This is the time of year when we are regaled with lists of the best books, movies, music, and much more. Because here at The Contrarian, we track the doings of our democracy and Donald Trump’s assaults on it, we thought for my Publisher’s Note starting this week and continuing through December, I would do my own top 10 lists— quantifying the corruption of Trump and his regime. My Democracy Defenders Action colleague Gabe Lezra is co-authoring.
We start this week with one of the very worst manifestations of that corruption: Trump’s and his administration’s retaliatory or otherwise wrongful prosecutions. Sometimes it can be hard to keep track of the larger pattern of the president’s authoritarian wrongdoing because of his flood-the-zone approach, but we hope this and our other Top 10 lists will help you Contrarians do just that.
In the weeks ahead, Gabe and I will be surveying Trump’s most corrupt pardons, his most outrageous financial self-enrichment and corruption–and the good news of his top legal defeats in my democracy cases supported by our paid Contrarian subscribers!
These Top 10 lists will be refreshed weekly and will have their own tab on the Contrarian homepage. Here’s our first one, followed as usual by my rundown of all of this week’s indispensable coverage in The Contrarian,
1. New York Attorney General Letitia James
Trump has had a long-running grudge against AG James and went so far as to post on social media what seemed to have been intended as a direct message to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding James be prosecuted. The resulting bogus charges that James committed mortgage fraud were thrown out by a judge who determined that Trump’s handpicked crony Lindsey Halligan was not authorized to file the indictment. Then, when the DOJ tried to bring the case again this week, a grand jury reportedly refused to charge.
Next: Trump should give up, but he probably won’t. Expect another stab at a grand jury in weeks ahead.
The Trump administration is prosecuting Wisconsin state Judge Hannah Dugan for simply doing what jurists do every day: controlling her court. They claim that by excusing a defendant–who was an undocumented migrant–from her courtroom, she was attempting to hide him from federal officials, and thus interfering with their case against him. It’s hard to imagine any prior administration bringing this case–or the jury finding her guilty.
Next: The trial begins Dec. 15.
3. Former FBI Director James Comey
Comey is also a long-time target of Trump’s revenge, dating all the way to the end of the 2016 campaign when Comey announced that Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails weren’t worthy of further criminal investigation. Laughable claims that Comey perjured himself before Congress were brought by the same unauthorized prosecutor as in the James case, and tossed by the same judge (see item 1 above). The statute of limitations has run, so this one is bound for the graveyard.
Next: Despite its moribund nature, expect Trump to try to bring the case back from the dead. That will likely fail.
Trump went after McIver, a sitting member of Congress, for doing her constitutional duty: conducting congressional oversight. McIver tried to visit a detention center in her own district–and federal agents charged her with forcibly interfering with their work. The video shows her basically trying to de-escalate while agents ramped things up. It seems unlikely that a jury will fall for these preposterously overstated charges.
Next: The trial date is pending. Supplemental briefing on whether one of the three counts should be dismissed is due on Tuesday, December 9.
Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union California, was “part of a group that arrived…as federal officers arrested dozens of garment workers” on June 6 in Los Angeles. He was hit with a felony for allegedly interfering with the federal agents. Tellingly, prosecutors later downgraded it to a misdemeanor. Huerta pleaded not guilty, stating “These charges are baseless. They are an attempt to silence anyone who dares to speak out.” He has a point. (Note: my Democracy Defenders Fund colleagues and I are among the counsel team representing Huerta in this case).
Next: There will be a pretrial conference on January 6. The trial will begin on January 20th.
6. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton
Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Advisor, wrote a tell-all book about Trump’s deranged behavior during his first term–and has been charged with 18 counts of mishandling national defense information. Bolton’s book was cleared by former National Security Council career staff, but we don’t know as much about what’s going on under the hood here because much information relating to the case remains classified. We do know that Trump has spent years publicly seething about Bolton. This prosecution screams “selective and vindictive,” and Bolton’s lawyers will likely argue exactly that.
Next: Pre-trial proceedings are underway. In last week’s status conference, the Government indicated it might add new charges The Court also granted a joint request to toll the speedy trial clock until October 5, 2026.
