In this episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet and Joyce break down the news that the DOJ under Attorney General Merrick Garland is maintaining its position that it should defend Donald Trump against a defamation suit brought by E. Jean Carroll, a writer who has accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s. They also discuss newly-released emails that show Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff, pressuring the DOJ to investigate election fraud conspiracy theories, and the new developments in the criminal investigations into Trump and Matt Gaetz. 

We hope you’re finding CAFE Insider informative. Email us at [email protected] with your suggestions and questions for Preet and Joyce. 

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE Studios and Vox Media Podcast Network. 

Tamara Sepper – Executive Producer; Adam Waller – Senior Editorial Producer; Matthew Billy – Audio Producer; Sam Ozer-Staton – Editorial Producer

References and supplemental materials at CAFE.com.

CAFE is rolling out a slate of new contributors. "Note From Asha" is the latest addition to the CAFE Insider subscription. Asha Rangappa is a lawyer, former FBI Special Agent, and current CNN analyst. She's also a Senior Lecturer at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs.

To access the full transcript of Asha's note, head to CAFE.com: https://cafe.com/notes-from-contributors/note-from-asha-the-big-lie-is-a-terrorist-ideology/

“Backstage” is a special segment of “Now & Then” exclusively for members of CAFE Insider. In this installment, Heather and Joanne recall their personal experiences observing the events of the January 6th insurrection. 

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For references and supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/backstage-now-then-6-8/

Note From Elie is part of the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Audio recordings of Elie's Note are part of the CAFE Insider subscription.