Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang trace how “no taxation without representation” connects to today’s fight to restore Congress’s power in the face of Trump-style presidential overreach. Corey discusses his Supreme Court brief on tariffs and the Founders’ vision for legislative control. Then Rep. Ted Lieu joins to talk about his bill banning first-strike nuclear attacks without congressional approval — a bold move to stop future presidents from seizing unchecked power. From tariffs to nukes, this is the battle to reclaim Congress’s constitutional role — and defend democracy itself.

Three prosecutions. One plan.
In this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang trace how the cases against Letitia James, James Comey, and soon John Bolton all fit into a single story — Donald Trump’s ongoing self-coup. These prosecutions aren’t random. They’re part of an authoritarian blueprint to punish independent officials and destroy the separation of powers.

We’ll break down why the charges are constitutionally baseless, how Trump is turning the justice system into a weapon, and why even fair-minded judges may not be enough to stop him. The Founders gave us juries as the last line of defense — but can that safeguard still hold in the age of presidential impunity?

From threats to use the Insurrection Act against protesters in Portland and Chicago to his abuse of emergency powers for 100% tariffs on China, this episode follows a single, chilling through-line: unchecked presidential power.

We also discuss a major Supreme Court case challenging state bans on abusive “conversion therapy” for minors — and why its First Amendment reasoning is dangerously wrong, twisting the idea of free speech to protect a harmful and discredited practice.

Is the rule of law still standing—or slipping away?
Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang unpack the week’s biggest threats: ICE’s rogue Chicago raid, Trump’s plan to deploy the National Guard for political ends, and the myth of the “deep state”.
Then, CNN’s Jake Tapper joins to discuss his new book Race Against Terror—and how an Obama-era case to try an accused terrorist in U.S. court - showed the rule of law at its best.
Can that precedent survive today’s assaults on truth and justice?
Smart, urgent, and deeply relevant—this episode of The Oath and The Office is a masterclass in how democracy defends itself.

On this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang examine two urgent threats to American democracy before welcoming New York Times bestselling author Malcolm Nance.

• The Comey indictment — moving forward without evidence, it shows Trump’s effort to weaponize the law and shut down democracy.
• The shutdown — more than a budget standoff. Trump and Pete Hegseth’s rhetoric, plus threats of military crackdowns, reveal a “hard coup” strategy.
• Malcolm Nance — MSNBC analyst, counterterrorism expert, and Ukraine war veteran, on Russian disinformation, QAnon, and the global fight against authoritarianism.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on how to defend the Constitution.

#Trump #Comey #MalcolmNance #Democracy

Trump’s politics of division—friends vs. enemies—has now turned on the First Amendment itself. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang expose how Pam Bondi distorts the law on “hate speech,” why Jimmy Kimmel's forced silence under political pressure is a textbook abuse of power, and how Stephen Miller’s authoritarian funeral speech reveals the danger of Trump’s movement. Satire, dissent, and free expression are on the line.

Corey Brettschneider and his cohost John Fugelsang examine how Donald Trump is exploiting the tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s killing—turning grief into a retribution narrative—and the danger that poses to American democracy. Corey places this moment in historical perspective, tracing how Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Lyndon B. Johnson responded to political violence and constitutional crisis, and what their choices teach us today. From there, the hosts turn to the present: the real-world consequences of incendiary rhetoric for civil liberties, the erosion of democratic guardrails, and the widening split between two information universes. Corey also connects these threads to Nixon’s abuses of executive power and what recent court battles reveal about the pressure on judicial independence. They close the episode by taking audience questions, bringing the discussion directly into today’s constitutional debates.

The Supreme Court just gave Trump a dangerous win—greenlighting ICE racial profiling raids. Justice Kavanaugh claims it’s about “geography,” but Justice Sotomayor warns the Constitution is being shredded. At the same time, Chief Justice Roberts clears the path for Trump to purge Biden appointees and dismantle independent agencies. And Trump is openly threatening to send troops into Chicago—an authoritarian power grab Judge Breyer’s ruling may block.

PLUS: Corey Brettschneider sits down with John Fugelsang to discuss his new book "Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds" — why the founders rejected religious imposition, how Christian values can defend feminism, and why the Bible doesn’t justify anti-gay politics.

A jam-packed episode on Trump, the Court, and the fight for democracy and freedom.

https://www.amazon.com/Separation-Church-Hate-Fundamentalists-Flock-Fleecing/dp/1668066890

Judge Breyer rules Trump’s military deployment is unconstitutional under the Posse Comitatus Act. We unpack the history, the structural reasoning, and what it means for presidential power. Plus: tariffs struck down, asylum fights, CDC chaos, Giuliani’s medal from Trump, and a tease of John’s new book:
Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898

Donald Trump just issued an unconstitutional order against flag burning. He’s trying to oust a Federal Reserve governor—and he declared, “A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator.” Professor Corey Brettschneider and comedian John Fugelsang show what's at stake in these attacks—free speech, checks and balances, and the survival of our democracy. They also examine California’s redistricting plan, which—despite controversy—may be one of the few defenses of democracy left in today’s political landscape.