<![CDATA[Is This Really Legal?]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.orghttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ebA9!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8f0c1a70-6c60-4a46-b7da-66cedd39e248_1000x1000.pngIs This Really Legal?https://www.isthisreallylegal.orgSubstackFri, 23 Oct 2026 08:50:19 GMT<![CDATA[A Former Prosecutor's Take on the Cornell Case]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-former-prosecutors-take-on-thehttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-former-prosecutors-take-on-theTue, 20 Oct 2026 20:15:38 GMTLiz is joined by Mimi Rocah, former Westchester County District Attorney, to discuss what went wrong in the investigation of the alleged gang rape at Cornell University.

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline:

https://rainn.org/

Domestic violence shelter and support in New York:

https://mspny.org/

Free legal services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in New York: https://www.pace.edu/law/centers-and-institutes/pace-womens-justice-center

Pre-order Mimi’s book:

Justice Still Stands

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

Note: this episode was recorded on October 19, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Is Public Execution Really Legal? ]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-public-execution-really-legalhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-public-execution-really-legalThu, 15 Oct 2026 22:30:17 GMTThis morning, President Trump called off the livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution by the U.S. military. The execution via firing squad will still go forward. Is any of this legal? Liz and returning guest retired Navy Commander Bobby Jones give their best answers.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

Note: this episode was recorded on October 14, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Why Was Ghislaine Maxwell Moved?]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/why-was-ghislaine-maxwell-movedhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/why-was-ghislaine-maxwell-movedThu, 01 Oct 2026 22:46:12 GMTHow did Ghislaine Maxwell get transferred to a minimum-security prison—and why is the government withholding the explanation? Liz Oyer talks with Bloomberg investigative reporter Jason Leopold about his fight for the records, his most surprising discoveries, and how anyone can use the Freedom of Information Act to demand answers.


Jason’s Bloomberg articles:

Ghislaine Maxwell’s Prison Transfer Application Released

Putin’s Assassination Targets Revealed in Declassified Memo

FOIA documents referenced:

Inspector General Report

Ivana Trump

Putin

Eminem

FOIA website:

foia.gov

For more of Jason’s work, check out his FOIA Files newsletter and his FOIA podcast Disclosure.


Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

]]><![CDATA[A First Amendment Defense Attorney on the White House Press Ban]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-first-amendment-defense-attorneyhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-first-amendment-defense-attorneyThu, 24 Sep 2026 22:31:00 GMTCan a president ban reporters because he doesn’t like their coverage? Liz Oyer sits down with media law litigator Susan Seager to examine the White House's ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico and the constitutional questions it raises. They also discuss the president’s lawsuits against the media, efforts to uncover journalists’ confidential sources, and what these actions mean for the public’s right to know.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

This episode was recorded on September 23, 2026, before the district court’s ruling.

]]><![CDATA[The Women We Sentence and Forget]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-women-we-sentence-and-forgethttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-women-we-sentence-and-forgetThu, 17 Sep 2026 22:30:38 GMTThis week, Liz uses Lindsay Clancy’s case as a starting point to discuss the overlooked experiences of women in prison. She is joined by Sara Bennett, a photographer and former public defender whose work focuses on women serving life sentences.

View more of Sara Bennett’s work and purchase her book on her website: https://sarabennett.org/

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

]]><![CDATA[Building a Giant Arch Without Congress?]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/building-a-giant-arch-without-congresshttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/building-a-giant-arch-without-congressFri, 11 Sep 2026 21:30:51 GMTLiz Oyer sits down with Nathaniel Zelinsky, an attorney who is representing Congresswoman Joyce Beatty in her lawsuit challenging the Kennedy Center’s renaming and planned shutdown.

They discuss the fight over the Kennedy Center, the White House ballroom, and the proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery—and explain why even a potentially unlawful project can be difficult to stop.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458.

]]><![CDATA[Justice and Loss w/ Judge Esther Salas]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/justice-and-loss-w-judge-esther-salashttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/justice-and-loss-w-judge-esther-salasThu, 03 Sep 2026 22:01:04 GMTLiz Oyer is joined by Judge Esther Salas, a U.S. District Judge whose advocacy for judicial security was born out of her son Daniel’s murder in 2020. She discusses Daniel’s legacy and the threats that the judiciary faces today.

On Is This Really Legal?, Liz breaks down the legal news with an expert in the field and answers your questions. Episodes are released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

This episode was recorded on September 2, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[How Grand Juries Actually Work]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/how-grand-juries-actually-workhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/how-grand-juries-actually-workThu, 27 Aug 2026 20:30:40 GMTLiz Oyer talks with Lucius T. Outlaw III, an associate professor of law at Howard University School of Law and former federal public defender, about how grand juries work, what standard of proof applies, and why their proceedings are secret.

On Is This Really Legal?, Liz breaks down the legal news with an expert in the field and answers your questions. Episodes are released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Notes:

  • The officer involved in the Sean Dunn sandwich case was a Customs and Border Protections officer.

  • The Broadview 6 protesters were charged with “conspiracy to impede or injure a federal law enforcement officer.”

This episode was recorded on August 26, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[A Navy Commander's Take on the U.S.S. Lincoln]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-navy-commanders-take-on-the-usshttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/a-navy-commanders-take-on-the-ussThu, 20 Aug 2026 19:30:07 GMTRetired Navy Commander Bobby Jones, president of Veterans for Responsible Leadership and host of Anchor Watch, joins Liz to discuss the nearly nine months that the U.S.S. Lincoln has spent at sea — and why service members have almost no legal recourse even when conditions are bad.

