Elie Mystal

Justice Correspondent & Columnist

@ElieNYC

Elie Mystal is The Nation’s justice correspondent and the host of its legal podcast, Contempt of Court. He is also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at the Type Media Center. His first book is the New York Times bestseller Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution, published by The New Press. Elie can be followed @ElieNYC.

Donald Trump poses for a picture at a South Carolina gun store.

The Supreme Court Could Soon Let Trump Buy All the Guns He Wants The Supreme Court Could Soon Let Trump Buy All the Guns He Wants

Trump is currently prohibited from buying guns because he’s under criminal indictment. But two big court cases could change that.

Sep 26, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) listens to reporters' questions during a news conference at the US Capitol on September 12, 2023.

Mitch McConnell Will Not Go Gently Into the Senate Goodnight Mitch McConnell Will Not Go Gently Into the Senate Goodnight

Even if the senator wanted to retire, there’s no way he’ll let Kentucky’s Democratic governor choose his replacement, even temporarily.

Sep 18, 2023 / Elie Mystal

James C. Ho testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his nomination hearing to be a judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on November 15, 2017.

James Ho Wants to Be the Next Clarence Thomas James Ho Wants to Be the Next Clarence Thomas

The Fifth Circuit judge is a far-right extremist and provocateur—and he’s angling for a seat on the Supreme Court.

Sep 15, 2023 / Column / Elie Mystal

US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The Future of the Voting Rights Act Depends on... Brett Kavanaugh The Future of the Voting Rights Act Depends on... Brett Kavanaugh

A new effort by Alabama to gut the VRA was clearly inspired by a recent Kavanaugh opinion. Now the state is appealing to the Supreme Court—and Kavanaugh—to help seal the deal.

Sep 14, 2023 / Elie Mystal

During an April 19, 2023, news conference outside the US Capitol, activists hold signs calling for the immediate resignation of Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.

Democrats Need to Grow a Spine and Actually Fight for the Courts Democrats Need to Grow a Spine and Actually Fight for the Courts

The GOP is trying to impeach judges over nothing, but Dems won't even go after Clarence Thomas for his very real mega-corruption. Come on!

Sep 11, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Nadine Seiler attends a rally for voting rights in front of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 2022.

Delegitimize the Supreme Court Delegitimize the Supreme Court

On the final episode of Contempt of Court, Elie Mystal is joined by legal experts Nikolas Bowie and Rhiannon Hamam to understand how we might strip the court of its presumed legit...

Aug 22, 2023 / Podcast / Elie Mystal

People protest in front of the US Supreme Court on June 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.

Can’t Reform the Court’s Power? Then Let’s Take It Away. Can’t Reform the Court’s Power? Then Let’s Take It Away.

On this episode of the Contempt of Court podcast, a deep dive into jurisdiction stripping.

Aug 15, 2023 / Podcast / Elie Mystal

How Black People Won the Battle of Montgomery

How Black People Won the Battle of Montgomery How Black People Won the Battle of Montgomery

The lesson of the events at the Montgomery Riverwalk is that when Black people see something, we do something

Aug 10, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Justice Clarence Thomas.

It's Time for Ethics Reform on the Supreme Court It's Time for Ethics Reform on the Supreme Court

On this episode of the Contempt of Court podcast, Congressman Hank Johnson and writer Emily Bazelon discuss fixes to the Court's ethics problem.

Aug 8, 2023 / Podcast / Elie Mystal

A demonstrator stands outside the Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington, D.C., on August 1, 2023, the day of former president Donald Trump’s indictment related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

For Trump, the Stakes of the 2024 Election Just Became: Win—or Go to Jail For Trump, the Stakes of the 2024 Election Just Became: Win—or Go to Jail

The indictment Jack Smith brought against Donald Trump is strong. The only question is whether the former president can outrun the charges long enough to win reelection.

Aug 2, 2023 / Elie Mystal

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