Power concentrates in silence, and lately the silence is spreading. In their latest episode of “Pantsuits and Lawsuits,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes discuss the sweeping pressure campaign against the First Amendment — in briefing rooms, on city streets, and across shrinking newsrooms — with an unflinching look at how intimidation, lawsuits, and funding threats are changing the way America speaks and learns.
From protest crackdowns to new restrictive policies at the Pentagon, Nessel and Mayes trace how best practices are abandoned and dissent turned into a risk calculation. They trace how the news media, universities, law firms and nonprofits juggle First Amendment attacks from the Trump Administration. They share concrete steps on how to push back: collective action among schools and firms to spread the legal risk, smarter support for local journalism and public broadcasting, and a recommitment to rigorous reporting over viral bait.
They talk about national outlets that can lawyer up, local stations that can’t, and why even a single settlement can send a chilling message across the entire industry.
Veteran reporter Mary Jo Pitzl joins the attorneys general during the episode to explain how newsroom economics, algorithmic incentives, and headline gamesmanship can reshape coverage, nudging editors toward safe choices and audiences toward confusion. Her decades of experience on the beat have made one thing clear: when institutions accept control over who asks questions and what gets printed, the public will never get the answers they deserve.
“When our institutions are pressured into silence, our democracy becomes weaker,” Nessel said. “I am glad Mary Jo was able to come on the podcast to discuss how the realities of shrinking newsrooms and interference from government officials shape the information that we all rely on. Whether in the media, in law offices, or in our communities, it’s essential that we stand together to protect the places where truth and ideas can be reported, debated, and defended.”
The podcast also follows the pressure beyond media. Universities juggle academic freedom against the threat of defunding, law firms face retaliation for their clients, and nonprofits fear hosting events that could draw political ire. These choices create a quiet chill—self-censorship that never makes headlines but erodes civic life all the same. Nessel and Mayes share concrete steps to push back: collective action among schools and firms to spread the legal risk, smarter support for local journalism and public broadcasting, and a recommitment to rigorous reporting over viral bait.
Free speech isn’t self-executing; it survives because people use it. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, the AGs urge listeners to share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Then tell the AGs where are you seeing the chill, and how should we fight it together.
New episodes of “Pantsuits and Lawsuits” are released biweekly to break down complex legal topics in a way that is engaging, informative, and accessible to listeners. With their blend of expertise, humor, and straight talk, the attorneys general explore major legal cases, analyze state and national policy debates, and discuss how attorneys general help shape justice.
Listeners gain a behind-the-scenes look at the work attorneys general do to serve and protect their communities.
The episode is available now on major podcast platforms.
From protest crackdowns to new restrictive policies at the Pentagon, Nessel and Mayes trace how best practices are abandoned and dissent turned into a risk calculation. They trace how the news media, universities, law firms and nonprofits juggle First Amendment attacks from the Trump Administration. They share concrete steps on how to push back: collective action among schools and firms to spread the legal risk, smarter support for local journalism and public broadcasting, and a recommitment to rigorous reporting over viral bait.
They talk about national outlets that can lawyer up, local stations that can’t, and why even a single settlement can send a chilling message across the entire industry.
Veteran reporter Mary Jo Pitzl joins the attorneys general during the episode to explain how newsroom economics, algorithmic incentives, and headline gamesmanship can reshape coverage, nudging editors toward safe choices and audiences toward confusion. Her decades of experience on the beat have made one thing clear: when institutions accept control over who asks questions and what gets printed, the public will never get the answers they deserve.
“When our institutions are pressured into silence, our democracy becomes weaker,” Nessel said. “I am glad Mary Jo was able to come on the podcast to discuss how the realities of shrinking newsrooms and interference from government officials shape the information that we all rely on. Whether in the media, in law offices, or in our communities, it’s essential that we stand together to protect the places where truth and ideas can be reported, debated, and defended.”
The podcast also follows the pressure beyond media. Universities juggle academic freedom against the threat of defunding, law firms face retaliation for their clients, and nonprofits fear hosting events that could draw political ire. These choices create a quiet chill—self-censorship that never makes headlines but erodes civic life all the same. Nessel and Mayes share concrete steps to push back: collective action among schools and firms to spread the legal risk, smarter support for local journalism and public broadcasting, and a recommitment to rigorous reporting over viral bait.
Free speech isn’t self-executing; it survives because people use it. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, the AGs urge listeners to share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Then tell the AGs where are you seeing the chill, and how should we fight it together.
New episodes of “Pantsuits and Lawsuits” are released biweekly to break down complex legal topics in a way that is engaging, informative, and accessible to listeners. With their blend of expertise, humor, and straight talk, the attorneys general explore major legal cases, analyze state and national policy debates, and discuss how attorneys general help shape justice.
Listeners gain a behind-the-scenes look at the work attorneys general do to serve and protect their communities.
The episode is available now on major podcast platforms.
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