Today’s episode begins with the fatal shooting of Renee Good last week at the hands of an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Mary and Andrew break down the frame by frame of the tragedy and its fallout — pointing to the Trump administration’s deflective response, the Civil Rights Division’s decision not to investigate, and the inflammatory language used by the Vice President and Trump himself. Joining the conversation next for a deep dive into Trump’s actions in Venezuela is international law expert Rebecca Ingber, who explains how the incursion has no clear legal justification under international law. Last on the agenda, the co-hosts turn to news out of D.C. where the U.S. Attorney launched a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, sparking questions about the Fed’s independence and government sanctioned retribution campaigns.

A Note: In this episode, Mary and Andrew talk about top DOJ officials quitting over their division’s refusal to investigate the Minnesota shooting. After recording, the New York Times among others reported the following: Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow

Further Reading:

Here is the Federal Reserve’s explanation of the renovations: Federal Reserve’s Renovation of Two Historic Buildings

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It’s been five years since rioters stormed the Capitol in one of the most violent events on U.S soil in recent history. To commemorate the day and remind Americans of the consequences that still reverberate around the nation, House Democrats organized a hearing to “to set the record straight on the violent insurrection carried out by supporters of Donald Trump.” In this bonus episode, you’ll hear from Winston Pingeon, a former United States Capitol Police Officer, Brendan Ballou, a former Department of Justice Prosecutor, Pamela Hemphill, a rioter who refused President Trump’s pardon, and Main Justice co-host Mary McCord, the Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) and Visiting Law Professor at Georgetown.

Audio provided by the Office of Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Here is an OpEd on MS Now from Mary that reflects her testimony: Political violence doesn’t always look like Jan. 6

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Just days into 2026, Mary and Andrew dive into a fresh slate of legal questions brought on by the United States’ surprise extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to New York to face criminal charges. Unpacking why the operation is widely viewed as illegal in both Venezuela and here at home, they focus on the Trump administration’s pattern of self-excusing questionable tactics under the banner of fighting crime and drug smuggling. Next, as the fifth anniversary of the January 6th insurrection approaches, Mary previews her upcoming testimony in front of House Democrats on the impact the broad swath of pardons for J6 convictions has had, before the co-hosts review Jack Smith’s now public deposition before the House Judiciary Committee. Last, Mary and Andrew turn to the newly unsealed order in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case, in which the judge believes DOJ officials may have pushed to prosecute him only after he was wrongly deported to El Salvador.

Further reading:

• Former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s testimony transcript is HERE, the video is HERE
• HERE is Judge Gary R. Brown’s ruling from 12/18 on the awful conditions in an ICE detention facility in Long Island, NY.

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After a year that saw no shortage of heavy legal news, Mary and Andrew close out 2025 with an episode of positive judicial developments. They begin with the Supreme Court’s decision denying President Trump’s request to stay an injunction blocking the federalization of National Guard troops in Illinois, concluding that the statute the government used to justify it first requires an attempt to execute federal laws with the military – which would likely require invocation of the Insurrection Act. And nobody seems to want that. At least not yet. The co-hosts then turn to D.C. District Court Judge Jeb Boasberg’s decision on the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. He wrote that because the U.S. maintained constructive custody over Venezuelans expelled to El Salvador, they are legally owed due process rights. Last up, they note two judges who are demanding proof that the government is not acting vindictively — from the administration’s prosecution of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the presidential memo that stripped the security clearance of national security lawyer Mark Zaid.

Editors’ Note: While Andrew and Mary were recording this episode, an order from Judge Crenshaw in Abrego Garcia's criminal case was unsealed. It confirms the DOJ pushed to prosecute Kilmar Abrego Garcia only after he was mistakenly deported. You can read it HERE

Further reading:

Read Judge Boasberg’s Memorandum Opinion on due process for Venezuelans deported to El Salvador HERE

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The highly anticipated release of the Epstein files dropped last Friday with a muted thump, as redactions were abundant and files were held back. Mary and Andrew begin there, with the Justice Department’s failure to comply with the “Epstein Files Transparency Act”, a congressional law compelling the release of "all unclassified records" with a few exceptions. They break down what the law requires, why the DOJ’s redactions raise some concerns, and what new revelations surfaced around Jeffrey Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. Turning to several federal cases on their radar, the co-hosts unpack the news that prosecutors had tried but failed to add a third felony charge against Letitia James and the split jury verdict of Wisconsin state court Judge Hannah Dugan. And before wrapping up, Mary and Andrew examine a unanimous DC Circuit decision allowing the National Guard deployment in the city to proceed, emphasizing D.C.’s unique non-state status.

Further reading:

Read DC Circuit Panel Decision on National Guard deployment HERE

And a note to our listeners: As Mary and Andrew mentioned, they plan to record a new episode next Tuesday if the news warrants it. Otherwise, they’ll take some time to enjoy the holiday season and will be back with a new episode on January 6th.

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Seeking political retribution is far different than prosecuting a winning case, as the Trump administration is coming to understand. Mary and Andrew begin here after a grand jury, once again, refused to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James. This comes along with a ruling limiting what evidence could be used in the case against James Comey if the government seeks to re-bring that case. The co-hosts also tee up what may come from Jack Smith’s closed-door deposition in front of the House Judiciary Committee, before turning to the latest in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia saga, after Judge Paula Xinis ordered his release. Last up, Mary and Andrew head to the West coast for an update on the National Guard deployment in L.A., and offer some analysis on Judge Bybee’s statement on 9th Circuit en banc review over deploying the National Guard to Portland, Oregon.

Further Reading:

• Here is Judge Xinis’ opinion regarding the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

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Last week, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing Texas to use its gerrymandered congressional map in the 2026 midterms, handing a redistricting win to Republicans. Mary and Andrew begin here, pointing to this decision as an example of the conservative majority’s disregard for opinions made by lower courts. Then, they turn to a Virginia grand jury’s refusal to re-indict Letitia James after a federal judge dismissed the initial criminal case against her — showing, in the hosts’ estimation, how weak the reasoning must be for this indictment to be declined. This, before turning to the declarations filed by Kristi Noem, among others, in Judge Boasberg's contempt case, and highlighting Judge Beryl Howell’s scathing decision barring immigration arrests without a warrant in DC. And before they wrap, Andrew and Mary give a quick nod to the Pentagon’s IG report on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal chat app.

Further reading:

• HERE is Judge Beryl Howell’s 88-page decision against DHS over warrantless immigration arrests.
• HERE is the Pentagon's IG report on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the ‘Signal’ chat app to communicate war plans.

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