# Why Trump's Top Legal Goon Can Never Lead DOJ

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-beast-podcast-502008/why-trump-s-top-legal-goon-can-never-lead-doj
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-beast-podcast-502008/why-trump-s-top-legal-goon-can-never-lead-doj.md
Podcast: [The Daily Beast Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-beast-podcast-502008)
Published: 2026-07-13T03:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/433/claritaspod.com/measure/traffic.megaphone.fm/QCD1561589666.mp3
Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/433/claritaspod.com/measure/traffic.megaphone.fm/QCD1561589666.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-daily-beast-podcast-502008/episodes/why-trump-s-top-legal-goon-can-never-lead-doj
Duration seconds: 3333

## Resource

Andrew Weissmann joins Joanna Coles to explain why politicians can lie to the public with virtually no legal consequences, why Donald Trump's false claims about the 2020 election continue to shape American politics, and what other democracies have done to hold elected officials accountable. Weissmann also weighs in on the nomination of Trump ally Todd Blanche to lead the Justice Department, arguing that the institution's independence is under unprecedented strain. Drawing on decades as a federal prosecutor and former FBI general counsel, Weissmann discusses the erosion of trust in the Justice Department, the legal and political battles surrounding the Epstein files, the leadership of the FBI and DOJ under Trump, and why Congress has failed to act as a meaningful check on presidential power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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## Transcript

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