“The Illegal News” is where law meets politics. Each week, Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell (not a lawyer) sits down with a legal expert to unpack how the latest court filings, rulings, and procedural twists and turns of the Trump era are shaping American democracy. These are conversations about justice without the jargon, giving you context for the biggest developments and surfacing the legal (and illegal) moves not getting enough attention.
If you're looking for "George Conway Explains It All to Sarah Longwell," George is off on a new adventure, but Sarah will keep you covered.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
S2 Ep177: Alex Wagner NUKES Alito’s Defense of the Trump Election Power Grab
#24 trending · All Podcasts
JVL is joined by Alex Wagner to trace how four conservative power brokers built the legal machine that would reshape the Supreme Court decades later, and how that project
Sep 19 57 min
S2 Ep176: Sarah Longwell's Message for Everyone Who Thinks We’re Doomed (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Andrew Weissmann turns the tables on Sarah Longwell for a conversation about her new book, How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time—and what a post-Trump political fut
Sarah Longwell and George Conway discuss Trump’s attempt to overhaul mail-in voting before the midterms—and why Conway thinks the administration’s chaotic new USPS system
Sep 3 54 min
S2 Ep174: Trump Is Racing to Build His Ballroom Before the Courts Stop Him (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss a pair of Supreme Court moves benefiting Trump, including John Roberts allowing construction on the White House ballroom to co
Aug 26 1 h 09 min
S2 Ep173: Trump Just Ordered the Government to Delete the Receipts (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to discuss the Trump administration’s move to erase corporate ownership records, the latest developments in the Fauci investigation,
Aug 20 1 h 16 min
S2 Ep172: Career Prosecutors Wanted NO PART of What Trump’s DOJ Was Doing (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the escalating campaign against Anthony Fauci, why his lawyers may see the congressional investigation as a perjury trap, and
Aug 12 1 h 06 min
S2 Ep171: Trump’s Reflecting Pool Case Collapsed in SPECTACULAR Fashion (w/ Andrew Weissmann) | Illegal News
Sam Stein and Andrew Weissmann discuss the Justice Department’s dismissal of charges over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, potential recourse for Olympian
Aug 5 57 min
S2 Ep170: George Conway: Trump Showed Up to the Trial and Lost $83 Million
Sam Stein and George Conway discuss James Comey’s challenge to the “8647” prosecution, Donald Trump’s Supreme Court bid to overturn E. Jean Carroll’s $83 million defamati
Jul 31 1 h 05 min
S2 Ep169: George Conway Is Back—and Trump Gave Him PLENTY to Work With
Sarah Longwell welcomes George Conway back to The Illegal News to discuss Trump Media’s plan to sell Wall Street firms early access to Trump’s market-moving Truth Social
Jul 22 52 min
S2 Ep168: Senators Never Asked Blanche the Most Obvious Epstein Question
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss on a week that tested both of them: Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing, and Trump's prime-time speech on election interferenc
Jul 18 59 min
S2 Ep167: Trump's Own Judge Torched DOJ's Insane Election Subpoena (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to discuss a big week in legal news: DOJ's stunning concession in a reporter's lawsuit over the Epstein files, the questions senator
Jul 9 1 h 05 min
S2 Ep166: MAGA is Furious at Amy Coney Barrett (w/ Steve Vladeck)
Sarah Longwell and Georgetown University Law Center's Steve Vladek discuss the Supreme Court's final day of the term—a narrow 5-4 ruling upholding birthright citizenship,
Jul 1 58 min
S2 Ep165: The Reflecting Pool is a Symbol of Trump’s Failure (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann talk about the Iran nuclear deal—why the "win" Trump is selling actually leaves America with less leverage, fewer allies, and zero nuc
Jun 25 1 h 08 min
S2 Ep164: Stephen Miller and JD Vance Wanted to Suspend Habeas Corpus (w/ Leah Litman)
Sarah Longwell is joined by law professor and Strict Scrutiny co-host Leah Litman to discuss the White House’s plan to suspend habeas corpus, JD Vance’s push to invoke th
Jun 17 46 min
S2 Ep163: Trump’s Pick for Attorney General Is Even WORSE Than You Think
Trump's AG nominee Todd Blanche lost Trump's own criminal trial, built an illegal slush fund, and lied on Fox News—and Republicans are confirming him anyway. Sarah Longwe
Jun 10 57 min
S2 Ep162: Trump’s AG Pick May Not Have the Votes to Get Confirmed
