Podcasts about Mea culpa

Mea Culpa welcomes the Lincoln Project advisor Stuart Stevens. Regarded as one of the Republican Party's most talented political gurus—a body of work that includes steering Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012—Stevens may also be the GOP's most prominent defector when he abandoned his party as Trump rose to power. He despises the former president in a way that feels strikingly personal. While the Lincoln Project argues that Trump is perverting the Republican Party, Stevens doesn't think Trump has perverted anything: Trump is the Republican Party, Stevens believes, and the Republican Party is Trump. Stuart believes there is no reclaiming his former party, it must be burned to the ground. Or to use a Vietnam-era metaphor, the Village must be destroyed in order to save it. Reflecting on a four-decade career in American politics, Stevens is convinced that Trump was not an aberrant zigzag. He was fate. “I saw a lot of this stuff, but I just chose to believe that this kind of dark side was the recessive gene, not the dominant one,” he says. “I was wrong.” Stevens joins Mea Culpa to discuss his fabulous new book “The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party Is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy.” The book is part memoir and part Jeremiad as Stevens unpacks how we are moving towards an autocratic end.

Mea Culpa welcomes back to the show, legendary newsman David Corn, the Washington DC Bureau Chief of Mother Jones, and an on-air analyst for MSMBC. Corn and Michael Isikoff “co-authored, “Russian Roulette, The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump”. He's also the author of four New York Times best-selling books and was the long-time Washington editor for “The Nation”. For a good read, check out “Our Land” — his twice-weekly newsletter that covers everything from news of the day to entertainment, but all told in Corn's no bullshit style. Corn has been published multiple times, but his latest bestseller,” American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy” is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding our unprecedented times. He joins us today amidst unprecedented dysfunction in American government as the GOP continues for a third week without a House speaker, paralyzed by infighting between moderate and extremist factions of the GOP. On top of this, former President Trump awaits four separate criminal trials and has all but dared Judge Chuktan to jail him for violating his gag order. All the while war rages in Israel and Ukraine. It seems we are drifting without a rudder and American credibility is suffering. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Malcolm Nance. You may know Nance as the globally renowned expert on terrorism, extremism, and insurgency from his stunning new book, “They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.” It became a New York Times best-seller as was his last book, the Plot to Hack America. He's the counter-terrorism analyst for NBC and MSNBC. Nance is considered one of the "Great African-Americans in Espionage” by the International Spy Museum. But he is also extremely well-sourced on what's happening in the armed forces and has spent time on the frontlines of Ukraine. Today he shifts his expertise and perspective to Israel and the readiness of the IDF to invade Gaza and perhaps face Hezbollah on its northern border with Lebanon. Nance joins us with answers to our most burning questions, like “how did this happen?”

Mea Culpa welcomes back our friend, the brilliant political comic and anti-MAGA troll Walt Masterson. Over the past few years, Masterson has brilliantly insinuated himself into the fabric of the MAGA nation and trolled everyone from January 6th rioters to neo nazi school board members, making them look like imbeciles and exposing their hypocrisy to millions and viewers, especially on Tik Tok where his takedowns of the political right have helped him amass over 1.7 million dedicated followers. He joins us today to discuss his latest round of videos and how much Gas the MAGA stupid train has in the tank.

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend, Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. You'd be smart to subscribe to the “Talking Feds” YouTube channel. New episodes are posted daily and he features the greatest legal minds and tough-as-nails former prosecutors breaking down the legal news and all things Trump indictment. But today Harry is here to give us the rundown on the latest in Trump's four criminal indictments, and the continued fallout from the Judge Engoron ruling. 

Mea Culpa welcomes the fantastic Elie Mystal, the Nation's Justice Correspondent and the host of its legal podcast “Contempt of Court. In addition to being a frequent guest on MSNBC, Mystal is also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at the Type Media Center. His first book is “The New York Times bestseller “Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution.” Mystal is also an attorney and is considered one of the foremost experts on the Supreme Court. But he's also funny as hell and can be seen trolling the GOP daily on the platform formerly known as Twitter. He joins us today as the House of Representatives descends into chaos and the GOP searches for another sucker to take the speaker's gavel.

