Season 5 · Democracy Decoded
Special Announcement: We've been nominated for a Webby!
10 Apr 2026 · 2 min
Episode notes
We are beyond thrilled to announce Democracy Decoded once again has been nominated for a Webby Award in the category of Public Service & Activism podcasts!
Podcast
Democracy Decoded
Campaign Legal Center · News · English
Our system of government is rooted in the Constitution and designed to ensure that power is shared, not concentrated in any one branch. But what happens when the institutions that were meant to hold one another accountable are tested in new and unprecedented ways? Season 6 of Democracy Decoded exam
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Host Simone Leeper is joined by former pardon attorney Liz Oyer and Campaign Legal Center’s Brendan Fischer to expose how President Trump has turned the pardon power into a tool for personal and political gain — rewarding donors, shielding corrupt allies, and fueling a lobbyist-driven market for clemency.
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What happens when political dissent is suppressed?
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S6 · E2 · 22 Sep 2026 · 35 min
Are political loyalty and partisanship replacing the rule of law at the DOJ?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by Michael Feinberg, Joyce Vance, and Dana Paikowsky to unpack how loyalty to the president and his political agenda has replaced impartiality and serving the public good inside the Department of Justice.
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S6 · E1 · 15 Sep 2026 · 34 min
What happens when the balance of power becomes unbalanced?
Host Simone Leeper is joined by Melissa Murray, Michael Luttig, and Brent Ferguson to examine how the rule of law is being dismantled by the Trump administration — one court ruling, one fired commissioner, and one unchecked executive action at a time.
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S6 · 1 Sep 2026 · 2 min
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S5 · E8 · 20 Nov 2025 · 43 min
How New Voting Barriers Threaten Elections
Host Simone Leeper speaks with experts Rick Hasen and Danielle Lang about how new voting restrictions are threatening elections, and what it will take to ensure every voter can participate meaningfully in our democracy.
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S5 · E7 · 13 Nov 2025 · 43 min
The Latest: How the Erosion of Federalism Endangers Elections
Host Simone Leeper speaks with Campaign Legal Center attorneys Catie Kelley and Jonathan Diaz about the Trump administration’s efforts to seize state control of elections. From unlawful executive orders to voter registration barriers and voter roll data grabs, they explain how these actions undermine federalism—and what CLC is doing to protect American elections in the lead-up to 2026 and 2028.
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S5 · 6 Nov 2025 · 1 min
A Quick Update from Democracy Decoded
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S5 · E6 · 30 Oct 2025 · 41 min
How Gerrymandering Undermines Fair Representation
Host Simone Leeper speaks with Campaign Legal Center’s Mark Gaber and Utah voters Vicki and Malcolm Reed about how everyday Americans are fighting back against gerrymandering — and what’s at stake when politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around.
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S5 · E5 · 23 Oct 2025 · 37 min
How Democracy Is Impacted by the Expansion of Presidential Power
Host Simone Leeper speaks with Douglas Brinkley, Rick Perlstein, Adav Noti and Juan Proaño to trace how presidential power has grown over time — and how that expansion impacts how our democracy works.
