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Season 5 · Democracy Decoded

Special Announcement: We've been nominated for a Webby!

10 Apr 2026 · 2 min

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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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  1. S6 · E4 · 6 Oct 2026 · 31 min

    Who gets a pardon in Trump's America — and why?

    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.

  2. S6 · E3 · 29 Sep 2026 · 33 min

    What happens when political dissent is suppressed?

    Host Simone Leeper traces a throughline from a handcuffed senator to blacklisted law firms, surveilled protesters, and hijacked government emails — and asks Yale Law Professor Robert Post and Campaign Legal Center's Danielle Lang what's left of the First Amendment when dissent comes with a price.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. S5 · 6 Nov 2025 · 1 min

    A Quick Update from Democracy Decoded

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

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