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The United States has a reputation for fair and free elections… and a history of excluding people from voting. While our elections are more accessible and secure than ever, we have to ask, what is voter suppression? And does it still exist? Simple Civics is made possible with support by Butler Arts & Events Center.

In which I try to answer your questions about modern politics.... Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: MAGA coalition fractures over Iran war, U.S. military strikes and Strait of Hormuz closure, oil prices and inflation surge, NSM on domestic terrorism and protest prosecutions, Texas Antifa terror convictions, SAVE Act voter suppression push, Pam Bondi and Epstein files cover-up, FBI location data purchases, Kash Patel Senate testimony, Tulsi Gabbard and Russia-Iran intelligence, Mark Wayne Mullin DHS nomination hearing, Jerome Powell stays at the Fed, Trump's mental decline, and Cuba as next military target. From Politics Chat, March 19, 2026 The live streamed version is available here: https://www.youtube.com/live/I5DshGQoOew?si=UBh_HAmgeorU29Xr We’re live here on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 pm PT). Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ Resources: https://americanpromise.net/ https://redwine.blue/ https://cc4democracy.com/ https://liberalrocks.com/ https://www.commoncause.org/take-action/ https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member © 2026 Heather Cox Richardson. All Rights Reserved. All content in this video is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or re-uploading, in whole or in part, without prior written consent is prohibited.

Recently, we’ve seen an escalation in efforts to meddle with elections, from the dangerous SAVE Act, which is gaining momentum in Congress, to President Trump himself calling for “nationalizing” the counting of ballots. Less known is how the administration is leveraging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to subvert the vote. Over the last several months, the DOJ has been demanding access to voter rolls and suing states that don’t comply — a move that is not only unlawful but raises numerous alarms. In this episode, former DOJ officials and Brennan Center experts break down what’s happening inside the department, why it matters for the future of free and fair elections, and what can be done to stop the administration from undermining the rule of law. Recorded on February 10, 2026. Speakers: Eileen O’Connor, Senior Counsel and Manager, Democracy Program, Brennan Center Chris Berger, Patricia Bauman Senior Fellow, Brennan Center Host: Michael Waldman, President and CEO, Brennan Center Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing, at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing. The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. 00:00:00 Introduction: Michael Waldman on the Weaponization of the DOJ 00:01:21 Eileen O’Connor and Chris Berger: Expert Perspectives from within the DOJ 00:02:08 Career Backgrounds: Civil Rights, Voting Rights, and Merrick Garland’s Office 00:03:41 Hoovering Voter Data: The Unprecedented Federal Demands for State Voter Rolls 00:05:15 Lawsuits against States: Misusing the NVRA and the Civil Rights Act 00:06:10 Court Rulings: Dismissing DOJ Cases in California, Oregon, and Michigan 00:06:38 The Strategy of Voter Purges: Illegal List Maintenance vs. State Authority 00:09:20 Laying the Groundwork: Claims of Fraud and Calling 2026 into Question 00:10:48 Elections are Safe: Debunking Conspiracy Theories and Fraud Myths 00:11:30 The Power of Investigation: Prosecution as a Political Tool 00:12:50 DNA of the DOJ: Robert Jackson on the Responsibilities of Prosecutors 00:14:00 Case Study: Search Warrants and search Affidavits in Fulton County, Georgia 00:15:45 Dismantling Internal Checks: The Targeting of Career Staff and the "Deep State" 00:17:43 Gutting the Civil Rights Division: Losing Decades of Institutional Knowledge 00:18:39 Future Reform: Resilience and Rebuilding the Career Workforce 00:21:15 Lessons from 2020: Resignations and Criminal Law Experience as Guardrails 00:23:01 The Legacy of Robert Jackson: Prosecution vs. Persecution 00:24:48 Historical Rhythm: Post-Watergate Reforms and DOJ Independence 00:26:50 The Edward Levy Era: establishing the Arms-Length Relationship 00:28:01 Presidential Misuse of FBI Power: From LBJ to the Present 00:28:40 A Call for a New Reform Moment: Thinking Beyond Restoration 00:29:20 Free and Fair Elections: The Vital Role of Local Officials and Voters 00:30:30 Closing Thoughts: Courage is Contagious in a Democracy

By August 2024, 40,000 self-proclaimed vigilante vote-fraud hunters had already challenged the rights of 852,381 voters — with a target of 2 million before the election. Did the voters decide the 2024 election, or voter suppression? Watch Greg Palast's award-winning documentary — narrated by Rosario Dawson and introduced by Martin Sheen — and decide for yourself. Support our work by making a donation: https://donorbox.org/palast-i-want-to-help-warn-america