Barkow and former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who spent eight years overseeing fed...2025-07-2250 minBrennan Center LIVEThe Supreme Court Term In ReviewThis term, the Supreme Court addressed some of the biggest challenges in its history, with a president determined to break through the constitutional limits of executive power and the Court’s own public approval near all-time lows. Did the justices stand up for the Constitution on the biggest issue facing the country, the extraordinary executive power grab? Against this backdrop, the justices handed down rulings in key cases affecting millions of people’s lives, including access to health care, education, and political representation and the power of federal courts to issue nationwide injunctions. ...2025-07-1553 minBrennan Center LIVEThe Guarantee of Birthright CitizenshipOn the first day of his second term, President Trump issued an executive order purporting to strip U.S. citizenship from the children of undocumented immigrants. The order directly conflicts with the plain language of the 14th Amendment, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” And it defies more than a century of case law. The executive order was met with a wave of court rulings blocking its enforcement, and the S...2025-06-1853 min
The Jefferson ExchangeIs America for sale? When corporate greed threatens democracy itself( Brennan Center for Justice)Ciara Torres-Spelliscy is a law professor at Stetson University and a Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. She serves on the board of the Mertz Gilmore Foundation and the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. And she’s the author of the new book “CORPORATOCRACY: How to Protect Democracy From Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians.”Ciara Torres-Spelliscy joins the Exchange to offer insights into her research, which explores the anti-democratic and corrupting effects of corporate spending on our politics and our government. Her bo...2025-05-1229 minBrennan Center LIVEPresidential Power in the First 100 DaysIn the first 100 days of his second term, President Trump issued more than 100 executive orders aimed at changing policy through executive authority alone. But has this flurry of orders led to meaningful change? Despite Trump’s sweeping executive actions — ranging from imposing global tariffs and targeting major law firms to declaring an emergency at the southern border and attempting to end birthright citizenship — judges appointed from both parties are pushing back. Already, 46 challenges to executive orders are pending in court, with no clear victories for the administration in any of them. Lis...2025-05-0548 minBrennan Center LIVEThe Risks of Government by AIOn the day President Trump took office, he revoked the Biden administration’s executive order that imposed guardrails on the development and use of artificial intelligence technology. Since then, Vice President JD Vance and DOGE have pushed to integrate AI into critical government functions. But government use of AI raises important questions about data privacy and democratic integrity. Will the adoption of AI truly benefit Americans? How can we trust this process given the unprecedented role of tech billionaires in the new administration? And what might come next? Listen to the recording of a conversation with...2025-04-1451 minBrennan Center LIVEPresidents Don’t Control Our ElectionsPresident Trump’s new executive order could disenfranchise millions of American citizens, undermine data security, and decertify voting systems across the country. It would give DOGE access to voter records in every state and decertify every voting machine in the United States, costing states hundreds of millions of dollars. Coupled with the SAVE Act, a voter suppression bill that would require every American to provide a document like a passport or birth certificate to register or re-register to vote, these measures could block millions of eligible American citizens from voting and upend voter registration.Listen to...2025-04-0450 min
Conversations on Race and Policing - California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB)Nov 13, 2024 - In Conversation with Dr. Daanika Gordon (Sociology, Tufts), on her recent book, "Policing the Racial Divide: Urban Growth Politics and the Remaking of Segregation" (NYU Press)Please join us for a conversation with Dr. Daanika Gordon (Sociology, Tufts University) about her recent book, Policing the Racial Divide: Urban Growth Politics and the Remaking of Segregation (NYU Press, 2022). Find it here from the publisher, and here from Amazon.
Find Dr. Gordon's webpage here.
Series organizers (alphabetical) are Amber Broaden (CSUSB and CSU Dominguez Hills, Psychology), Stan Futch (President, Westside Action Group), Michael German (Brennan Center for Justice), Robie Madrigal (Pfau Library), Dr. Jeremy Murray (CSUSB History), Matt Patino (Crafton Hills College Adjunct Faculty), Dr. Mary Texeira (CSUSB Sociology). Click here to view previous p...2025-03-1959 min
Brennan Center LIVEA Presidential Lawbreaking SpreeIn the first few weeks of his second term, Donald Trump has engaged in a display of unprecedented executive power, in most cases without legal authority. This lawbreaking spree has extended to his unelected patron, Elon Musk. Courts across the nation have responded, demanding that the new administration comply with federal statutes and proving that the Constitution still matters. Everyone has to follow the law — even presidents. While no one can be totally sure what will happen next during these extraordinary times, Brennan Center experts can tell you what should happen next, according to U.S. law....2025-03-0452 min
Brennan Center LIVEDo the Police Care About White Supremacist Violence?Law enforcement has long overlooked the dangers of white supremacy and far-right violence both in the community and within its ranks. The January 6 insurrection made this problem much harder to deny. In a new book, Policing White Supremacy: The Enemy Within, Mike German draws on research and his experiences as an FBI undercover agent infiltrating white supremacist groups to reveal law enforcement’s alarmingly permissive approach to domestic extremism. Listen to a recording of a conversation with German and Natalie Tennant, Kanawha County commissioner and former West Virginia secretary of state, about these threats and wh...2025-02-2051 min
Brennan Center LIVETrump's Theory of PowerPresident Trump began his second term with a slew of executive orders regarding the TikTok ban, birthright citizenship, and border enforcement, among other things. While his actions cover a wide range of topics, there is a common theme: the unprecedented broadening of presidential authority. In a new analysis published in Just Security, Dean Emeritus of NYU Law Trevor Morrison analyzes how Trump's claim to an expansive executive power violates statutes and the Constitution. Listen to a conversation with Morrision and Brennan Center Fellow Wilfred Codrington III as they break down Trump’s opening executive orders and...2025-02-0525 min
A Public AffairWill corporations outlive democracies?
On today’s show, guest host Bert Zipperer speaks with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy about her new book, Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians, out now from NYU Press. Professor Torres-Spelliscy says that “corporations have existed far longer than democracies” and that more people should be concerned about the US’s privately funded campaign finance system.
