Shows / CAFE Insider
CAFE Insider
Co-hosts Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance help you to make sense of law and politics each week, plus bonus content exclusive to Insider members.
Episodes
CAFE InsiderVoting Rights & Wrongs, According to SCOTUS (with Steve Vladeck)
Constitutional law professor and Supreme Court expert Steve Vladeck joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance to break down oral arguments in an election case…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Is David French Too Polite?
What is David French-ism and is it a bad thing? In the Stay Tuned podcast bonus for Insiders, New York Times columnist and co-host of the Advisory Opinions…
CAFE InsiderCourt to Trump: Drop Fed
On the Insider docket: – A federal judge’s decision to quash subpoenas in the criminal probe of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell; – Republican efforts to…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Bullish On AI (with Lloyd Blankfein)
Should we fear AI or embrace it? In the Stay Tuned podcast bonus for Insiders, former Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein joins Preet to discuss why…
CAFE InsiderKristi Noem, Law Firms & No-Knock Warrants
On the Insider docket: – The Justice Department’s decision to continue its defense of Trump’s Executive Orders targeting law firms after abandoning the case…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Iran’s Impact on the Elections (with Mark Leibovich)
How is the war in Iran going to play politically for Democrats and Republicans? In the bonus for Insiders, The Atlantic staff writer Mark Leibovich shares his…
CAFE InsiderClintons Testify About Epstein — Will Trump?
On the Insider docket: – Former President Bill Clinton's and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s congressional testimony about Jeffrey Epstein; – New…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Is Trump Lying to Himself? (with Astead Herndon and Joanne Freeman)
Does Trump really believe his own messaging, or is he just a master bullsh*tter? In the Stay Tuned podcast bonus for Insiders, Yale history professor Joanne…
CAFE InsiderTrump Tariff Takedown (with Don Verrilli)
On a new episode of the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance are joined by former Solicitor General of the United States Don Verrilli to break down…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Can the Rule of Law Be Restored? (with Susan Rice)
What will restore the rule of law? In this bonus from the Stay Tuned podcast, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice turns the tables on…
CAFE InsiderOversight v. Overreach at DOJ
On the Insider podcast docket: – The Justice Department’s failure to secure an indictment of a group of Democratic members of Congress over a video reminding…
CAFE InsiderBonus: After the Pendulum Swings (with Douglas Brinkley)
It’s been said that American politics moves not like time's arrow or history's arc, but like a pendulum, swinging from left to right and back again. In the…
CAFE InsiderDOJ in Crisis
On the Insider docket: – Ghislaine Maxwell’s request that President Trump grant her clemency in exchange for testimony that could clear him and Bill Clinton…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Ukraine, Greenland, and Venezuela (with Anne Applebaum)
What would it actually take to end the war in Ukraine? What does Trump really want with Greenland? And what comes next for Venezuela after Maduro? In the bonus…
CAFE InsiderPolitical Retribution: From Minnesota to Georgia
On the Insider docket: – DOJ’s investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota; – Federal criminal charges brought against…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Can the Trump Era Teach Us Anything? (with Ed Luce)
Could the Trump era ultimately be good for democracy? In the bonus for Insiders, Financial Times U.S. national editor and columnist Ed Luce explains why this…
CAFE InsiderICE Out of Control
If the people with oversight over federal agents won’t hold them accountable, what’s left for the public to do when an innocent person is killed in plain…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Zohran Mamdani Up Against Vigilantism?
How should New York’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, react in the face of another so-called “subway vigilante”? In the bonus for Insiders, lawyer and former ICE…
CAFE InsiderBreaking Down the Renee Good Shooting (with Vanita Gupta)
On a new episode of the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance are joined by Vanita Gupta, an experienced civil rights attorney who served as United…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Education Reform… What Works? (with Rahm Emanuel)
Why aren’t kids today reading at grade level? In the Stay Tuned bonus for Insiders, Preet and longtime Democratic politician Rahm Emanuel discuss education…
CAFE InsiderWill SCOTUS Let Trump Rewrite Birthright Citizenship? (with Michael Dreeben)
On a new episode of the Insider podcast, Joyce Vance is joined by Michael Dreeben. He served in the Solicitor General’s office for over 30 years, including 24…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Can Trump Rename the Kennedy Center?