Mea Culpa welcomes back one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. She's a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. Setmayer has appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. She was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. She's also a fierce critic of the ongoing MAGA agenda and what she views as the GOP's shameful inability to move beyond its toxic politics. She joins me today as we celebrate the ruling against Donald Trump by Judge Engoron. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Reed Galen, co-founder of The Lincoln Project and a veteran public affairs and political commentator with more than 20 years of experience, Reed has been involved in politics, government, and business at the highest levels. Galen has spent more than a decade advising Fortune 50, 100, and 1000 companies needing high-level counsel in strategic communications, procurement, and legislation. In addition to his private sector work, Reed has managed several high-profile ballot measure campaigns in California, Texas, and Colorado – Before moving to the private sector, Reed served as Deputy Campaign Manager for John McCain's presidential campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger's successful 2006 re-election campaign. Galen also worked on both of President George W. Bush's campaigns and served the Bush Administration at both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. As founder of the Lincoln Project, Galen has led the groups vision and created some of its most memorable attacks against Donald Trump. He is now focused on ridding the nation of Trump and attempting to purge the GOP of its love affair with MAGA ideology. He joins us today to discuss the changing of the media guard as Rupert Murdoch rides off into the right-wing sunset. So, let's go now to that conversation.

Mea Culpa welcomes Frank Figliuzzi to help us figure out the legal ramifications of everything going on in Washington DC. Figliuzzi is a national security contributor and regular columnist for NBC News and MSNBC. At one time, Figliuzzi was the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, where he served for 25 years as a special agent and directed all espionage investigations across the entire government. He is also the author of the national bestseller “The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau's Code of Excellence.” Make sure to check out his excellent new show on YouTube “Frankly Speaking,” where he sheds light on the work done by the FBI illuminating why that work is so critical to the health of our nation and our national security. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Scott Dworkin founder and lead investigator of the Democratic Coalition and host of the Dworkin Report Podcast. His 2016 Dworkin Report helped uncover the Trump-Russia affair well before Special Counsel Mueller's probe began. He served as a deputy director for both the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee and 2012 Democratic National Convention and was a senior advisor on both the Draft Biden and Run Warren Run campaigns. He has worked on campaigns and with organizations in all 50 states and was named to the Campaigns & Elections magazine's 2011 class of Rising Stars. Find him at DworkinReport.com, scottdworkin.org, and on Twitter @funder. He joins us today on Mea Culpa to discuss the rapidly approving Georgia Racketeering and all things indictment.

Mea Culpa welcomes back progressive activist and Twitter phenom Brooklyn Dad Defiant. Ever since January 6th, BDD has used his platform which reaches 1.2 million followers to push back on the MAGA agenda as well as the poisonous rhetoric they spread across social media. Brooklyn Dad Defiant joins us today to discuss the rapidly approaching Georgia RICO trials for some of the 18 conspirators as Trump finds himself deeper in the proverbial shit. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. Check out their latest show featuring a who's who of prosecutorial muscle and special guests like former Senator Al Franken. Also, make sure to check out their new YouTube channel. They may have a face for radio but its content you won't want to miss. New episodes are posted daily and he features the greatest legal minds and tough as nails former prosecutors breaking down the legal news and all things Trump indictment. But today Harry is here to give us the rundown on what's happening in Georgia and discuss just what was on Evan Corcoran's phone and how it will damage Donald Trump. So let's go now to that conversation.