She says “dark money” means money that is spent in American elections that the public can’t tell the source of. Money becomes dark money when corporations (or billionaires) legally launder money through opaque non-profits (ty...2025-01-0754 min
Brennan Center LIVEInsurrection Inc.The 2024 election broke spending records, highlighting the growing power of big money in politics. Megadonors back candidates to push their own interests and buy access and influence in our government. At the same time, the rise in untraceable dark money from undisclosed sources has made it increasingly difficult to identify who is really behind this spending. In a new book, Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians, Stetson University law professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy reveals how corporations are fueling these trends, from bankrolling politicians to funding candidates with dark money. Listen to...2024-12-1952 min
RegulatingAI Podcast: Innovate ResponsiblyThe Fight for Fairness and Transparency in AI Systems with Faiza Patel, Senior Director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for JusticeArtificial Intelligence has immense potential, but it also carries risks — particularly when it comes to civil liberties. In this episode, I speak with Faiza Patel, Senior Director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. Together, we explore how AI can be regulated to ensure fairness, accountability and civil rights, especially in the context of national security and law enforcement.Key Takeaways:(01:53) AI in national security, law enforcement and immigration contexts.(05:00) The dangers of AI in government decisions, from im...2024-12-1739 min
Brennan Center LIVEAnalyzing Trump's Plan to Invoke the Alien Enemies ActDonald Trump has vowed to launch the biggest deportation scheme in U.S. history, in part by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 on his first day in office. This outdated law ast used to intern tens of thousands of foreign nationals of Japanese, German, and Italian descent during World War II. Does Trump have the power to carry out his plans now? Can we rely on Congress or the courts to stop him? Our expert panel discusses the law’s shameful history, how the incoming administration plans to use the law, and what obstacles might stand in...2024-12-1350 min
Brennan Center LIVEAn Insider’s Guide to the Election ResultsRather than days of uncertainty, voters delivered a snap victory to Donald Trump. How will our democratic institutions respond to Trump’s plans to stretch presidential powers to their limits? Brennan Center experts explore what may come next. Recorded on November 7, 2024. If you enjoy this program, please give us a boost by liking, subscribing, and sharing with your friends. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please give it a 5-star rating. Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing: https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing 2024-11-0853 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat's at Stake on State BallotsElecting a president is not the only high-stakes choice voters will make in November. In Ohio, citizens will vote on a constitutional amendment that would end gerrymandering. Voters in 10 states have the opportunity to amend their state constitutions to affirm or expand protections for abortion care. Three states will decide whether to remove language against same-sex marriage from their state constitutions. All states but Delaware require voters to approve proposed amendments to state constitutions. Half of all states have a constitutional right to direct democracy, allowing citizens to place statutory or constitutional proposals on the ballot and p...2024-10-3149 min
Brennan Center LIVEPromoting Justice and Public Safety Since the PandemicCrime has long been a political wedge issue used to stoke anxiety and stir division, and this election cycle has been no different. Although the pandemic crime spike is receding, the politicians who fearmongered about crime in 2020 continue to call for harsher punishments and the repeal of reforms. Law enforcement officials and other experts understand that public safety and fairness are not competing interests — they go hand in hand. Brennan Center research proves as much, and groups like Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime & Incarceration know it from experience. This group of current and former leaders of th...2024-10-2353 min
Brennan Center LIVELatinos and the Far RightA white supremacist of color seems like a contradiction. Yet recent years have brought to light unsettling examples, including an Afro-Latino leader of the Proud Boys and a Latino mass shooter with neo-Nazi sympathies. These men are among a small but growing number of Latinos in the United States who gravitate toward the far right and adopt radical views on race, Christian nationalism, and immigration. In an eye-opening new book, Defectors, Emmy Award–winning journalist Paola Ramos uses interviews, historical context, and expert analysis to shatter the longtime understanding of Latinos as a political monolith and uncover a d...2024-10-1753 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Fight Against Originalism ContinuesIn its last term, the Supreme Court undermined the federal government’s power to solve problems and the people’s ability to hold their political leaders accountable. The Court was flooded with false historical arguments, and the justices relied on profoundly flawed ideas about the deep American past to help justify their radical overhaul of the law. Additionally, the Court’s conservative supermajority was forced to confront the implications of one of its most damaging originalist rulings, Bruen, which undermined gun control nationwide. Meanwhile, in lower courts around the country, judges are dealing with a deluge of cases under the Co...2024-10-1057 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat to Expect From the Supreme Court TermOn October 7, the Supreme Court begins its 2024–2025 term — the fourth in which it is dominated by a supermajority of conservative justices. Just months after a disastrous presidential immunity decision, and in the face of continued controversy over the justices’ ethics and partisanship, the Court will reconvene to hear arguments on issues with profound consequences for American life. Among the questions on the docket: whether so-called “ghost guns” are subject to regulation, whether prosecutorial misconduct invalidates a death sentence, the power of federal agencies to protect waterways, the applicability of criminal sentence reduction laws, and access to gender...2024-10-0448 min
Future HindsightYour Political Rights: Attorney General Eric Holder & Michael WaldmanThis is a recording of a live event of the American Voter Project at the Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative for Civil and Political Rights. We discuss the long history of voter suppression, voting rights, the electoral college, the Supreme Court, and democracy. General Holder’ and Michael’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Vote! Engage in a major social movement Eric H. Holder, Jr. serves as Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. He served in the Obama Administration as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States...2024-10-031h 27Future HindsightYour Political Rights: Attorney General Eric Holder & Michael WaldmanThis is a recording of a live event of the American Voter Project at the Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative for Civil and Political Rights. We discuss the long history of voter suppression, voting rights, the electoral college, the Supreme Court, and democracy. General Holder’ and Michael’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Vote! Engage in a major social movement Eric H. Holder, Jr. serves as Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. He served in the Obama Administration as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States...2024-10-031h 27
