Nov 8, 2026 · 38 min
Democracy defenders turn election wins into a 2026 strategy
Crooked Con: Election Integrity
The episode examines how litigation, organizing, oversight, and state-level action could protect elections while rebuilding damaged civil-rights institutions.
- 1Court victories and rapid-response networks blocked several election-subversion efforts before they could disrupt voting.
- 2Protest movements are becoming durable local infrastructure for early voting, election protection, and congressional pressure.
- 3Democratic leaders face pressure to pair accountability for corruption with an aggressive agenda on costs, health care, and voting rights.
Don't miss
Vanita Gupta’s warning that the Civil Rights Division has been hollowed out turns election defense into a long-term institutional rebuilding challenge.
The brief
Leah Greenberg, Norm Eisen, and Vanita Gupta join Jane Coaston to assess how organizers, lawyers, and state officials defended the 2025 election—and what comes next.
The panel describes a rapid-response alliance that challenged voter-file demands, mail-ballot interference, intimidation, and other election-subversion efforts in court.
Leah Greenberg traces the No Kings movement’s shift from mass protest to early-voting drives and local election-protection infrastructure.
Norm Eisen argues that litigation must be paired with congressional oversight, funding restrictions, investigations, and accountability for abuses inside the Department of Justice.
Vanita Gupta warns that the Civil Rights Division has been hollowed out, making rebuilding a long-term project tied to future elections and sustained planning.
The closing argument is political as well as legal: Democrats should use state power and clear votes on corruption, gerrymandering, health care, and costs.
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.