Mea Culpa welcomes Grant Stern to the show. Stern is the Executive Editor of Occupy Democrats AND publishes the must-read, STERN FACTS newsletter on Substack. He's also a mortgage broker, community activist and radio personality in Miami, Florida, as well as the producer of the Dworkin Report podcast. Grant is also an occasional contributor to Raw Story, Alternet, and the DC Report, and an unpaid senior advisor to the Democratic Coalition and a Director of Sunshine Agenda Inc. a government transparency nonprofit organization. He joins me today on Mea Culpa to discuss his latest bombshell report on fake electors and discuss the impact of the Enrique Tario sentencing plus much, much more. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Lev Parnas from the wilds of Boca Raton, Florida. Lev is a Soviet-born businessman who along with Rudy Giuliani and Igor Fruman played a central role in the campaign to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump's political rivals…including Hunter Biden. Parnas was thrown into Trump's first impeachment drama, but he worked with federal prosecutors against Giuliani and the former president. Parnas is currently serving a 20-month sentence for Campaign Finance, Wire Fraud, And False Statements Offenses, and is speaking to us today while on home confinement. Lev is a truth-teller and unafraid to remember the things that most folks wish he would forget. Sorry folks but there's a hashtag that Parnas deploys that says it all, “LEV REMEMBERS.” What that means for Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump and the rest of these criminals is that they are in deep shit because LEV REMEMBERS. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back legendary politician turned political analyst, Michael Steele. Steele made history when he became the first African-American candidate to be elected to statewide office in Maryland, where he served as lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2007, and when he was chosen to be the first African-American chairperson of the Republican National Committee from 2009 to 2011. Steele's abilities as a communicator and commentator have been showcased daily on MSNBC, where he has become a fierce opponent of Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda. He's also appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and The Daily Show to name a few. In addition to his work in television, Steele can be heard each week on his radio show on SiriusXM or on the Michael Steele Podcast which has become a must listen for those on both sides of the aisle. He joins me today to discuss the legal thicket we must politically navigate as Trump's four criminal trials loom as well as some color commentary on last week's GOP Debate. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back, intrepid newsman, Ali Velshi. Host of “Velshi” and seemingly the favorite fill-in host of every other MSNBC Prime Time News Show. Velshi also reported live from the frontlines of the George Floyd protests, he was drenched during hurricane Ian. And dodged incoming fire from Russian artillery when he fearlessly reported live from the frontlines in Ukraine. A concerned citizen of the world, Velshi seems to be everywhere there is an injustice. He has been a contributor at CNN, Al Jazeera America, and NBC to name a few. He joins us on Mea Culpa amidst this historic moment of Trump's fourth arrest. Just last week he read the entirety of the 98-page indictment on the air and into the historic record. This is a true moment of infamy. 

Mea Culpa welcomes the opposite of the narcissistic garbage that surrendered to authorities today. General Mark Hertling. He joins us today to give us a real and frank assessment of the state of both Russian and Ukrainian forces as war begins to tip in Ukraine's favor. In addition, he is an outspoken critic of former president Trump and the MAGA agenda. Hertling spent 37 years in the Armed Forces. During his time as a U.S. soldier, he served in Armor, Cavalry, planning, operations, and training positions. He commanded every organization from Platoon to Field Army. Most notably, Hertling commanded the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division in Iraq during the troop surge of 2007 to 2008 and retired as Commanding General of the US Army Europe. His knowledge of the complex alliances between European nations and the fragility of the NATO experiment gives him a rare insight into how this war is being fought as well as what the face of true leadership looks like. 

Mea Culpa is taking a short August recess. But with everything that's happening we don't want to let you down. So, tune in for an all-new interview with my favorite former prosecutor, Harry Litman. The host of the Talking Feds podcast, Litman is also an LA Times columnist and appears frequently on MNSBC. This week he joins us on Mea Culpa to offer a no-holds-barred look at the Trump indictment from a prosecutor's point of view. 

On this episode of Mea Culpa, Michael Cohen sits down with Axios political reporter Marc Caputo for an inside look at the stories shaping Washington and the Trump administration. Drawing on years of reporting and deep sources throughout the political world, Caputo discusses the latest developments inside Trump World, the state of the Republican Party, the road to the midterm elections, and what may be coming next in one of the most consequential political periods in modern American history. A candid conversation about power, politics, and the stories unfolding behind the headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mea Culpa welcomes legal legend, Nick Akerman. Akerman was formerly a federal prosecutor and the Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he specialized in going after white-collar crime. Prior to the SDNY, he made his name as the Assistant Special Watergate Prosecutor with the Watergate Special Prosecution Force under Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski. There Akerman was instrumental in helping crack open the vast conspiracy orchestrated by President Nixon and his co-conspirators that resulted in Nixon's resignation and several prison sentences for his underlings. Akerman joins us today to discuss how Trump is basically screwed in his election interference trial and why televising the trial will be a terrible idea.