Brennan Center LIVEThe Experts’ Guide to Free and Fair ElectionsElection workers are unsung heroes, ensuring behind the scenes that our elections run smoothly and securely. Yet many people don’t fully grasp what their job entails, leaving room for election deniers to spread misinformation. This lack of understanding has fueled a disturbing rise in threats, intimidation, and abuse against election officials since 2020. This live panel was moderated by the Brennan Center’s Natalie Tennant, former secretary of state of West Virginia, and it featured Adrian Fontes, secretary of state of Arizona; Brenda Cabrera, former director of elections for Fairfax, Virginia; and Brianna Lennon, country clerk of Boon...2024-09-2751 min
Brennan Center LIVESolutions for a Threatened DemocracyEfforts to undermine trust in elections, marked by disinformation campaigns and attempts to overturn results, have surged. A new book, Our Nation at Risk, exposes how these assaults on election integrity pose a serious threat to national security. Featuring perspectives from leading political scientists, historians, and legal experts, it explores the escalation of these threats and presents concrete solutions to address them. Listen to a recording of our virtual discussion on how to fortify our election systems and rebuild confidence in the fairness of the democratic process from our expert panel: Julian E. Zelizer, Editor...2024-09-2457 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Data Behind Bail ReformCities, states, and counties across the nation have curbed the use of money bail. Reformers say that jailing criminal defendants who can’t afford to buy their pretrial freedom punishes poverty. Opponents, however, blamed the uptick in crime during the Covid-19 pandemic on bail reform and pushed to roll back the changes. So what’s the truth — did bail reform cause an increase in crime? Terry-Ann Craigie, associate professor of economics at Smith College and economics fellow in the Brennan Center’s Justice Program, and Ames Grawert, senior counsel in the Brennan Center’s Justice Program, compared crime rate...2024-08-2842 min
Brennan Center LIVEA Historic Moment for Supreme Court ReformIt’s time to reform the Supreme Court. The founders would not recognize the modern incarnation of what Alexander Hamilton called “the least dangerous” branch. The Court wields far more power on far more issues than it did in the 18th century. And it does so in the absence of adequate checks and balances. The individual justices hold this power longer than they ever have. For the first 180 years of U.S. history, justices served an average of approximately 15 years. In recent years, justices have served an average of 26 years. Momentum for reform is growing. Numerous polls have s...2024-08-2154 min
Brennan Center LIVEFix The Insurrection ActThe Insurrection Act gives presidents dangerous authority to use the U.S. military as a domestic police force It has virtually no limits on when and how this power can be used, making it ripe for abuse by any leader. Without urgent reforms, the law is a threat to civil liberties — and American democracy itself. In a conversation moderated by the Brennan Center’s Elizabeth Goitein, lawyer and writer Hawa Allan, Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith, and Brennan Center counsel Joseph Nunn discuss how urgent reforms are needed to prevent the Insurrection Act’s misuse. They also explore...2024-08-0151 min
Berkeley TalksHow the Supreme Court divided AmericaIn Berkeley Talks episode 204, Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, discusses the history of the Supreme Court and how its recent decisions will impact generations to come. “When you think of the topics for the first two years of this supermajority — guns, abortion, affirmative action, the interest of the fossil fuel industry — that doesn't sound like a court,” Waldman said to UC Berkeley Law Professor Maria Echaveste, whom he joined in conversation in April 2024. “That sounds like a political caucus.“And so, I think disentangling our reverence...2024-07-131h 07
Brennan Center LIVEA Supreme Fact CheckThe Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority has taken a hard originalist turn, citing history to justify rulings that have eliminated many long-standing American rights. What exactly does originalism mean? Should history be the sole source of rights? And what if the history that the Court has relied on is flat-out wrong? Listen in on a discussion from October 12, 2023 moderated by Adam Serwer of the Atlantic with historians Laura Edwards, professor at Princeton University; Kate Masur, professor at Northwestern University; and Karen Tani, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Their conversation dissects how history has been us...2024-07-1054 min
Brennan Center LIVESupreme Court: Ready for Reform?Public support for the Supreme Court has plummeted to an all-time low in the last year as the highest court has been ridden with controversy and ethics scandals. Hard-right rulings from a conservative supermajority have also raised concerns about the judicial independence of the institution. Is it time to reform the Court? Listen in on a discussion between Kenji Yoshino, the Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Brennan Center President Michael Waldman about ethics reform, term limits, and other ways the public, the media, and...2024-07-0352 min
Scientific Sense ®Prof. Burt Neuborne of NYU and Berkeley on the Supreme CourtScientific Sense ® by Gill Eapen: Prof. Burt Neuborne is Professor of Civil Liberties and founding Legal Director of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School. He was the National Legal Director of the ACLU , special Counsel to the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund and a member of the New York City Human Rights Commission.
Please subscribe to this channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ScientificSense?sub_confirmation=12024-06-291h 07
Rebel Girls: Growing Up PowerfulGirls Helping Girls Period: Menstrual JusticeAsha interviews Elise and Quinn Joy, co-executive directors of Girls Helping Girls Period and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Vice President at NYU Law’s Brennan Center for Justice and executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and author of the book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity. They discuss menstrual equity and the importance of access to menstrual hygiene products in school, at work, and wherever there are people with periods.This is episode 16 of our Growing Up Powerful series! These are stories about dealing with big feelings, growing up, and connecting to the worl...2024-06-2715 min
Brennan Center LIVEA Politicized Supreme Court Is Remaking AmericaPresidential immunity, limits on gun control, governmental oversight for agencies — the fate of these issues is in the hands of the Supreme Court this summer. Not only is the current Court the most conservative we have ever seen, it is also plagued with ethics violations. Brennan Center President Michael Waldman and Kareem Crayton, the Brennan Center’s senior director for voting and representation, discussed Waldman’s book The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America. Their conversation explores the threat of the current conservative Court, how this year’s decisions have built on or changed the Court’s previous...2024-06-2651 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat Originalism Means for WomenThe Supreme Court has turned back time in recent decisions by regressing to an interpretation of the Constitution according to its “original meaning.” What has this meant for women’s rights? Listen in on a panel discussion with Madiba K. Dennie, author of the new book The Originalism Trap; Khiara M. Bridges of UC Berkeley School of Law; Emily Martin of the National Women’s Law Center; and Alicia Bannon of the Brennan Center and State Court Report. They delve into recent cases that have reversed decades of progress for women’s rights, such as the 2022 decision in Dobbs v...2024-06-2053 min