Is it legal for Trump to change the name of the Kennedy Center? In this bonus for Insiders, Preet answers a listener question on the President’s decision to…
CAFE InsiderInside the Case Against Maduro
On a new episode of the Insider podcast, Preet and Joyce discuss many legal issues stemming from the U.S. capture and indictment of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro…
CAFE InsiderThe Legal Battles That Defined 2025
This week, we’re sharing a recording of a live conversation between Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance on Substack. They look back on the biggest legal headlines…
CAFE InsiderWhat Gets in the Way of Happiness (with Dan Harris)
What makes Preet happy? In the bonus for Insiders, 10% Happier founder Dan Harris turns the tables and puts a pointed question to Preet about what gets in the…
CAFE InsiderTrump's Law of War
On the Insider docket: – Two grand juries declined criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James; – A federal judge ordered the Trump…
CAFE InsiderBonus: The No Kings Movement & Change (with Jill Lepore)
Has the No Kings movement moved the needle at all? In the bonus for Insiders, Preet Bharara and historian Jill Lepore discuss Lepore’s reporting on political…
CAFE InsiderTrump v. The Press (with Erwin Chemerinsky)
This week on the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara is joined by constitutional law expert and Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law Erwin Chemerinsky, while Joyce…
CAFE InsiderIs Smiling the Key to Winning Elections? (with Anand Giridharadas)
What exactly makes New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani so popular? In the Stay Tuned bonus for Insiders, Preet and writer and political analyst Anand…
CAFE InsiderFrom National Guard Tragedy to Immigration Battle
On the Insider docket: – The National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., which President Trump used as the basis to pause all migration from what he is…
CAFE InsiderBonus: What Trump Told MBS and What He Didn’t (with Jon Finer)
In the Stay Tuned podcast bonus for Insiders, Preet Bharara and Jon Finer break down Trump’s recent meeting with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White…
CAFE InsiderThe Epstein Files Fight
On the Insider docket: – President Donald Trump’s directive to his Justice Department to investigate Democrats over alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while…
CAFE InsiderThe 1929 Stock Market Crash Movie (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Who were the key players in the 1929 stock market crash? And who would play them in a movie? In the bonus for Insiders, Preet Bharara and New York Times…
CAFE InsiderTariffs and Presidential Power
On the Insider docket: – The Supreme Court oral arguments over President Trump’s tariff policy; – The wave of subpoenas issued to Trump’s political opponents…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Political Prosecutions at DOJ (with Carol Leonnig & Aaron Davis)
In the Stay Tuned podcast bonus for Insiders, Preet Bharara and investigative reporters Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis discuss the pressure that Trump…
CAFE InsiderThe Trump Doctrine of Retribution
On the Insider docket: – President Donald Trump’s appeal of his criminal conviction in New York, in which he cites the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Does Age Matter in Politics? (with Astead Herndon)
In the bonus for Insiders, Preet Bharara and political reporter Astead Herndon chat about the role that age plays in elections for both voters and candidates…
CAFE InsiderTrump Admin Ramps Up Airstrikes (with Barb McQuade)
On this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara is joined by law professor, MSNBC legal analyst, and co-host of the #SistersInLaw podcast, Barb McQuade, while…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Live Q&A (with Joyce Vance)
In the bonus for Insiders, Joyce Vance answers questions from the live audience in New York, addressing the Supreme Court, voting rights, and Trump’s…
CAFE InsiderThe Vindictiveness of Donald John Trump
On the Insider docket: – Former FBI Director Jim Comey’s motions to dismiss his criminal charges on the grounds of selective and vindictive prosecution, and…
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Bonus: Military Tribunals and Deradicalization (with Dan Senor)
In the bonus for Insiders, Senor addresses the prospect of military tribunals for Hamas leaders and systematic deradicalization efforts. Thank you for being a…
CAFE InsiderBonus: The Sacrifice That Shaped a Scholar (with Justin Driver)
In the bonus for Insiders, Justin Driver reflects on how his father’s sacrifices shaped his understanding of opportunity and education. Thank you for being a…
CAFE InsiderVindictive Prosecution? Comey & Abrego Garcia
On the Insider docket: – Reports that the FBI plans to stage a perp walk with former FBI Director Jim Comey; – A federal judge’s opinion in Kilmar Abrego…
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Bonus: Running the Process (with Antony Blinken)
In the bonus for Insiders, Secretary Blinken shares his thoughts on his successor, Secretary Marco Rubio, and what it means to “run the process.” Thank you for…
CAFE InsiderIs the Comey Prosecution Fatally Flawed?