Mea Culpa welcomes podcaster, radio host, and columnist Joe Walsh. Walsh was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 from Illinois's 8th District. He also ran for president and then blew up his life when he spoke out against the MAGA cult and gave Trump the bird. To quote Joe, Republicans “have become fully radicalized and anti-democracy.” Joe's podcast, “White Flag” strives to find a path to unite, not divide us politically, but he pulls no punches in his latest book, “F*ck Silence: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is.” He has of late, railed against the GOP establishment, who voted for Trump in 2020 and believe the rest of us simply forgot their actions. He is also deeply worried about the future of the GOP and the idea that there is no longer space for a sane, anti-Trump candidate who supports small government and fiscal conservatism. What happens next is anyone's guess. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back Reed Galen. Co-founder of The Lincoln Project and a veteran public affairs and political commentator with more than 20 years of experience, Reed has been involved in politics, government, and business at the highest levels. Galen has spent more than a decade advising Fortune 50, 100, and 1000 companies in need of high-level counsel in the fields of strategic communications, procurement, and legislation. In addition to his private sector work, Reed has managed several high-profile ballot measure campaigns in California, Texas, and Colorado – Before moving to the private sector, Reed served as Deputy Campaign Manager for John McCain's presidential campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger's successful 2006 re-election campaign. Galen also worked on both of President George W. Bush's campaigns and served the Bush Administration at both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. As founder of the Lincoln Project, Galen has lead the group's vision and created some of its most memorable attacks against Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and others. He is now focused on not only ridding the nation of Trump but attempting to purge the GOP of its love affair with MAGA ideology. We had the opportunity to speak to him in the midst of these historic indictments. 

Mea Culpa welcomes our ole friend, Joe Trippi, heralded on the cover of The New Republic as the man who “reinvented campaigning,” Trippi pioneered bringing politics into the digital age. Most recently, he's brought his campaign savvy to the Lincoln Project where he serves as a senior advisor. With Trump a target of Federal Prosecutors and State DAs, Trippi is targeting the MAGA machine that continues to prop up divisive politics. Lately, his scorn is being directed at Ron DeSantis, who the GOP hoped to dress up as a more palatable Donald Trump but instead got a zombie hall monitor with a mean streak. You can listen to Joe's podcast, “That Trippi Show,” everywhere podcasts are found or see him on MSNBC, CNN and NBC. Today we'll go into all things Trump indictment but also look at how the GOP has lost an entire generation of voters as it clings to the poisonous politics of its MAGA base. 

