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.

People Are Taking the Wrong Lesson From Trump’s Failed Coup

People Are Taking the Wrong Lesson From Trump’s Failed Coup People Are Taking the Wrong Lesson From Trump’s Failed Coup

Trump failed to steal the election because of incompetence, not because our robust institutions defeated him.

Dec 15, 2020 / Column / Elie Mystal

If Senate Democrats Are Sick of Losing, They Should Try Fighting

If Senate Democrats Are Sick of Losing, They Should Try Fighting If Senate Democrats Are Sick of Losing, They Should Try Fighting

As a first step, that means making Sheldon Whitehouse the Democratic leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Dec 1, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Donald Trump Is the Ultimate Super-Spreader

Donald Trump Is the Ultimate Super-Spreader Donald Trump Is the Ultimate Super-Spreader

Trump didn’t merely bungle this country’s pandemic response; he stoked the flames of this third and largest surge.

Nov 25, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Sanction Trump’s Election Lawyers—Now!

Sanction Trump’s Election Lawyers—Now! Sanction Trump’s Election Lawyers—Now!

The Trump campaign’s election lawyers are in serious violation of the Rules of Federal Civil Procedure, which explicitly prohibit frivolous lawsuits. It’s time to start holding the...

Nov 24, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Protest signs in front of Jones Day office

Don’t Expect Jones Day to Stop Enabling Donald Trump Don’t Expect Jones Day to Stop Enabling Donald Trump

The law firm has been the president’s biggest legal booster—and beneficiary—from the start. It’s not going to stop now.

Nov 18, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Trump claps for Amy Coney Barrett

Democrats Must Keep Their Eyes on the Supreme Court Democrats Must Keep Their Eyes on the Supreme Court

While court reform is off the table until at least 2023, Democrats must use the next two years to figure out how best to fix the court.

Nov 16, 2020 / Column / Elie Mystal

The Affordable Care Act May Live to Die Another Day

The Affordable Care Act May Live to Die Another Day The Affordable Care Act May Live to Die Another Day

The oral arguments for the latest challenge to the ACA, played out before an ultraconservative Supreme Court, appeared to go about as well as anyone could have hoped.

Nov 11, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Trump Is Trying to Overturn the Election, but I’m Not Panicking—Yet

Trump Is Trying to Overturn the Election, but I’m Not Panicking—Yet Trump Is Trying to Overturn the Election, but I’m Not Panicking—Yet

All the reasons I think the Trump-GOP gambit to deny Biden’s victory will not change the fact that he will become president on January 20.

Nov 10, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Black People Repudiated Trump Like He Was a Piece of Used Gum

Black People Repudiated Trump Like He Was a Piece of Used Gum Black People Repudiated Trump Like He Was a Piece of Used Gum

It’s time for centrist Democrats to stop whining about Black Lives Matters protests and start recognizing that Black voters literally saved the election.

Nov 6, 2020 / Elie Mystal

Pennsylvania Voter

Trump Doesn’t Have a Path to Victory Through the Courts Trump Doesn’t Have a Path to Victory Through the Courts

While the election remains uncomfortably close, Trump’s attempts to use far-fetched legal arguments to stop vote counting in states like Pennsylvania are unlikely to succeed.

Nov 5, 2020 / Elie Mystal

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