Episode Details

Jan. 6 wasn’t just a riot—it was a blueprint. This week, we connect Jan. 6 then to now and ask the core question of self-government: what happens when federal power starts acting as if the rules don’t apply?

Hosts Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang are joined by Tom Joscelyn—senior House Judiciary staff and a principal author of the House January 6 Committee’s final report—for a deep dive into the pressure campaign on Mike Pence, the false-electors plot, and why white supremacy and Christian nationalism were central to the attempt to overturn the election. Most importantly: how that same playbook is reappearing right now—and what it means for the rule of law.

Before Tom joins, Corey and John break down the week’s accountability flashpoints:

• The killing of a Minnesota nurse—and the competing public narratives and misinformation surrounding it
• The growing wave of court pushback and legal scrutiny aimed at ICE tactics in Minnesota
• Where the politics stand on defunding ICE—and what real oversight would require
• DOJ’s move to file criminal complaints tied to the St. Paul church protest, plus the magistrate judge’s refusal to approve a warrant prosecutors sought (including an attempt involving Don Lemon)
• A reported memo directing ICE agents to proceed with operations—including entry onto private property—regardless of warrants or legal standing, and what that means for constitutional rights