A quiet revolution is happening in state courtrooms and attorney general offices across the country, and in this episode of Pantsuit and Lawsuits our guest co-host New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin pulls back the curtain on how it works. We talk about how New Jersey moved from participant to leader in multistate litigation, protected food benefits for millions, and delivered three straight years of record-low gun violence—roughly 750 fewer people shot compared with the year before he took office. The focus isn’t speeches about “the rule of law.” It’s families who feel safer, kids who get dinner, and residents whose rights still mean something when those in power become reckless. We walk through the mechanics that keep complex cases moving through leadership transitions, why some of the most consequential fights against federal overreach happen at the state level, and how bipartisan coalitions can still form around tech accountability and consumer harms. Then we zoom out: reported abuses at the border, no-warrant intrusions, and a chilling effect on pro bono representation. Platkin reframes the Bill of Rights as a living shield—First, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment protections that apply on real streets, to real people, right now. We don’t dodge the Supreme Court. From Bruen to Dobbs to presidential immunity, we parse what these decisions mean for public safety, reproductive rights, and equal accountability. Yet the advice isn’t despair—it’s strategy. Lower courts remain vital. Records matter. Clear narratives win. Long-term fixes, from campaign finance reform to constitutional amendments, deserve a real push if we want a democracy that can stand up to concentrated power and money.
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31:57
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31:57
Free Speech Under Fire
Power concentrates in silence, and lately the silence is spreading. We unpack a sweeping pressure campaign against the First Amendment—on campuses, in briefing rooms, on city streets, and across shrinking newsrooms—with an unflinching look at how intimidation, lawsuits, and funding threats are changing the way America speaks and learns.From protest crackdowns to new restrictive policies at the Pentagon, we trace how best practices are abandoned and dissent turned into a risk calculation. We talk about national outlets that can lawyer up, local stations that can’t, and why even a single settlement can send a chilling message across the entire industry. Veteran reporter Mary Jo Pitzl joins us to explain how newsroom economics, algorithmic incentives, and headline gamesmanship can reshape coverage, nudging editors toward safe choices and audiences toward confusion. Her decades of experience on the beat have made one thing clear: when institutions accept control over who asks questions and what gets printed, the public will never get the answers they deserve.We also follow the pressure beyond media. Universities juggle academic freedom against the threat of defunding, law firms face retaliation for their clients, and nonprofits fear hosting events that could draw political ire. These choices create a quiet chill—self-censorship that never makes headlines but erodes civic life all the same. We share concrete steps to push back: collective action among schools and firms to spread the legal risk, smarter support for local journalism and public broadcasting, and a recommitment to rigorous reporting over viral bait.Free speech isn’t self-executing; it survives because people use it. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Then tell us: where are you seeing the chill, and how should we fight it together?
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30:43
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30:43
Guns, Kids, And Common Sense Reform
A hard truth sets the tone: gun violence is now the leading cause of death for kids and teens in America. As parents, we share the fear that comes with lockdown texts and campus alerts; as attorneys general, we break down how states can act when the window opens and how those wins ripple upward. From there, we dig into what actually works—red flag laws, safe storage, and other common sense reforms—and why politics still manages to stall simple, popular solutions.We’re joined by Emma Brown, executive director at Giffords, who brings clear evidence and a coalition mindset. She explains how ERPOs give law enforcement a narrow, court-supervised tool to temporarily separate dangerous individuals from firearms, and why departments that once opposed ERPOs now rely on them. We look at the data linking safe storage to fewer youth deaths and the real-world impact of free gun locks distributed by police and pediatricians. We also confront the rise of ghost guns and conversion devices—unserialized parts and forced-reset triggers that undercut tracing, evade basic safeguards, and raise the risk for officers and communities. The conversation is frank about the political headwinds: organized lobbying and industry immunity that keep Congress trailing behind public opinion—even when over 90% of the country supports universal background checks. Yet there’s a roadmap. State progress builds the case for federal action, especially when tragic events focus the nation’s attention and coalitions are ready with proven models. The takeaway is practical and urgent: educate the public about ERPOs, normalize safe storage, back law enforcement on ghost guns, and make the most of every opportunity to pass reforms that protect kids without infringing responsible ownership.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who cares about safer communities, and leave a review to help more people find it. Your voice helps turn common sense into common practice.
