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.

Chris-Wray-testimony

There’s No Good Reason FBI Director Chris Wray Still Has a Job There’s No Good Reason FBI Director Chris Wray Still Has a Job

Wray has a pattern of refusing to pursue powerful men like Brett Kavanaugh and Larry Nassar on behalf of women and people of color.

Sep 17, 2021 / Elie Mystal

Manchin-in-elevator

Joe Manchin Giveth on Voting Rights—and Joe Manchin Taketh Away Joe Manchin Giveth on Voting Rights—and Joe Manchin Taketh Away

The West Virginia senator has finally agreed to support critical voting rights legislation, but refuses to do what’s necessary to pass it.

Sep 16, 2021 / Elie Mystal

First Texas Came for Abortion. Now It’s Going After Voting Rights.

First Texas Came for Abortion. Now It’s Going After Voting Rights. First Texas Came for Abortion. Now It’s Going After Voting Rights.

Just a week after Texas’s abortion ban went into effect, Governor Greg Abbot signed a draconian voter suppression bill into law.

Sep 13, 2021 / Elie Mystal

Garland-DOJ-press-conf

The Justice Department Strikes Back The Justice Department Strikes Back

Since the DOJ cannot force Texas Republicans to magically become decent people, its smart lawsuit against the state’s abortion ban is the next best thing.

Sep 10, 2021 / Elie Mystal

abortion-rights-protest

What Can Democrats Do to Fight Texas’s Abortion Ban? Lots. What Can Democrats Do to Fight Texas’s Abortion Ban? Lots.

The only question is how far Democrats are willing to go to defend women’s rights.

Sep 2, 2021 / Elie Mystal

“Roe v. Wade” Will Functionally Cease to Exist in Texas

“Roe v. Wade” Will Functionally Cease to Exist in Texas “Roe v. Wade” Will Functionally Cease to Exist in Texas

Unless the Supreme Court steps in, the country’s most dangerous anti-abortion law will go into effect, banning abortions after six weeks and placing a cash bounty on providers.

Aug 31, 2021 / Elie Mystal for The Nation

The Groundbreaking Decision That Just Struck a Blow to Our Racist Immigration Laws

The Groundbreaking Decision That Just Struck a Blow to Our Racist Immigration Laws The Groundbreaking Decision That Just Struck a Blow to Our Racist Immigration Laws

Nearly 100 years ago, Congress passed a law making it a felony to reenter the US after being deported. Now a judge has found it too racist to be allowed.

Aug 20, 2021 / Elie Mystal

Why Are We Still Using Trump’s Broken Census?

Why Are We Still Using Trump’s Broken Census? Why Are We Still Using Trump’s Broken Census?

While the Census showed significant growth among communities of color, it was still, almost certainly, a vast and deliberate undercount.

Aug 19, 2021 / Elie Mystal

Cuomo close-up

Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump, and the Epidemic of New York Strongmen Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump, and the Epidemic of New York Strongmen

It’s not an accident that a generation of tough guy pols emerged from New York in the 1970s and ’80s, amid the myth of an “ungovernable city” and an epic whitelash.

Aug 12, 2021 / Elie Mystal

Housing Rights sing

Biden’s Eviction Moratorium Is a Rare Act of Presidential Civil Disobedience Biden’s Eviction Moratorium Is a Rare Act of Presidential Civil Disobedience

The Supreme Court will almost certainly strike down the moratorium, but the president’s decision to heed the call of Cori Bush was the right and righteous thing to do.

Aug 9, 2021 / Elie Mystal

x