Bonus: Trump Asks SCOTUS To Help Him Rig the Midterms
Summary
Hosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern analyze the Trump administration’s emergency Supreme Court request to implement mail-in voting restrictions ahead of the 2026 midterms, discussing potential voter suppression and legal challenges. They also touch on the stalled nomination of Todd Blanche as Attorney General. Later, Shirin Ali joins to discuss her reporting on families of civil rights martyrs Viola Liuzzo, Vernon Dahmer, and Andrew Goodman, who urge citizens to vote despite recent court setbacks to the Voting Rights Act.
Topics discussed
Intro: Slate Plus membership and episode preview
Trump admin's emergency SCOTUS request on mail-in voting
Details of the executive order curbing mail-in voting
Legal arguments: Speculative harm vs. immediate injury
Potential consequences if SCOTUS grants relief
Predictions on the vote and risks to election confidence
Todd Blanche AG nomination snag and Senate pushback
Intro to Shirin Ali and the By the People series
Interview: Families of civil rights heroes and the VRA
Stories of Viola Liuzzo and Vernon Dahmer
Story of Andrew Goodman's activism and death
Messages from families: Vote despite obstacles
Outro: Next week's topics and credits
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