Brennan Center LIVEResisting Minority RuleA governing majority in the United States has never required an actual majority of the voting population. And the tactics of achieving minoritarian control are always shifting. A minority of Americans are now set on thwarting the will of the people through voter suppression, gerrymandering, and even election subversion. In his new book, Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People — and the Fight to Resist It, voting rights reporter Ari Berman charts the rise of this antidemocracy movement in the face of the country’s significant demographic and political shifts. Listen in on a di...2024-06-1351 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat Comes Next in the Trump Legal Saga?Donald Trump is now the first American president convicted of a crime. The smooth trial process shows that — independent of the outcome — the U.S. justice system can still work, even with a powerful defendant. But full accountability seems far off. The federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have stalled Trump’s prosecution for trying to overthrow the 2020 election and for misuse of classified documents and obstruction of justice. Listen to an expert discussion on how Trump’s defense in the New York business records falsification trial, including Trumps’ accusations of political motivations behind the charges, co...2024-06-0454 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe High Cost of Public ServiceA new Brennan Center report reveals that intimidation aimed at state and local officials is distressingly common: For example, 43 percent of state legislators have experienced threats within the past three years. These threats have serious repercussions for representative democracy. Officeholders report being less willing to work on contentious issues like reproductive rights and gun control and more reluctant to continue serving. Additionally, intimidation is often targeted at groups already underrepresented in government, such as women and people of color. Listen to a recording of our virtual discussion of this alarming trend, as...2024-05-2251 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Failed Experiment of Mass IncarcerationMost of the more than 1 million Americans in prison — disproportionately low-income people of color — will return to their communities after serving long sentences with few resources and little support. Recidivism rates remain stubbornly high. The criminal justice system, then, fails to produce public safety even as core values such as equality, fairness, and proportionality have fallen by the wayside. The new book Excessive Punishment: How the Justice System Creates Mass Incarceration, edited by the Brennan Center’s Lauren-Brooke Eisen, features essays from scholars, practitioners, activists, writers who experienced incarceration, and others. The contributors explore the social...2024-05-0852 min
Brennan Center LIVEMisdemeanors by the NumbersMisdemeanors, not violent offenses, dominate criminal justice. A decade of reforms has shrunk the sprawling misdemeanor system, but the prosecution of shoplifting, traffic violations, and other lesser offenses remains a burden on vulnerable communities and law enforcement resources even as public concern over physical and social disorder in public spaces spurs calls for renewed enforcement. A new Brennan Center report zooms in on New York City as a case study for how misdemeanor enforcement has changed in recent years, offering insights into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and reform initiatives like the decriminalization of low-level drug p...2024-04-2453 min
I AM GPHEP141 Food Systems and Maternal Health with Dr. Brennan Rhodes-BrattonIn this episode, we speak with Dr. Brennan Rhodes-Bratton, a researcher focused on health inequities at the intersection of gentrification, food systems, and maternal child health. As a Postdoctoral Associate at the Center for Anti-racism, Social Justice, and Public Health at NYU GPH, Brennan discusses her transition from aspiring physician to public health advocate. She shares how her childhood diet influenced her interest in nutrition and details her research on how societal structures, such as structural racism, gentrification, and food stigma, impede healthful eating attitudes, dispositions, and practices of mothers across the lifespan, which in turn influence cardiometabolic health...2024-04-1825 min
Brennan Center LIVEDecoding the Trump IndictmentsListen to the recording of our in-person event from last month, Decoding the Trump Indictments. Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann, coauthors of the new book The Trump Indictments, discuss the historic charges against the former president in a discussion moderated by Brennan Center President Michael Waldman. Murray is the Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law Faculty and director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center at NYU Law. Weissmann, a professor of practice at NYU Law and a legal analyst for MSNBC, previously served as general counsel to the FBI and one of the senior prosecutors on Ro...2024-04-0951 min
Commissioner in a CarZoom with Czarny: The Brennan Center's Joanna ZdanysZWC is back! After a brief hiatus I talk with Joanna Zdanys of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. We talk about the new public campaign finance system in New York. Enjoy.
2024-04-0536 min
Town Hall Seattle Civics Series334. Michael Waldman with Prof. Liz Porter: Courting ControversyWhat do we do when the Supreme Court challenges the entire nation? The 2021-2022 term of the Supreme Court was arguably one of the most tumultuous in U.S. history. Over three days in June of 2022, the conservative supermajority overturned the constitutional right to abortion, possibly opening the door to reconsidering other major privacy rights. The Court also limited the authority of the EPA, loosened restrictions on guns, and embraced originalism, a legal theory asserting that the constitution should be interpreted by its original intent instead of in the context of current times. In The S...2023-10-131h 03
Closer Look with Rose ScottNew website analyzes significant state supreme court cases; Descendants of 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre reflect on grandfather’s legacyThe Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law recently launched State Court Report, a nonpartisan news website that features commentary and analysis about state constitutions and state court cases. Douglas Keith, the senior counsel in the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program and a founding editor of State Court Report, discusses the mission of the new online resource hub.Rose talks with Patricia Walker Bearden and Yolanda Walker Simmons, the granddaughters of Alex Walker, a Black man who was convicted of killing James Heard, a white police officer, during the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre. The sisters discuss his backstory....2023-09-1844 min
Seminars at SteamboatWendy Weiser: "Elections on the Brink: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go to Ensure Fairness and Integrity"Wendy Weiser directs the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan think tank and public interest law center that works to revitalize, reform, and defend systems of democracy and justice. Her program focuses on voting rights and elections, money in politics and ethics, redistricting and representation, government dysfunction, rule of law, and fair courts. She founded and directed the program’s Voting Rights and Elections Project, directing litigation, research, and advocacy efforts to enhance political participation and prevent voter disenfranchisement across the country.She has appeared frequently in national prin...2023-07-211h 19
VelshiThe Supreme Court’s Ethics ProblemMichael Steel, in for Ali Velshi, is joined by Judith Browne-Dianis, Executive Director at Advancement Project, Jeannie Suk Gersen, Contributing Writer at the New Yorker, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History at NYU, Fmr. Rep. Joe Walsh, Fmr. Republican Congressman, Fmr. Rep. Charles Dent, Executive Director & Vice President for the Congressional Program at the Aspen Institute, Adam Harris, Staff Writer at The Atlantic, Imani Perry, Professor of African American Studies at Harvard University, Alyse Adamson, Fmr. Asst. U.S. Attorney, Joshua Kaplan, Reporter at ProPublica, and Michael Waldman, President & CEO at Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law.
2023-07-011h 22
The Chris Voss ShowThe Chris Voss Show Podcast – The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America by Michael Waldman
The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America by Michael Waldman
https://amzn.to/3XyKu0C
An incisive analysis of how the Supreme Court’s new conservative supermajority is overturning decades of law and leading the country in a dangerous political direction.