In this episode of Mea Culpa, Michael Cohen sits down with intelligence and national security expert Malcolm Nance for a timely conversation. As tensions continue to rise overseas and political leaders struggle to define exactly what the United States is involved in, Cohen and Nance break down the growing uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict, military strategy, global consequences, and the legal and political implications back home. Together, they examine the blurred lines between limited operations and full-scale war, the role of Congress under the War Powers Act, and whether the American public is getting the full story. A sharp and urgent conversation about where things stand—and where they could be heading next. As always, thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My next guest on Mea Culpa is Neal Kaytal. The former Obama administration Solicitor General of the United States and New York Times bestselling author, of “Impeach,” The Case Against Donald Trump. In addition, Neal runs one of the largest Supreme Court practices in the world where he occupies the role formerly held by now Chief Justice John Roberts. From a legal perspective, the man is an absolute heavy hitter and one of the sharpest minds we've had on this show to date. He has orally argued 43 cases before the Supreme Court with 41 of them in the last decade. At the age of 50, he has already argued more Supreme Court cases in U.S. history than any other minority attorney, breaking the record of Thurgood Marshall. Make sure to check out his new podcast Courtside where each week Neal discusses a major Supreme Court case with a non-lawyer guest. This week it's all about the prosecution of presidents and the landmark, Morrison V. Olsen. Comedian John Mulaney joins the proceedings. on He joins us today on Mea Culpa to unpack the Target Letter and to discuss the myriad ways Trump will likely end up behind bars. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend, Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. You'd be smart to subscribe to the “Talking Feds” YouTube channel. New episodes are posted daily and he features the greatest legal minds and tough-as-nails former prosecutors breaking down the legal news and all things Trump indictment. But today Harry is here to give us the rundown on that pesky target letter and the imminent Trump indictment number three. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Norm Eisen. There's pretty much nothing going on in politics today that Eisen doesn't have an educated opinion about. Eisen is a CNN Legal Analyst. And the founder and executive chair of “States United Democracy Center”, a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. His articles for the Brookings Institute and elsewhere have made the case for why Trump and his band of criminal conspiracists represented a clear and present danger to democracy. His latest work of art is a model prosecution memo that came just days before Trump received his target letter that lays out the case against him in startling clarity. Eisen writes that “the memo builds on the work that has been done by the Jan. 6 Committee and many others but is the first comprehensive application of the law to the facts to establish that DOJ standards for bringing charges are met. We offer an in-depth look at the vast factual record through prosecutorial eyes to describe a relatively simple three-part theory of the case that prosecutors can try to verdict in a year or less.” It's that three-part theory that Norm is going to break down for us today. Settle in folks and get educated, you're about to get a masterclass in how to bring down Donald Trump. 

In this episode of Mea Culpa, Michael Cohen sits down with Dr. Emma Belcher, one of the world's leading experts on nuclear security, for a sobering conversation about the growing risks facing the globe. From escalating international tensions and nuclear deterrence to the possibility of miscalculation, conflict, and catastrophe, Cohen and Dr. Belcher discuss what keeps national security experts awake at night—and what the public needs to understand about the threats that may be closer than we think. A timely and eye-opening discussion about global stability, nuclear risk, and the consequences of getting it wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mea Culpa welcomes back one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. She's a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. Setmayer has appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. She was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. She's also a fierce critic of the ongoing MAGA agenda as well as the damaged GOP that has grown like a cancer from the hard right. 

Jerry returns with Jalen Brunson playing through injuries. Wemby said he was bad last night and it wasn't more complicated than that. OBJ talked about being back and why he's back. The Yankees lost to the Guardians as Gerrit Cole did not pitch great. The Mets beat the Mariners as Bo Bichette went 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs. The Moment of The Day: ‘Walking Ambien Wally Szczerbiak'.

Mea Culpa welcomes back Michael Smerconish, the host of the TV program on CNN fittingly called "Smerconish." He is also the host of The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM. He's been nationally syndicated in more than 100 markets and has authored seven books: two New York Times best sellers, and his novel TALK! was optioned for television by Warner Brothers. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Smerconish was about to embark on a new tour called "Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking," a one-man show commemorating his 30th anniversary in talk radio. A taped version of that presentation was aired worldwide as a one-hour CNN special in 2020. Nowadays he is focused on pointing out the foibles of the MAGA mob while trying to find a middle ground in our divisive nation; hoping somehow that this nation can find a way to come back together before the 250th Anniversary of this nation. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back legendary politician turned political analyst, Michael Steele. Steele made history when he became the first African-American candidate to be elected to statewide office in Maryland, where he served as lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2007, and when he was chosen to be the first African-American chairperson of the Republican National Committee from 2009 to 2011. Steele's abilities as a communicator and commentator have been showcased daily on MSNBC where he has become a fierce opponent of Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda. He's also appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and The Daily Show to name a few. In addition to his work in television, Steele can be heard each week on his radio show on SiriusXM or on the Michael Steele Podcast which has become a must listen for those on both sides of the aisle. He joins me today as former President Trump awaits news charges from the DOJ and special prosecutor Jack Smith and much, much more. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Malcolm Nance. Nance has spent a significant amount of time this year on the frontlines of the Ukraine War and has a lot to say about the current situation there as well as what's happening inside Russia with the likes of the Wagner Group. He's also a fierce critic of Donald Trump and the danger he poses to democracy. You may know Nance as the globally renowned expert on terrorism, extremism, and insurgency from his stunning new book, “They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.” It became a New York Times best-seller as was his last book, the Plot to Hack America. He's the counter-terrorism analyst for NBC and MSNBC. And Nance is considered one of the "Great African-Americans in Espionage” by the International Spy Museum. 

