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Democracy Decoded

Campaign Legal Center

Our system of government is rooted in the Constitution and designed to ensure that power is shared, not concentrated in any one branch. But what happens when the institutions that were meant to hold one another accountable are tested in new and unprecedented ways?

Season 6 of Democracy Decoded examines some of the defining constitutional questions shaping American democracy today. From the separation of powers and the role of the Department of Justice, to presidential pardons, political dissent, citizenship, voting rights, and safeguarding our elections, each episode explores the legal principles, institutions, and people at the center of today's most consequential debates.

Through conversations with leading legal experts, advocates and policymakers, we'll unpack what's happening, why it matters and what these developments could mean for the future of our democracy. Going beyond the headlines, we also examine the constitutional framework behind the news; the checks and balances designed to protect our freedoms; and the challenges facing the rule of law in a rapidly evolving political landscape.

Whether you want to better understand the political events of the day or the Constitution itself, follow Democracy Decoded on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, to get the context, clarity, and insight required to make sense of this pivotal time for our country.

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  • 27 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 28 min
  • English

Episodes 27

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  • S6 · E6
    Tuesday · 30 min

    Can a president control who votes in America?

    Host Simone Leeper is joined by League of Women Voters' Marcia Johnson, Campaign Legal Center's Anna Baldwin, and Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar to trace the Trump administration's multi-front campaign against naturalized and first-generation voters and discuss what happens when a president tries to choose his voters instead of the other way around.

  • S6 · E5
    October 13 · 31 min

    Is the Trump administration trying to undermine our elections?

    Host Simone Leeper is joined by Campaign Legal Center’s Jonathan Diaz and Chad Dunn of the UCLA Voting Rights Project to explore how attempts to undermine our elections reveal a coordinated effort to erode trust in American democracy, both historically and in the run-up to the 2026 midterms.

  • S6 · E4
    October 6 · 31 min

    Who gets a pardon in Trump's America — and why?

    Host Simone Leeper is joined by former pardon attorney Liz Oyer and Campaign Legal Center’s Brendan Fischer to expose how President Trump has turned the pardon power into a tool for personal and political gain — rewarding donors, shielding corrupt allies, and fueling a lobbyist-driven market for clemency.

  • S6 · E3
    September 29 · 33 min

    What happens when political dissent is suppressed?

    Host Simone Leeper traces a throughline from a handcuffed senator to blacklisted law firms, surveilled protesters, and hijacked government emails — and asks Yale Law Professor Robert Post and Campaign Legal Center's Danielle Lang what's left of the First Amendment when dissent comes with a price.

  • S6 · E1
    September 15 · 34 min

    What happens when the balance of power becomes unbalanced?

    Host Simone Leeper is joined by Melissa Murray, Michael Luttig, and Brent Ferguson to examine how the rule of law is being dismantled by the Trump administration — one court ruling, one fired commissioner, and one unchecked executive action at a time.

  • September 1 · 2 min

    Democracy Decoded, Season 6: The Rule of Law Under Threat

    Our system of government is rooted in the Constitution and designed to ensure that power is shared, not concentrated in any one branch. But what happens when the institutions that were meant to hold one another accountable are tested in new and unprecedented ways? Season 6 of Democracy Decoded examines some of the defining constitutional questions shaping American democracy today. From the separation of powers and the role of the Department of Justice, to presidential pardons, political dissent, citizenship, voting rights, and safeguarding our elections, each episode explores the legal principles, institutions, and people at the center of today's most consequential debates. Through conversations with leading legal experts, advocates and policymakers, we'll unpack what's happening, why it matters and what these developments could mean for the future of our democracy. Going beyond the headlines, we also examine the constitutional framework behind the news; the checks and balances designed to protect our freedoms; and the challenges facing the rule of law in a rapidly evolving political landscape. Whether you want to better understand the political events of the day or the Constitution itself, follow Democracy Decoded on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, to get the context, clarity, and insight required to make sense of this pivotal time for our country. About CLC: Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan legal organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. We fight for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process, particularly Americans who have faced political barriers because of race, ethnicity or economic status. To make a tax-deductible donation to Campaign Legal Center, visit campaignlegal.org/donate Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  • S5 · E8
    Nov 20, 2025 · 42 min

    How New Voting Barriers Threaten Elections

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with experts Rick Hasen and Danielle Lang about how new voting restrictions are threatening elections, and what it will take to ensure every voter can participate meaningfully in our democracy.