In The Supermajority, Michael Waldman explores the tumultuous 2021–2022 Supreme Court term. He draws deeply on history to examine other times the Court veered from the popular will, provoking controversy and backlash. And he analyzes the most important new rulings and their implications for the law and for A...2023-06-2944 min
On the MediaStruck From the RecordThis week, the Supreme Court officially struck down Roe v. Wade, overturning fifty years of legal precedent and abortion rights across the country. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the case that almost defined the abortion debate instead. Plus, the Jan 6 committee’s latest bombshell evidence of Trump’s manipulation of the justice department.
1. Alana Casanova-Burgess [@Alanallama], former OTM producer, and Jessica Glenza [@JessicaGlenza], health reporter at the Guardian, look at the case that Ruth Bader Ginsburg wished the Court heard instead of Roe v. Wade. Neil Siegel, a professor of law and political sc...2022-06-2450 min
On The Issues With Michele GoodwinBeyond Roe: The Fight for Our FutureIn May, we learned in a leaked draft opinion obtained by Politico that the Supreme Court is expected to reverse itself on Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and a legacy of abortion jurisprudence upholding reproductive freedom — profoundly dismantling abortion rights in the U.S. If Roe and Casey are overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, grave consequences are in store for our democracy and the rule of law. On today’s show, released in conjunction with our Beyond Roe: The Fight for Our Future project, we’re proud to share a special discussion: an in-depth...2022-05-241h 00
Talking Beats with Daniel LelchukEp. 132: Voting Rights with Michael Waldman“Up until recently, voting has gotten easier. But there is a wave of new laws in states across the country aiming to make it harder to vote and also new laws to change who counts the votes.”
Michael Waldman, writer and expert on voting rights, joins the podcast. What is the state of voting rights as the country careens towards the 2022 midterm elections? What legislatures have been hard at work to make the act of voting more difficult? And ominously, why, in some places, is who counts the votes being changed? The conversation also looks at early Amer...2022-03-2242 min
Commissioner in a CarZoom with Czarny: Joanna Zdanys of the Brennan Center for JusticeIn this week's Zoom with Czarny I sit down with Joanna Zdanys of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. She is the Senior counsel for Elections and Government. We have an in-depth discussion about the upcoming Public Campaign Finance system coming to New York at the end of this year. Its a great interview sand I hope you enjoy it.2022-03-1836 min
Make It Plain MIP with Rev. Mark ThompsonMichael Waldman on Voting RightsAs we head into Selma Jubilee Weekend, it seems like no better time to discuss the state of our voting rights. Despite all that is happening on the world stage right now, voter suppression is still moving ahead here in the United States, and Republicans are seeing to it. Michael Waldman is President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on improving the systems of democracy and justice, as well as the author of the recently updated book “The Fight to Vote.” He reminds us to keep our eye...2022-03-0428 min
Your Teen with Sue and StephGreat News! Gen Z Isn't Lost or Lazy. They Care Deeply About Saving the WorldDeNora Getachew, CEO of DoSomething.org, sees the their yearning for a better world AND their passion to step up and be the change. Every. Single. Day. In conversation with Sue and Steph, DeNora shares the story of her own entrance into activism, as well as advice for how to parent Gen Z kids who are interested in making a difference in the world.About DeNora Getachew and DoSomething:DeNora is an executive leader with over 15 years of legal, fundraising, and policy and advocacy experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. She began her career...2022-02-1544 min
Enter the Rabbit HoleP is for Prison Reform - Straight to Jail!This week on Enter the Rabbit Hole, Will and Alisha are taking a bite out of crime... statistics and prevention. We answer burning questions like: Why are there so many incarcerated people in the US prison system? How can we lower recidivism rates? And why do Norway's prisons look like a vacation resort that I can't afford? Join us as we take a deep dive into the prison system and how we can possibly make it better.
Sources:
Websites:
Highest to Lowest - Prison Population Total
https://www.prisonstudies.o...2021-12-091h 38
CUNY Graduate CenterWhy the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Must Be PassedOur guest today is Kevin Morris, a second-year Ph.D. student in Sociology at the Graduate Center, CUNY. He is also a quantitative researcher in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. In that role, he examines the impact of laws and policies on poll access, with a particular focus on the restoration of rights and the maintenance of voter lists.
This past June, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives at its hearing about “Voting in America: The Potential for Polling Place Quality and Restrictions on Opportunities to Vote to Interfere with Fr...2021-07-2931 minThe Thought ProjectWhy the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Must Be PassedOur guest today is Kevin Morris, a second-year Ph.D. student in Sociology at the Graduate Center, CUNY. He is also a quantitative researcher in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. In that role, he examines the impact of laws and policies on poll access, with a particular focus on the restoration of rights and the maintenance of voter lists.
This past June, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives at its hearing about “Voting in America: The Potential for Polling Place Quality and Restrictions on Opportunities to Vote to Interfere with Fr...2021-07-2931 min
The Common Good PodcastVoting Rights and American DemocracyVoting rights around the country are being severely curtailed. In fact, according to the Brennan Center, as of March 24, legislators have introduced 361 bills with restrictive provisions in 47 states. That’s 108 more than the 253 restrictive bills tallied as of February 19, 2021 — a 43 percent increase in little more than a month. With instances of voter fraud virtually nonexistent, the rationale for much of this legislation is dubious at best. Voting rights shouldn’t be a partisan issue.