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37:10
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37:10
Collisions of Power and Protocol at DOJ
Power without guardrails doesn’t just bend the law—it breaks trust. We sit down with former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade to unpack how federal-state partnerships actually solve complex crimes, and why those partnerships falter when DOJ norms are sidelined by politics and performative “toughness.” From FBI and DEA collaborations that cross borders to the grand jury and charging protocols that keep prosecutions rooted in facts, we walk through the machinery that keeps justice fair—and what happens when leaders try to manipulate our systems to their own advantage. Barb takes us inside the culture of DOJ: why morale matters, how selective investigations and “name and shame” tactics corrode legitimacy, and what it costs when dockets are flooded with low-complexity immigration cases at the expense of public corruption, cartel, and violent crime work. We get specific on Arizona’s fentanyl pipeline, agent redeployments that weaken strategic cases, and the difference between optics and outcomes. We also examine leadership under pressure, from subpoenas targeting gender-affirming care to universities and hospitals that “obey in advance,” and why institutions must balance legal risk with their own organizational values. We don’t stop at problems. Together, we outline a path to repair: codify core DOJ norms into durable regulations, restore a real firewall between the White House and federal investigations, reinvest in prevention and complex cases, and demand a Congress that reasserts oversight regardless of party. The through line is simple and urgent—democracy relies on rules, habits, and courage.
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31:48
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31:48
Tomorrow's Cures, Today's Cuts: The Hidden Cost of Health Agency Rollbacks
The dismantling of America's public health infrastructure is happening at breakneck speed, with potentially catastrophic consequences for generations to come. When top CDC scientists walk out in protest, we should all pay attention. That's exactly what we explore in this urgent conversation with Will Humble, Executive Director for the Arizona Public Health Association, who brings decades of public health leadership experience to help us understand what's at stake.What happens when anti-vaccine ideology drives national health policy? The answer is chilling. Humble breaks down how the gutting of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices could lead to essential childhood vaccines being dropped from recommended schedules. Since these recommendations determine what's covered by both the Vaccines for Children program (serving over 50% of American children) and private insurance, the result would be widespread vaccine inaccessibility. At $200 per COVID vaccine and similar costs for other immunizations, many families simply couldn't afford to protect their children.Beyond vaccines, the administration's proposed 40% cut to the National Institutes of Health threatens to collapse the research pipeline that delivers medical breakthroughs. As Humble explains, NIH-funded research on mRNA technology enabled rapid COVID vaccine development and now holds tremendous promise for cancer treatment. Cutting this funding doesn't just delay progress—it drives researchers overseas and creates a scientific brain drain that could take decades to rebuild.The assault extends to medical education itself, with new loan limits making it financially impossible for many students to become doctors, especially in critically needed primary care fields. Combined with inadequate support for residency programs, these policies will worsen physician shortages, particularly in rural areas where healthcare access is already precarious.The stakes couldn't be higher. Listen now to understand the full scope of this public health crisis and what we can do to fight back before it's too late. Share this episode with anyone who cares about protecting our nation's health and scientific leadership.
About Pantsuits and Lawsuits with Attorneys General Kris Mayes and Dana Nessel
Pantsuits and Lawsuits is a no-holds-barred podcast featuring Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes as they break down the biggest legal and political battles shaping the nation. With sharp wit and deep expertise, these two trailblazing AGs will keep you informed on what’s happening in their offices, how they’re fighting to protect your rights, and what’s at stake in the courts. From democracy and civil rights to corporate accountability, they’ll tackle it all—bringing in expert guests along the way to dig even deeper. Smart, bold, and unapologetically candid—this is the legal commentary you didn’t know you needed.
Listen to Pantsuits and Lawsuits with Attorneys General Kris Mayes and Dana Nessel, Law Report and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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