  • S5 · E7
    Nov 13, 2025 · 42 min

    The Latest: How the Erosion of Federalism Endangers Elections

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with Campaign Legal Center attorneys Catie Kelley and Jonathan Diaz about the Trump administration’s efforts to seize state control of elections. From unlawful executive orders to voter registration barriers and voter roll data grabs, they explain how these actions undermine federalism—and what CLC is doing to protect American elections in the lead-up to 2026 and 2028.

  • Nov 6, 2025 · 1 min

    A Quick Update from Democracy Decoded

    Host Simone Leeper shares a quick Election Day 2025 update — Campaign Legal Center staff worked to safeguard elections; millions of Americans exercised their freedom to vote in states across the country; and Democracy Decoded will return next week with lessons learned from this and past elections that we will carry with us into 2026 and beyond. About CLC: Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us. Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  • S5 · E6
    Oct 30, 2025 · 41 min

    How Gerrymandering Undermines Fair Representation

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with Campaign Legal Center’s Mark Gaber and Utah voters Vicki and Malcolm Reed about how everyday Americans are fighting back against gerrymandering — and what’s at stake when politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around.

  • S5 · E4
    Oct 16, 2025 · 34 min

    How Corruption and Abuses of Power Threaten Democracy

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with Mark Lee Greenblatt, Jodi Vittori and Kedric Payne to examine how corruption and abuses of power are eroding safeguards in government; how failures of accountability in Congress and the courts are weakening public trust; and what reforms could protect against corruption and conflicts of interest now and in the future.

  • S5 · E3
    Oct 9, 2025 · 34 min

    The Latest: How to Address Threats to the Rule of Law

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with litigation experts Anna Baldwin and Brent Ferguson to unpack threats to the rule of law — and what can be done to preserve our system of checks and balances.

  • S5 · E2
    Oct 2, 2025 · 43 min

    How Big Money Is Dominating American Politics

    Host Simone Leeper speaks with former FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and CLC President Trevor Potter to examine how court rulings opened the door to unlimited political spending; how partisan gridlock has left the FEC unable to act; and what reforms could restore transparency and accountability in American democracy.

  • S5 · E1
    Sep 25, 2025 · 42 min

    How the U.S. Supreme Court Is Drastically Reshaping American Democracy

    The U.S. Supreme Court has vastly reshaped American democracy — rolling back voting rights, enabling secret money in politics and expanding presidential power. These decisions have a real impact on all Americans by making it harder for citizens to exercise their freedom to vote, easier for wealthy interests to sway elections and more difficult to hold leaders accountable. In this episode, we unpack the real-world impact of landmark Supreme Court decisions and explore what reforms could restore

  • Sep 4, 2025 · 2 min

    Democracy Decoded, Season 5: How to Repair the Cracks in American Democracy

    How did American democracy reach such a precarious moment — and what can we do to fix things? Host Simone Leeper examines the fundamental threats to our democracy today, from gerrymandering and corruption to abuses of executive power and the outsized role of money in politics.

  • Apr 30, 2025 · 42 min

    The Latest: What Trump's First 100 Days Mean for American Democracy

    Donald Trump took office as president on January 20, 2025, having already served one term. Immediately, however, he made clear his second term would be even more unpredictable than his first. He put one of the world's richest men — and his biggest campaign donor — in charge of a shadowy new entity with seemingly unfettered access to government data. Trump also blitzed the system with a barrage of executive orders, which have seemingly upended the government. He has done everything from threateni

  • S4 · E9
    Nov 12, 2024 · 30 min

    The Latest: A Postelection Fight for Democracy

    In the end, the worst of everyone’s election fears — political violence, overt foreign interference or a razor-thin margin between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump leading to a hotly contested legal battle — did not come to pass. Instead, Donald Trump won a plurality of votes for president, and did so decisively. On January 20, 2025, he will once again become the country’s most powerful executive. His victory raises weighty questions for the experts at Campaign Legal Center. Trump ran explicitly

Showing 1–20 of 27 episodes