Elie Mystal

Justice Correspondent & Columnist

@ElieNYC

Elie Mystal is The Nation’s justice correspondent and the host of its legal podcast, Contempt of Court. He is also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at the Type Media Center. His first book is the New York Times bestseller Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution, published by The New Press. Elie can be followed @ElieNYC.

Walt Nauta, who was indicted on federal charges alongside Donald Trump, walks with his boss during the first round of the LIV Golf at Trump National Golf Club, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Sterling, Va.

It’ll Take More Than an Indictment to Make Donald Trump Face Justice It’ll Take More Than an Indictment to Make Donald Trump Face Justice

The 37-count indictment against Trump is strong, but if we want him to be held accountable, he must be defeated at the polls.

Jun 12, 2023 / Elie Mystal

President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Janai Nelson speaks to members of the press after the oral argument of the Merrill v. Milligan case at the US Supreme Court Building on October 4, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

The Voting Rights Act Has Survived Another Attempt on Its Life The Voting Rights Act Has Survived Another Attempt on Its Life

In a surprising ruling, two conservative justices joined the Supreme Court’s liberal wing to keep Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact.

Jun 9, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Jennyvieve Barquero-Hughes, 4, in black, gets her photo taken with Drag Queens Kelly K, left, Scalene OnixXx and Athena Monet Kills at the Drag Queen story hour at the Cellar Door Bookstore on Saturday, April 29, 2023 in Riverside, Calif.

The Right’s War on Drag Is Flagrantly Unconstitutional The Right’s War on Drag Is Flagrantly Unconstitutional

The drag bans being pushed by both Tennessee and Texas have so little legal merit that even small children could debunk them.

Jun 6, 2023 / Elie Mystal

The west facade of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., at dusk.

This Is Not the End of the Supreme Court’s War on Labor This Is Not the End of the Supreme Court’s War on Labor

With Glacier, eight justices sabotaged the most powerful weapon unions have: the strike.

Jun 2, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

If Ken Paxton’s Staff Can Do It, Why Can’t Dianne Feinstein’s? If Ken Paxton’s Staff Can Do It, Why Can’t Dianne Feinstein’s?

The Texas attorney general was impeached because his staff had the courage to sound the alarm about their boss. When will the senator’s staff be brave enough to do the same?

May 31, 2023 / Elie Mystal

In this photo illustration, the social medias applications logos, Twitter, Messenger, Telegram, Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Gmail, Facebook and Google are displayed on the screen of an Apple iPhone.

The Supreme Court Has Decided Not to Break the Internet—Yet The Supreme Court Has Decided Not to Break the Internet—Yet

In a rare unanimous ruling, the nine justices left Section 230 intact—and ruled not to hold social media companies liable for terrorist-related content.

May 19, 2023 / Elie Mystal

A group of protesters gathered at Washington Square Park in New York City, calling for the arrest of Marine veteran Danny Penny in the subway choke hold that killed Jordan Neely

Vigilante Killings on the Subway Are Not Legal or Moral Vigilante Killings on the Subway Are Not Legal or Moral

Days after Daniel Penny was charged with killing Jordan Neely, a pro-vigilante crowd has emerged to defend his actions. But what are they really saying?

May 16, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Jordan Neely lies unconscious on the floor of the F train after another passenger placed him in a chokehold on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York.

One Man Killed Jordan Neely—but We All Failed Him One Man Killed Jordan Neely—but We All Failed Him

Everything about Neely’s death is a symptom of our collective rot—from the way we treat poverty as a crime to the way we treat soldiers as weapons that can be stowed.

May 4, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Tennessee Republicans Are Showing Exactly How Deep American Racism Goes

Tennessee Republicans Are Showing Exactly How Deep American Racism Goes Tennessee Republicans Are Showing Exactly How Deep American Racism Goes

The Republicans’ attempt to push two Black legislators out of the Tennessee statehouse was an object lesson in bigotry.

May 3, 2023 / Column / Elie Mystal

MoveOn activists call for the impeachment of Justice Clarence Thomas outside of the US Supreme Court Building

Democrats Respond to the Festering Supreme Court Rot by… Calling a Hearing Democrats Respond to the Festering Supreme Court Rot by… Calling a Hearing

It’s time for Congress to start treating the Supreme Court like it's subject to law, not to the ethically compromised whims of its nine members.

Apr 28, 2023 / Elie Mystal

x