How Trump Dismantled the Department of Justice with Carol Leonnig
Under President Trump, the Department of Justice’s long-standing mission to uphold the law “without fear or favor” has been turned on its head. Attorney General Pam Bondi has followed Trump’s directives to target his political enemies and help his allies. But in their new book, Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America’s Justice Department, investigative journalists Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis show that the erosion of the DOJ’s independence began long before Trump’s second term.
Kara speaks to Leonnig, MSNBC senior investigative reporter, bestselling author and five-time Pulitzer Prize winner, about how internal pressure campaigns in Trump 1.0 prevailed, despite the noble intentions of prosecutors; the many red flags that were missed by the FBI ahead of the January 6th Capitol attack; the stubborn bravery of unsung heroes in the National Archives Department during the Biden administration; and how the DOJ’s loss of political independence will impact the country.
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Recode Decode: Carol Leonnig and Phil Rucker
Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Phil Rucker talk with Recode's Kara Swisher about their new book, A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America. In it, they draw from more than 200 interviews with Trump administration insiders to paint a picture of Washington in 2020, Trump's frequent lies, and how he retaliates against the people who dare to cross him. They discuss how they convinced sources to talk to them, why Trump is actually a genius from a certain point of view, and how his tweeting may have changed the presidency. Plus: What is it like working at the Washington Post now, in the aftermath of the controversial suspension of one of their colleagues, Felicia Sonmez?
Featuring:
Carole Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig), reporter, Washington Post
Phil Rucker (@PhilipRucker), White House Bureau Chief, Washington Post
Host:
Kara Swisher (@karaswisher), Recode co-founder and editor-at-large
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