On Is This Really Legal?, Liz breaks down the legal news with an expert in the field and answers your questions. Episodes are released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on August 19, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Inside America's Law Firm: How DOJ Actually Works]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/inside-americas-law-firm-how-dojhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/inside-americas-law-firm-how-dojMon, 17 Aug 2026 21:19:16 GMTLiz Oyer takes you on an inside tour of the Department of Justice. To understand what's happening in the country—and why it matters—you need to understand how DOJ actually works. Watch the video on YouTube now.

]]><![CDATA[Is This Really Legal? | A New Legal Explainer Series]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-this-really-legal-a-new-legalhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-this-really-legal-a-new-legalWed, 12 Aug 2026 21:37:47 GMT"Is This Really Legal?" answers real questions about government power, in plain English. No law degree required.


Your host, , is a former public defender and former Pardon Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she served under both Democratic and Republican presidents.


Follow along, and send us the questions you want answered.

]]><![CDATA[The Truth About Election Administration]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-truth-about-election-administrationhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-truth-about-election-administrationThu, 06 Aug 2026 22:21:41 GMTStephen Richer, whose commitment to election integrity has come at great personal sacrifice, provides an inside look into safe, free, and fair elections.

On Is This Really Legal? Liz breaks down the legal news with an expert in the field and answers your questions. Episodes are released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on August 5, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[The State of Antitrust Enforcement]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-state-of-antitrust-enforcementhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-state-of-antitrust-enforcementThu, 30 Jul 2026 22:48:43 GMTBill Baer, who led antitrust enforcement at both the DOJ and FTC, joins Liz Oyer to talk about the fundamentals of antitrust law, the pressures that shape enforcement, and what's at stake in cases like the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on July 29, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Finding Your Own Justice]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/finding-your-own-justicehttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/finding-your-own-justiceThu, 23 Jul 2026 21:33:40 GMTLiz is joined by Dani Bensky, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, to discuss being your own advocate, finding your voice, and working to implore the justice system to treat survivors with respect.

Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on July 22, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Can the Justice Department Rebuild Public Trust?]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/can-the-justice-department-rebuildhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/can-the-justice-department-rebuildThu, 09 Jul 2026 21:05:05 GMTDevlin Barrett, who has covered federal law enforcement for more than 20 years and recently published a book on upheaval at DOJ, joins Liz Oyer to talk about the role of the Deputy Attorney General, norms in the Justice Department, and Todd Blanche’s upcoming confirmation hearing.

Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new educational podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on July 8, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[How the Senate Confirmation Process Really Works]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/how-the-senate-confirmation-processhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/how-the-senate-confirmation-processThu, 02 Jul 2026 22:30:51 GMTGregg Nunziata, former Chief Nominations Counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee and Executive Director of the Society for the Rule of Law Institute, joins Liz Oyer to explain how the Senate confirmation process works, why the founders created it, and what's at stake in the current Attorney General nomination.

Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on July 1, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[The Ins and Outs of DOJ with Liz Oyer]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-ins-and-outs-of-doj-with-lizhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/the-ins-and-outs-of-doj-with-lizThu, 25 Jun 2026 20:34:16 GMTWelcome to the inaugural episode of Is This Really Legal?, a new podcast hosted by Liz Oyer.

This week, former Acting AG Peter Keisler sits down with Liz to guide listeners on a tour of the Department of Justice.

Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.

Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.

Note: This episode was recorded on June 4, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Fmr. DOJ Official Liz Oyer Launches “Is This Really Legal?” ]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/fmr-doj-official-liz-oyer-launcheshttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/fmr-doj-official-liz-oyer-launchesMon, 22 Jun 2026 17:34:37 GMTWASHINGTON – Monday, June 22, 2026 – Today, Liz Oyer, the former Pardon Attorney at the Department of Justice, launched a new legal education podcast—Is This Really Legal?—that is designed to break down the headlines and educate Americans on the justice system, the courts, and the unprecedented challenges to the rule of law in America.

Since leaving the Justice Department in March 2025 after refusing to reinstate actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights, Oyer has amassed nearly 1.7 million followers across her social media channels as @Lawyer_Oyer. With her insider perspective and cogent analysis, Oyer has become a trusted voice in the legal news social media community.

Now, as the host of Is This Really Legal?, Oyer is broadening her reach, making seemingly arcane legal topics more accessible, and educating Americans on how legal issues tangibly affect their daily lives. Answering the question: Is this really legal?

Each episode translates the legal questions dominating the news into plain English: What is the role of the Attorney General? What does the Department of Justice actually do? Who has the power to declare war? Why does the rule of law matter?

By unpacking the issues alongside legal experts, Oyer cuts through the jargon and gives listeners the context to reach their own conclusions. Oyer will also devote a segment on her podcast to answering questions submitted by her listeners. Listen to the introduction for Is This Really Legal? here.

The first full episode will be released on Thursday, June 25 and features a conversation with former Acting Attorney General Peter Keisler, who will talk about the DOJ’s historical role and its intended place in America’s constitutional order. Is This Really Legal? is available on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Clips from the podcast will also be posted on Instagram and TikTok.

Media Contacts:

Andrew Feldman, andrew@feldmanstrategies.com

Nathan Janda, nathan@feldmanstrategies.com

Tony Franquiz, franquiz@isthisreallylegal.org

]]><![CDATA[Is This Really Legal? | Podcast Trailer]]>https://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-this-really-legal-show-trailerhttps://www.isthisreallylegal.org/p/is-this-really-legal-show-trailerWed, 03 Jun 2026 20:02:21 GMT

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