Mea Culpa welcomes David Corn back to the show, legendary newsman David Corn. Corn is the Washington DC Bureau Chief of Mother Jones and an on-air analyst for MSMBC. Corn and Michael Isikoff “co-authored, “Russian Roulette, The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump”. He's also the author of four New York Times best-selling books and was the long-time Washington editor for “The Nation”. For a good read, check out “Our Land” — his twice-weekly newsletter that covers everything from news of the day to entertainment, but all told in Corn's no bullshit style. Corn has been published multiple times, but his latest bestseller,” American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy” is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the unprecedented times we live in.

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Malcolm Nance. Nance has spent a significant amount of time this year on the frontlines of the Ukraine War and has a lot to say about the current situation there as well as what's happening inside Russia with the likes of the Wagner Group. He's also a fierce critic of Donald Trump and the danger he poses to democracy. You may know Nance as the globally renowned expert on terrorism, extremism, and insurgency from his stunning new book, “They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.” It became a New York Times best-seller as was his last book, the Plot to Hack America. He's the counter-terrorism analyst for NBC and MSNBC. And Nance is considered one of the "Great African-Americans in Espionage” by the International Spy Museum. 

In this episode of Mea Culpa, Michael Cohen sits down with Steve Cohen for a candid conversation about the state of Congress, the challenges facing American democracy, and the growing political divisions shaping the country. From battles on Capitol Hill and questions of accountability to the future of elections, government oversight, and the rule of law, Cohen and Congressman Cohen discuss the issues driving today's headlines—and what they could mean for America moving forward. A timely and insightful discussion on power, politics, and the future of the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mea Culpa welcomes back our good friend Norm Eisen. There's pretty much nothing going on in politics today that Eisen doesn't have an educated opinion about. Eisen is a CNN Legal Analyst. And the founder and executive chair of “States United Democracy Center” a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. His articles for the Brookings Institute and elsewhere have made the case for why Trump and his band of criminal conspiracists represented a clear and present danger to democracy. His latest piece for MSNBC lays out how Jack Smith can defeat Trump and put him behind bars. Eisen served as special counsel to President Barack Obama on ethics. In that role, he was dubbed “Mr. No” and the “Ethics Czar” because he's well known for his tough anti-corruption approach to governance. Having spent time in Eastern Europe as the Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Eisen cares deeply about the region and is also working with the Brookings Institute to help Ukraine recover and thrive once Putin's war has ended. But today it's all indictment talk. And Norm is ready to put the bracelets on little Donny for good. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back Maz Jobrani. The actor and comedian who starred on the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour, a groundbreaking tour of the US and Middle Eastern countries, where it sold out 27 shows in Dubai, Beirut, Cairo, Kuwait and Amman. The Axis of Evil Comedy Central Special premiered in 2007 as, arguably, the first show on American TV with an all-Middle Eastern/American cast. He is also the author of the best-selling memoir, “I'm Not a Terrorist But I Play One on TV.” In addition, Maz is a frequent host of NPR's “Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me.” And a popular TED speaker. His latest comedy special, “The Birds and the Bees” was filmed at Hollywood's legendary Comedy Store and is available for download on YouTube. Leading up to the election and its aftermath, Jobrani's Twitter feed delivered much-needed laughs during an especially tense time for me as we awaited this nation's fate. Now as we find ourselves in the De Ja Vu of yet another Donald Trump indictment, it's time to bring him back and hear his view on what's in store for all of us. 