Join The Common Good and experts, Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, Carol Anderson, author and Chair...2021-06-011h 08
NYU Wagner Review Podcast ChannelMoney and Politics: The Dangers of Dark MoneyHazel Millard, a Senior Research and Program Associate in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center, discuss how different cities are approaching money-in-politics reform and the dangers that the Citizens United decision imposes upon our democracy. We will also learn about the history of Citizens United and how Congress is working to address money-in-politics reform. Transcript[00:00] Welcome from Emily Finkelstein and an overview of the Citizens United v. FEC landmark case,[04:20] Hazel Millard begins a discussion on Citizens United, legislation efforts, and dark money in politics.GUEST SPEAKERHazel Millard is a senior research and p...2021-02-1621 min
Brennan Center LIVEAnne Applebaum on the Twilight of DemocracyWhat role do members of the cultural and media elite play in the ascent of nationalist rule? In her new book, Twilight of Democracy, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum examines the surrogates who enable autocracy. She discusses the patterns of weakening democracies around the world with Washington Post columnist Max Boot.2020-10-2833 min
Commissioner in a CarSean Morales-Doyle of Brennan Center for JusticeIn this week's episode I talk to Sean Morales-Doyle of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. This well timed interview discusses his work on #AVR, The Florida Felon re-enfranchisement project, and yes, the President's tweets about delaying the election and mail in balloting. Follow Brennan Center's work at https://www.brennancenter.org/2020-07-311h 01
Brennan Center LIVEMartin Garbus and the Cuban FiveIn his most recent book, North of Havana, legendary trial lawyer Martin Garbus recounts one of his most high-profile cases: the Cuban Five. In this episode of Brennan Center Live, Garbus talks to Victoria Bassetti about what this case can teach us about the U.S. justice system, American politics, and U.S.-Cuba relations.2020-07-0819 min
Brennan Center LIVESupreme InequalityIn recent years, the Supreme Court has empowered moneyed interests to wield disproportionate influence in elections, gutted the Voting Rights Act, and upheld President Trump’s travel ban. These decisions fit a troubling, decades-long pattern, argues journalist Adam Cohen. He talks with NYU Law professor Melissa Murray about his new book, Supreme Inequality: The Supreme Court’s Fifty-Year Battle for a More Unjust America, and his finding that since the Nixon era, the Court has done little to protect the rights of the poor and disadvantaged.2020-06-2426 min
Brennan Center LIVEGeorge Washington: You Never Forget Your FirstHow did George Washington view the presidency? What might he think of politics today? Historian Alexis Coe examines America's first president in a freshly humanizing light in her new book You Never Forget Your First. She talks with Julian Zelizer in this new episode of Brennan Center Live.2020-06-1035 min
Brennan Center LIVESusan Rice on Things Worth Fighting ForIn her memoir Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For, former National Security Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice reveals pivotal moments from her career on the front lines of U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy. In this episode of Brennan Center Live, Rice talks with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell about the current state of foreign affairs and the challenges facing American leadership. What are the greatest threats to democracy around the world? To what extent does our current approach to foreign policy advance or endanger our national security? And how do...2020-06-0323 min
Brennan Center LIVEElection MeltdownThe coronavirus pandemic has exposed several problems with the American elections system, but even outside of global pandemic, Americans are increasingly questioning the fairness and accuracy of our elections. In his new book Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy, law professor Richard L. Hasen examines sources of voters’ distrust. In this new episode of Brennan Center Live, he speaks with legal expert Victoria Bassetti and proposes steps to restore voters' confidence.2020-05-2725 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhen Should Law Forgive? Today, with a criminal justice system designed to punish, the U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. What if the American legal system was set up to weigh grounds for forgiveness? In her new book, When Should Law Forgive?, former Harvard Law School dean Martha Minow argues that we should build forgiveness into the administration of American law. She speaks with NYU Law Professor Melissa Murray in this new episode of Brennan Center Live.2020-05-2033 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Fight for Reproductive RightsNearly half a century after Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to undermine or overturn the landmark ruling. It’s an unnerving time for reproductive rights across the U.S., but it’s not new: social movements, politics, and courts have lead us here. Legal experts Melissa Murray, Reva Siegel, and Kate Shaw trace the evolution of reproductive rights in their new book, Reproductive Rights and Justice Stories. They join Rebecca Traister (Writer at large, New York Magazine) in this new episode of Brennan Center Live.2020-05-1333 min
Stay Tuned with PreetBallot Battles (with Michael Waldman)On this week’s episode of Stay Tuned with Preet, "Ballot Battles," Preet answers listeners’ questions about online learning, mail fraud, and the Equal Time Doctrine. Then, Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, joins Preet for a discussion about voting.
To listen to Stay Tuned bonus content, become a member of CAFE Insider.
Sign up to receive the CAFE Brief, a weekly newsletter featuring analysis of politically charged legal news, and updates from Preet.
As always, tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #askpreet, email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 669-247...2020-04-231h 14
Stay Tuned with PreetBallot Battles (with Michael Waldman)On this week’s episode of Stay Tuned with Preet, "Ballot Battles," Preet answers listeners’ questions about online learning, mail fraud, and the Equal Time Doctrine. Then, Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, joins Preet for a discussion about voting.
To listen to Stay Tuned bonus content, become a member of CAFE Insider.
Sign up to receive the CAFE Brief, a weekly newsletter featuring analysis of politically charged legal news, and updates from Preet.