On the Insider docket: – The indictment of former FBI Director Jim Comey, charging him with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Comedy Informs Common Knowledge Informs Comedy… (with Steven Pinker)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet speaks with cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker about how laughter and comedy can inform common knowledge and vice versa…
CAFE InsiderTrump Ramps Up Retribution
On the Insider docket: – Eastern District of Virginia US Attorney Erik Siebert’s resignation amid pressure from President Trump to prosecute New York Attorney…
CAFE InsiderBonus: When the Mob Tried to Kill Curtis Sliwa (with Elie Honig)
In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Elie discuss what makes Elie such a prolific writer, plus, that one time the mob tried to kill Curtis Sliwa. Thank you for…
CAFE InsiderSCOTUS’ Game of Chicken with Trump (with Dahlia Lithwick)
On this week’s Insider episode, Joyce Vance is joined by Slate senior editor and host of the Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lithwick, while Preet is out. On the…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Refusing to Prosecute Gun Crimes in D.C. (with John Feinblatt and Adam Winkler)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt and Second Amendment expert Adam Winkler speak with Preet about U.S. Attorney…
CAFE InsiderTrump’s America: Do We All Need to Carry Papers Now?
On the Insider docket: – The Supreme Court ruling that loosened restrictions on immigration raids in Los Angeles, allowing ICE to make stops based on factors…
CAFE InsiderBonus: What People Get Wrong About the ‘AI Revolution’ (with Daron Acemoglu)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Nobel Prize-winning economist and MIT professor Daron Acemoglu discusses what people often overlook when comparing the…
CAFE InsiderCan Trump Do Whatever He Wants?
On the Insider docket: – President Donald Trump’s efforts to expand the National Guard’s role in D.C. law enforcement; – Trump’s threats to deploy troops to…
CAFE InsiderBonus: The Redistricting Frenzy (with Tom Nichols)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Atlantic staff writer and policy expert Tom Nichols speaks with Preet about the redistricting battles happening around the…
CAFE InsiderLaw & Order, Hold the Law
On the Insider docket: – The agreement between the D.C. government and the Trump administration, facilitated by a federal judge, preserving the local…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Should Judges Speak Out? (with Martha Minow)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet and former Harvard Law Dean Martha Minow explore whether judges should be more outspoken amid the rise of political…
CAFE InsiderTrump's DC Police Takeover
On the Insider docket: – President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. to seize control of the police and deploy the…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Lessons from Northern Ireland (with Joe Kennedy III)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, former congressman Joe Kennedy III reflects on his time as President Biden’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. He shares what…
CAFE InsiderIs Being Undocumented a Crime?
On the Insider docket: – When violations of immigration law are treated as civil versus criminal offenses under U.S. law; and – A new bill in Congress that…
CAFE InsiderBonus: Could Congress Release the Epstein Files? (with Mimi Rocah, Elie Honig & Asha Rangappa)
In this bonus from Stay Tuned, Preet is joined by former DOJ officials Mimi Rocah, Elie Honig, and Asha Rangappa to discuss the intense political backlash…