Mea Culpa welcomes our old friend, Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. You'd be smart to subscribe to the “Talking Feds” YouTube channel. New episodes are posted daily. But today Harry is here to give us the rundown on all things Trump indictment. He is especially interested in Judge Cannon and the damage she could potentially do to the prosecution's case. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Reed Galen co-founder of The Lincoln Project and an independent political strategist. A veteran public affairs and political commentator with more than 20 years of experience, Reed has been involved in politics, government, and business at the highest levels. Galen has spent more than a decade advising Fortune 50, 100, and 1000 companies in need of high-level counsel in the fields of strategic communications, procurement, and legislation. In addition to his private sector work, Reed has managed several high-profile ballot measure campaigns in California, Texas, and Colorado – Before moving to the private sector, Reed served as Deputy Campaign Manager for John McCain's presidential campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger's successful 2006 re-election campaign. Galen also worked on both of President George W. Bush's campaigns and served the Bush Administration at both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. As founder of the Lincoln Project, Galen has led the group's vision and created some of its most memorable attacks against Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and others. He is now focused on not only ridding the nation of Trump. But punishing those willful collaborators who think they can sit in the middle rather than use this indictment to finally rid the party of this disease. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Tristan Snell. The former New York Assistant Attorney General famously lead the civil prosecution in the Trump University case for the state of New York against the Trump Organization. The 2013 case found the Trump Org guilty; forcing them to pay out $25 million in restitution. Snell spent years scaling the walls of the Trump Organization, largely creating the playbook for defeating Donald Trump in court. Ultimately, he said, it's about the receipts, not the witnesses. To beat Trump you need indisputable proof, a smoking gun and that only comes from having the documents to prove it. Snell is the founder of Main Street Law and appears as a commentator on CNN, and serves as a contributing writer for the Washington Post. His work as a lawyer and founder has been featured in a wide array of media outlets, from the New Yorker to the Atlantic to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. He joins me today on Mea Culpa as the nation goes on indictment watch for the Mango Mussolini. Snell believes that the government has the goods this time and Trump may actually go to prison. Listen in.

Mea Culpa welcomes podcaster, radio host, and columnist Joe Walsh. Walsh was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 from Illinois's 8th District. He also ran for president and then blew up his life when he spoke out against the MAGA cult and gave Trump the bird. To quote Joe, Republicans “have become fully radicalized and anti-democracy.” Joe's podcast, “White Flag” strives to find a path to unite, not divide us politically, but he pulls no punches in his latest book, “F*ck Silence: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is.” He has of late, railed against the GOP establishment who voted for Trump in 2020 and believe the rest of us simply forgot their actions. He is also deeply worried about the future of the GOP and the idea that there is no longer space for a sane, anti-Trump candidate who supports small government and fiscal conservatism. What happens next is anyone's guess. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back Joe Trippi. Heralded on the cover of The New Republic as the man who “reinvented campaigning,” Trippi pioneered bringing politics into the digital age. Most recently, he's brought his campaign savvy to the Lincoln Project where he serves as a senior advisor. With Trump a target of Federal Prosecutors and State DA's, Trippi is targeting the MAGA machine that continues to prop up divisive politics. Lately, his scorn is being directed at Ron DeSantis, who the GOP hoped to dress up as a more palatable Donald Trump but instead got a zombie hall monitor with a mean streak. You can listen to Joe's podcast, “That Trippi Show,” everywhere podcasts are found or see him on MSNBC, CNN and NBC. Today we're going to talk to him about Ron DeSantis, fake campaign ads and of course the 2024 election. Listen closely, this man is the maestro of campaign politics.

Mea Culpa welcomes back from the wilds of Boca Raton, Florida. Lev Parnas Lev is a Soviet-born businessman who along with Rudy Giuliani and Igor Fruman played a central role in the campaign to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump's political rivals, including Hunter Biden. Parnas was thrown into Trump's first impeachment drama, but he ended up working with federal prosecutors against Giuliani and the former president. Parnas is currently serving a 20-month sentence for Campaign Finance, Wire Fraud, And False Statements Offenses, and is speaking to us today while on home confinement. Lev is a truth-teller and unafraid to remember the things that most folks wish he would forget. Sorry folks but there's a hashtag that Parnas deploys that says it all, “LEV REMEMBERS.” What that means for Rudy Giuliani and the allegations against him from Noelle Dunphy that include sexual assault and the selling of pardons could prove problematic for AMERICAS FORMER MAYOR. And then there's Ron DeSantis who in typical Ron DeSantis fashion is trying to distance himself completely from the fact that he took a lot of money from Lev Parnas. Sorry buddy. But LEV REMEMBERS. 