As always, tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with hashtag #askpreet, email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 669-247...2020-04-231h 11
Brennan Center LIVEThe Revolution in Prosecutors’ OfficesDistrict attorneys wield tremendous power and have for decades been a driving force in mass incarceration. In her new book Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, journalist Emily Bazelon follows a new crop of district attorneys who are using their offices to pursue criminal justice reform. She discusses these efforts with district attorneys Kimberly M. Foxx and Eric Gonzalez, Fair and Just Prosecution’s Miriam Krinsky, and the Brennan Center’s Lauren-Brooke Eisen. Brennan Center Live is a podcast created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like...2020-04-1543 min
Strict ScrutinyBONUS: Supreme Inequality with Adam CohenBack in February, when crowds were still a thing, Melissa interviewed Adam Cohen about his new book, Supreme Inequality: The Supreme Court's Fifty-Year Battle for a More Unjust America.Adam examines the conservative tilt of the Supreme Court since the Nixon administration and forward through the last 50 years. The Supreme Court after Justice Earl Warren no longer protected the rights of the poor, the disadvantaged, equally and instead moved forward to deprioritize such issues as school desegregation, voting rights and the protection of workers and instead, prioritize decisions that favored wealthy and corporate interests.Thanks...2020-04-1351 min
Brennan Center LIVEHow Progressives Can Compete for PowerPolicies supported by a majority of Americans are stymied in Washington and state capitals time and again. Enacting this agenda requires progressives to redouble their efforts at gaining power by expanding the franchise, ending voter suppression, and winning judicial elections, argues Caroline Fredrickson, former president of the American Constitution Society, in conversation with Eric Lesh. Fredrickson’s new book is The Democracy Fix: How to Win the Fight for Fair Rules, Fair Courts, and Fair Elections. Brennan Center Live is a podcast created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, ra...2020-04-0841 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Great Migration’s Complicated LegacyAfrican Americans fleeing racial terror in the South sought refuge in the North but instead encountered discrimination in housing, employment, and policing. Marcia Chatelain, Kenisha Grant, Ted Johnson, and Mark Whitaker discuss the history of the Great Migration and how it reverberates in mass incarceration and voter suppression today. Brennan Center Live is a podcast created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. For more, visit brennancenter.org/podcast2020-04-0144 min
Brennan Center LIVEHow the Tumultuous ’70s Shaped Our Political ConflictsThe upheavals of the 1970s — the Watergate cover-up, defeat in Vietnam, racial conflict, and economic convulsions — formed the contours of today’s polarization, argue Princeton historians Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer. They joined Soledad O’Brien to discuss their new book, Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974. Brennan Center Live is a podcast created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. For more, visit brennancenter.org/podcast2020-03-2540 min
Brennan Center LIVEPreet Bharara on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of LawReflecting on a distinguished prosecutorial career, former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara discusses the need for lawyers to take into account flaws in the legal system and in human nature in his new book, Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law. He is joined by political commentator Margaret Hoover. Brennan Center Live is a podcast created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. For more, visit brennancenter.org/podcast 2020-03-1840 min
Brennan Center LIVETa-Nehisi Coates on Race, the Law, and PoliticsJournalism and cultural production are crucial to making law and policy, Ta-Nehisi Coates argues, because they expand peoples’ empathy and imagination. In a wide-ranging conversation, the celebrated journalist discusses criminal justice reform, the 2020 election, the #MeToo movement, and more with NYU law professor Melissa Murray. 2020-03-1140 minStrict ScrutinyReproductive Rights & Justice Stories (Melissa Murray, Kate Shaw, Reva Siegel & Rebecca Traister live at the Brennan Center)In this special bonus episode, Melissa and Kate are joined by co-editor Reva Siegel to discuss their book "Reproductive Rights & Justice Stories," in a conversation moderated by Rebecca Traister and hosted by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.
Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025! 10/4 – ChicagoLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky2019-11-271h 05
Democracy ForumDemocracy Forum 2/15/19The Free Press and a Functioning Democracy Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Engineer: Amy Browne We talk about democracy, journalism, the state of play in American news. Can fact-based journalism survive? Can democracy survive otherwise? Guests: Earl Brechlin, Earl was the founding editor of the Mount Desert Islander. friendsofacadia.org/news/friends-acadia-welcomes-earl-brechlin-communications-director/ Burt Neuborne, Burt Neuborne is the Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties and founding Legal Director of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School. He is the author of the book, Madison’s Music, that explores a deep reading of the Fi...2019-02-1500 min
Brennan Center LIVELessons From WatergateWatergate revealed a trail of crimes and coverups that brought down a president and changed the course of American history. With Robert Mueller's findings likely to be unveiled soon, what can we learn from Watergate about Trump-era abuses of power? John Dean, who was President Nixon's White House counsel, and Elizabeth Holtzman, who as a member of the House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon, discuss. Brennan Center Live is a weekly series of podcasts created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. 2018-11-2930 min
Brennan Center LIVEVan Jones, Darren Walker: How To End Mass IncarcerationAmerica has five percent of the world’s population, but nearly a quarter of its prisoners. Now, a dynamic movement for change is sweeping the country. CNN host Van Jones and Ford Foundation president Darren Walker on how to keep the momentum going. Brennan Center Live is a weekly series of podcasts created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution. 2018-11-2038 min
Brennan Center LIVECarol Anderson: One Person, No VoteNew York Times best-selling author Carol Anderson speaks with Cornell Brooks about her new book on racist voter suppression and the fight against it. Anderson focuses in particular on the drive to weaken the landmark Voting Rights Act, and argues that voter suppression ultimately aims to make its targets lose faith in democracy itself. Ensuring that doesn’t happen could hardly be a more urgent task. Brennan Center Live is a weekly series of podcasts created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on issues like democracy, justice, race, and the Constitution.2018-11-0358 min
Brennan Center LIVEVoter Suppression 2018As crucial elections approach, voters from Georgia to North Dakota to Texas are at risk of disenfranchisement, and the result could be further skewed by extreme gerrymandering. Meanwhile, automatic voter registration could expand access to the polls in several states. How will the battle over voting shape the midterms, and what can we do to make sure every eligible American has a chance to cast a ballot? Hear from several of America’s top voting rights lawyers — Dego Adegbile, Julie Ebenstein, Brenda Wright, and the Brennan Center’s Sean Morales-Doyle — on the most urgent issue facing our democracy. Brennan C...2018-10-3058 min
Brennan Center LIVEDanielle Allen: Cuz – A Memoir of Mass Incarceration How did we lose an entire generation to the American prison system following the War on Drugs? In Cuz, The Life and Times of Michael A., the Harvard professor and political theorist Danielle Allen explores the issue through the experience of her cousin, who served 11 years in prison for an attempted carjacking committed when he was 15, then lost his life to violence three years after being released. Allen is joined in conversation by the Brennan Center’s Nicole Austin-Hillery. Brennan Center Live is a weekly series of podcasts created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers on i...2018-10-2435 min
Brennan Center LIVETrumpocracy: A Conversation With David FrumDonald Trump poses a grave, long-term threat to our democratic institutions, Atlantic senior editor and former White House speechwriter David Frum has been warning. But, in this wide-ranging conversation with NYU Law School president Trevor Morrison, Frum argues we need to focus not just on Trump’s own behavior, but on “the system of power that enables him.” And Frum explores the ways in which America’s potential retreat from democracy under Trump mirrors developments around the world. Brennan Center Live is a weekly series of podcasts created from Brennan Center events, featuring fascinating conversations with well-known thinkers...2018-10-1634 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe 2020 Census: What's at StakeEvery ten years, the federal government conducts the census of all people in the United States. The stakes are extraordinarily high, particularly in light of the push to include questions about citizenship. The tally determines everything from the allocation of congressional seats and the shape of legislative districts, to the flow of vast amounts of government funds. Political pressure is especially high this time, as demographic change transforms the country. In all, it's a potential crisis looming ahead – with huge ramifications for civil rights and government policy for years to come. How could budgetary constraints, new an...2018-05-141h 05
NYU Washington, DCThe Intern's Handbook | Episode 3 | Doing the "Do"The Intern's Handbook is a student-run NYU Washington DC podcast run by students Helena Li, Kelly Yan, and Jay Kang. The Intern's Handbook seeks to answer every aspect of the question, "What do I do in an internship?", by chronicling the experiences of former and current interns in a variety of companies and organizations. This week on Episode 3, we ask Manahil Zafar (host on the hit NYUDC podcast, Twosday Trendcast) on juggling projects and relationships at the Brennan Center of Justice, as well as John Barna on doing "the work that nobody wants to do, but needs...2018-04-1900 min
Life of the LawThe Battle Over Your Right to VoteThe polls got it wrong. What matters in the end, on election day, is who has the right to vote and who goes to the polls to cast their ballot. Due to strict voter ID laws, not all Americans are allowed to vote on election day. In fact, some 21 million are prevented from voting simply because they don't have the required ID or paperwork when they go to the polls. The Government Accounting Office reports that can shift the election outcome in some states by 2-3 percentage points.