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann return to disuss Todd Blanche’s growing Senate confirmation problems, Trump’s $1.7 billion “weaponization fund” scheme, why the judge
Sarah Longwell welcomes Mary McCord—former DOJ prosecutor and co-host of the Main Justice podcast—to discuss a series of jaw-dropping legal scandals surrounding Trump’s J
May 27 47 min
S2 Ep160: Andrew Weissmann: Trump's Slush Fund Isn't Just Corrupt—It's a Crime
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell on launch day for his book 'Liar's Kingdom'—but first they discuss why Weissmann calls Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fu
May 20 1 h 24 min
S2 Ep159: Trump Built a System That Pays People to Break the Law (w/ Ben Wittes)
Sarah Longwell and Ben Wittes discuss the Supreme Court mifepristone fight and why it could reshape abortion politics for years to come, then dig into Trump’s proposed $1
May 17 53 min
S2 Ep158: Jerome Powell is Fueled by Pure Righteous Anger—And We LOVE IT (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
Sarah Longwell and Andrew Weissmann discuss the Supreme Court’s voting rights decision, the rush to redraw congressional maps before the midterms, Trump allies pushing cr
May 7 1 h 07 min
Chart trend
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all-time peak
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Chart positions
Where The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 20, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
George Conway has an engaging personality, has familiarity with the cases against Trump, tells pertinent stories about his own engagement peripherally with Trump, all of which makes for a fascinating podcast.
Sarah Longwell is a great host, and juggles all the many bits and pieces organized—quite a lot of them amazingly, and asks salient questions to keep the conversation lively. I look forward to every show, for two reasons—one: I believe in justice, and two: the show is always entertaining—a real-life Perry Mason like Cliff-hanger! I love Conway’s inside stories from his legal career, which adds a significant dash of spice to the on-going, seemingly never ending saga. Thank you—These are fraught times; your podcast gives me at least a shred of hope!
As a bonus, George has actually managed to influence the English language! His use of the legalistic phrase “that being said” or “that said,” is popping up in conversations elsewhere. (Reminiscent of John Dean’s use of the phrase “at that point in time.”) Linguists must be loving the opportunity to study this phenomenon in real time!
Foxposte · Oct 2024
I look forward to each new podcast on George explaining legal proceedings of Donald Trump to Sarah Longwell. Both are quite smart and politically astute as well. They are concise and challenging as needed and adept at explaining to lay persons complex legal proceedings, rules, and rulings of the courts. I highly recommend.
nana5950 · Aug 2024
I listen to the show regularly, but there’s always been something that bothered me. I finally figured it out. As a business person and a potential sponsor on podcasts I find it offensive and distracting the disdain and outright hostility Sarah, and to a lesser extent George, show to having to read advertisements. We get it: having to help market the products of your sponsors is beneath serious individuals such as yourselves. Unfortunately, that’s the way the podcast model works, so please try to be more professional and more enthusiastic about the companies supporting your show.
Bluedev61 · Aug 2024
Interesting. Compelling. Intriguing. Intellectual. Logical. Relatable.
The hosts are funny and mesh well. Look forward to it every posting! Can we just have George slow down and explain his brilliant ideas in smaller chunks? With maybe a Q or two between each chunk? Love this podcast. I want more. Thank you!
Rw09820 · Jul 2024
I have unsubscribed, even though I have previously enjoyed this podcast, due to the over abundance of advertising. It’s become unbearable due to the incessant breaks to promote various products. Sorry, just not worth it anymore.
DonQ69 · Oct 2024
I appreciate Sarah putting this show together but it’s a bit frustrating, by her questions, how little she knows about the law and legal process. I’m not a lawyer but just from listening to various podcasts have learned enough to keep up. As a result, Sarah comes across as kind of timid and insecure and George as condescending, even impatient. And frankly I don’t blame him as, in hearing the interviews, I kind of feel the same way. I think it would work better to either have Conway and an evenly-matched co-host debate points and events or a more informed moderator who’s able to ask more insightful questions. Without that, the information gathering process sort of goes along at a crawl.
makeupmyname · Jul 2024
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