Mea Culpa welcomes back our good friend, Brooklyn Dad Defiant, or simply BDD. BDD is a left-wing political commentator on Twitter, YouTube, and various other social media platforms. His outspoken defiance and often humorous take on the Trump administration have earned him over 1.2 million Twitter followers. Since the riots at the Capitol on January 6, BDD has used his platform to bring attention to GOP lawmakers like MTG, Cruz, Jordan, and Biggs, asking that they face consequences for their actions in connection to the insurrection. In addition, he is keeping watch over Kevin McCarthy and the GOP Congress over what he sees as the far-right hijacking of our legislature and courts to push through a damaging, extremist agenda. He calls himself a proud papa who is perpetually pissed. He's a fascinating guy. BBD and Michael dig deep into Rudy, DeSantis and what's in store for Trump.

Mea Culpa welcomes back our friend and intrepid newsman, Ali Velshi. Host of “Velshi” and seemingly the favorite fill-in host of every other MSNBC Prime Time News Show. Velshi also reported live from the frontlines of the George Floyd protests, he was drenched during hurricane Ian. And dodged incoming fire from Russian artillery when he fearlessly reported live from the frontlines in Ukraine. A concerned citizen of the world, Velshi seems to be everywhere there is an injustice. He has been a contributor at CNN, Al Jazeera America, and NBC to name a few. Velshi is also a prolific writer and has written books, articles, and columns for newspapers and monthly publications throughout the northern hemisphere. 

Mea Culpa welcomes one of our favorite people from the Lincoln Project, Tara Setmayer. Setmayer is a former CNN political commentator, a contributor to ABC News, and a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill. She's appeared on ABC's The View, ABC's Good Morning America, and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. Setmayer was named a Harvard Institute of Politics Spring 2020 Resident Fellow. Also in 2020, she joined The Lincoln Project as a senior advisor. Setmayer hosts the live show "The Breakdown" alongside co-founder Rick Wilson, on the organization's streaming channel, LPTV. Michael and Tara dig deep into the media and its effect on the elections, Trump's denials, and George Santos. 

Mea Culpa welcomes Emily Jane Fox. Fox is a national correspondent at Vanity Fair and a cohost of the popular podcast “Inside the Hive”. She is the best-selling author of Born Trump and a chronicler of characters from Washington to Hollywood — But Fox will go anywhere where great characters can be found.

Mea Culpa welcomes legal scholar and advocate, Jennifer Taub. Taub is the author of the best-selling book, ”Other People's Houses." And is formerly an associate general counsel at Fidelity Investments. She is considered a leading expert on the Financial Crisis of 2008, and she's a frequent commentator on corporate governance and financial reform matters. Taub is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School (where she is currently a visiting professor) Taub is also a professor at Vermont Law School, where she teaches Contracts, Corporations, Securities Regulation, and White Collar Crime. Taub's advocacy promotes transparency and opposes corruption. As she likes to say, it's all about following the money.

Mea Culpa welcomes Norm Eisen. There's pretty much nothing going on in politics today that Eisen doesn't have an educated opinion about. Eisen is a CNN Legal Analyst.  And the founder and executive chair of “States United Democracy Center”, a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. Eisen served as special counsel to President Barack Obama on ethics. In that role, he was dubbed “Mr. No” and the “Ethics Czar” because he's well known for his tough anti-corruption approach to governance. Eisen is also active with the Brookings Institute and other groups working to expose the myriad of ways Trump and others like him broke the law and attempted to overturn the 2020 election. Eisen is also working with the Brookings Institute to help Ukraine recover and thrive once Putin's war has ended.