In our most recent episode GOVERNMENT GHOST reporter Megan Marrelli told the...2017-11-2844 min
Skylight Books Podcast SeriesJENNIFER WEISS-WOLF DISCUSSES HER BOOK PERIODS GONE PUBLICPeriods Gone Public (Arcade Publishing)
The first book to explore menstruation in the current cultural and political landscape and to investigate the new wave of period activism taking the world by storm. After millennia of being shrouded in taboo and stigma, periods have gone mainstream. A new, high-profile movement has emerged—one dedicated to bold activism, creative product innovation, and smart policy advocacy—to address the centrality of menstruation in relation to core issues of gender equality and equity.
In Periods Gone Public, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf—the woman Bustle dubbed one of the nation’s “badass menstrual act...2017-11-041h 09
Multiracial Family ManMultiracial experience, lawyering, and campaign and election law with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, Ep. 140Ep. 140: Ciara Torres-Spelliscy is an associate professor, teaching courses in Election Law, Corporate Governance, Business Entities, and Constitutional Law. Prior to joining Stetson's faculty, Professor Torres-Spelliscy was counsel in the Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law where she provided guidance on the issues of money in politics and the judiciary to state and federal lawmakers. She was an associate at Arnold & Porter LLP and a staffer for Senator Richard Durbin. Professor Torres-Spelliscy has testified before Congress, and state and local legislative bodies as an expert on campaign finance reform. She has also...2017-10-2254 min
Keeping Relevant With Ronnie EldridgeDorothy Samuels: Senior Fellow, Brennan Center for JusticeDorothy Samuels, currently a Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU, calls herself "fortunate" to have been a member of the NY Times editorial board, where she served for more than 30 years, noting the wide array of issues under review.2016-04-2700 min
Brennan Center LIVEDemocracy's Problems and Prospects: A Book Talk with Douglas E. SchoenAmerica’s democracy is floundering, Congress is hopelessly gridlocked, and millions remain without gainful employment. Despite all this, longtime political strategist and polling expert Douglas E. Schoen remains optimistic.
Democracy’s Problems And Prospects represents the best of Dr. Schoen’s distinguished career, which he has dedicated to ensuring that democratic societies reflect the consent and the will of their electorates, and that America defends its interests as well as its values.2015-03-3122 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat Went Wrong with the FISA Court?The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court is no longer serving its constitutional function of providing a check on the executive branch’s ability to obtain Americans’ private communications. Dramatic shifts in technology and law have changed the role of the FISA Court since its creation in 1978 — from reviewing government applications to collect communications in specific cases, to issuing blanket approvals of sweeping data collection programs affecting millions of Americans. The report's authors explore the issues with the FISA court and reforms to fix it.2015-03-3123 min
Brennan Center LIVEThe Black Vote & U.S. DemocracyDarryl Pinckney’s new book, Blackballed: The Black Vote and US Democracy, is a meditation on the intersection between civil rights and the history of black participation in U.S. electoral politics. Fifty years after the first passage of the Voting Rights Act, Pinckney investigates the struggle for black voting rights from Reconstruction through the civil rights movement to Barack Obama’s two presidential campaigns. Mr. Pinckney is joined by Wade Henderson, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Brennan's Washington D.C. office director, Nicole Austin-Hillery.2015-03-3153 min
Brennan Center LIVEWhat Caused the Crime Decline?What Caused the Crime Decline? This podcast examines the Brennan Center's new report that explores one of the nation’s least understood recent phenomena – the dramatic decline in crime nationwide over the past two decades – and analyzes various theories for why it occurred, by reviewing more than 40 years of data from all 50 states and the 50 largest cities. It concludes that over-harsh criminal justice policies, particularly increased incarceration, which rose even more dramatically over the same period, were not the main drivers of the crime decline. In fact, the report finds that increased incarceration has been declining in its effectiveness as a cri...2015-03-1621 min
Brennan Center LIVEScott Horton Book Talk: Lords of SecrecyIn the last decade, national security issues have increasingly faded from the political agenda, due in part to the growth of government secrecy. In his new book, Lords of Secrecy: The National Security Elite and America's Stealth Warfare, journalist and lawyer Scott Horton explains how secrecy has fundamentally changed the way America functions. Never before have the American people had so little information concerning the wars waged in their name, nor has Congress exercised so little oversight over the war effort. Horton reminds us that publicly addressing the country’s national security concerns is the right and responsibility of a...2015-02-1854 min
Brennan Center LIVEKenneth P. Vogel and Walter Shapiro on 'Big Money' Book
2014-06-1839 minKeeping Relevant With Ronnie EldridgeEldridge & Co: Myrna Pérez, Brennan Center, NYUMyrna Pérez, deputy director of the Democracy Project at NYU's Brennan Center for Justice is a little more optimistic these days, reporting in their "Voting Laws Roundup 2014" of "real momentum toward improving our elections..." in states and nationally.2014-02-1200 minKeeping Relevant With Ronnie EldridgeLawrence Norden, Brennan Center for JusticeHost Ronnie Eldridge of Eldridge & Co. sits down with Lawrence Norden, Deputy Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. The two discuss recent changes in some states' voter registration laws.2012-09-2600 min