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.

Tucker Carlson laughing

What I’ll Remember Most About Tucker Carlson? His Ability to Unleash the Haters. What I’ll Remember Most About Tucker Carlson? His Ability to Unleash the Haters.

Like so many others, I still bear the psychic scars of Carlson’s drive to stir up his base. But that drive had nothing to do with why Fox fired him.

Apr 26, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Protests at the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Has Preserved Access to the Abortion Pill—Over Alito’s Salty Objection The Supreme Court Has Preserved Access to the Abortion Pill—Over Alito’s Salty Objection

The ruling, which stays a nationwide ban on mifepristone by a rogue Texas judge, is a rare, if perhaps temporary, victory.

Apr 21, 2023 / Elie Mystal

“FOX NEWS LIED” billboard

The Lesson of the Dominion Suit? Corporations Won’t Save Us From Fox. The Lesson of the Dominion Suit? Corporations Won’t Save Us From Fox.

The Dominion settlement is disappointing, but our legal system isn’t designed to take down corporate media giants.

Apr 20, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Packages of mifepristone tablets

The Fifth Circuit’s Abortion Pill Ruling Was All About Sowing Confusion The Fifth Circuit’s Abortion Pill Ruling Was All About Sowing Confusion

While the decision partially overturned an earlier ruling banning the sale of mifepristone, it also reaffirmed some of that ruling’s more troubling and dangerous logic.

Apr 14, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump attends UFC 287 at Kaseya Center

Trump Is Fighting His Indictment Like a Lawless Thug Trump Is Fighting His Indictment Like a Lawless Thug

He would rather threaten violence outside of a courthouse than make a reasonable argument inside of one.

Apr 13, 2023 / Elie Mystal for The Nation

Associate US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas poses for the official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on October 7, 2022.

Clarence Thomas Doesn’t Have to Be Bribed to Shred Basic Rights and Democracy Clarence Thomas Doesn’t Have to Be Bribed to Shred Basic Rights and Democracy

Thomas probably didn’t change any of his votes after island-hopping with Harlan Crow, but that doesn’t make the jaunts any less troubling.

Apr 11, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Boxes of the drug mifepristone

A Zealot Judge Has Ordered a Nationwide Abortion Pill Ban A Zealot Judge Has Ordered a Nationwide Abortion Pill Ban

Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling threw the fate of mifepristone into question. The case is likely headed to the Supreme Court within days.

Apr 7, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Former US president Donald Trump appears in a Manhattan court during his arraignment on April 4, 2023, in New York City.

Trump’s Indictment Is a Slap on the Wrist, but Accountability Has to Start Somewhere Trump’s Indictment Is a Slap on the Wrist, but Accountability Has to Start Somewhere

This isn’t the case of our dreams, but Trump very likely committed these crimes. He should be prosecuted for them. And other prosecutions should follow.

Apr 4, 2023 / Elie Mystal

One of America’s Worst Judges Just Gutted a Key Part of Obamacare

One of America’s Worst Judges Just Gutted a Key Part of Obamacare One of America’s Worst Judges Just Gutted a Key Part of Obamacare

Reed O'Connor—a judge even the Supreme Court usually thinks is nuts—tossed out one of the most vital parts of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday.

Mar 31, 2023 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump at a rally

Donald Trump Has Been Indicted. Don’t Get Your Hopes Up. Donald Trump Has Been Indicted. Don’t Get Your Hopes Up.

This is the first real attempt to hold Trump legally accountable for any of his many alleged crimes. But the odds of securing real justice seem very long.

Mar 30, 2023 / Elie Mystal

x