Schiff, a longtime Trump foe and impeachment manager, reportedly faces investigation for mortgage fraud—the same type of baseless claim Trump tried to use against James. Reports indicate prosecutors are hesitant to bring charges–presumably because the evidence just doesn’t measure up (also like with James). But, as this top 10 list demonstrates, bogus charges based on flimsy evidence have not stopped this regime from pursuing its perceived political enemies.
Next: With prosecutors dragging their feet, this one might not go the distance.
Swalwell is yet another Trump foe facing a dubious mortgage investigation. This one comes at the hands of Bill Pulte, Trump’s director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who, in a very Trumpean move, allegedly used his position to illegally obtain Swalwell’s records–and decided to play prosecutor, referring the congressman to DOJ. Swalwell fought back with a lawsuit claiming Pulte violated his privacy rights. This attempt to use government access to settle political scores might end up backfiring, as it’s alleged Pulte overstepped substantially.
Next: Swalwell’s lawsuit against Pulte moves forward; the investigation into Swalwell? Not so much.
9. Former CIA Director John Brennan and Others
Brennan is another of Trump’s old first-term nemeses who’s facing criminal investigation for his role in the Russia investigation–which, to be clear, found that Russia did indeed tamper in the 2016 election on Trump’s behalf. Trump sycophant and suit jacket hater Rep. Jim Jordan referred Brennan to the DOJ for allegedly lying to Congress about the role the CIA played in that investigation, and, in November, a grand jury reportedly subpoenaed Brennan and others for records. There’s no there here.
Next: The investigation continues with grand jury activity in Florida.
Garcia was illegally deported to El Salvador’s most notorious prison after Immigration and Customs Enforcement violated a judge’s protective order. The Trump cabal later admitted it was an “administrative error“ (oops!), and a judge ordered him returned. Garcia reunited with his family in August, only for ICE to snatch him up again–after he was indicted by the administration for human smuggling. The courts have been sharply critical of the case, including stating that there is a “realistic likelihood” the prosecution is vindictive and allowing discovery on point. Garcia remains in custody while pleading not guilty.
Next: In the criminal case, the final pretrial conference is January 20, 2026 and the trial is scheduled to begin on January 27.
Honorable Mention: D.C. Sandwich Guy
Sean Dunn, AKA “Sandwich Guy,” was originally targeted with a federal felony for chucking a hoagie at a CBP officer who was patrolling the Subway Sandwich location at 14th and U Streets NW in Washington, D.C. A federal grand jury refused to bite on this particular ham sandwich; and ultimately a D.C. petit jury didn’t even find a misdemeanor meatball in this sub. Bondi proudly announced Dunn’s dismissal from his role as a DOJ paralegal, but, if this mural on U Street is any indication, he’ll be eating for free around D.C. for a while.
Next: DOJ has some bacon, lettuce, and tomato to wipe off their shirts–and egg off their faces.
And now, onto all our great Contrarian coverage this week:
Hegseth’s “Fog of War”
Our troops are in a morally untenable position [podcast]
On the Contrarian Podcast this week, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) discussed the legality of the boat strikes in the Caribbean and the Defense Secretary’s mounting failures. “It turns out that appointing an incompetent, reckless individual with no relevant experience … is not a good idea.”
Hegseth’s Deadly Fiasco: Eugene Fidell Explains
Military justice expert Eugene Fidell joined Jen Rubin to discuss the role Hegseth played in the lethal boat strike in Venezuela. “What actually happened here? Who’s responsible for it? How do we get to ground truth? And what is to be done?”
As Hegseth ducks responsibility, the United States risks losing the moral ground that is the foundation of our national defense, writes Jeff Nesbit. “The ‘fog of war’ is a real and terrible phenomenon, but it is not a ‘get out jail free’ card for extrajudicial killings.”
Split Screen: Pete Hegseth and the Visual War Machine
Azza Cohen analyzed the media’s consistent visual portrayals of the secretary of defense as serious and capable—a commitment to dignity that stands in sharp contrast to how other political figures are portrayed, and in even further contrast to Hegseth’s conduct in office.
The Looming Healthcare Crisis
The Privatization of American Morality
Jeff Nesbit wrote on the State Department’s new “America First” global health strategy: a transactional gamble putting millions of lives at risk. “The administration has replaced the mission of saving lives with the mission of securing contracts.”
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf highlighted the unequal burden of caregiving—exacerbated by a lack of paid time off, elder- and childcare subsidies, and affordable healthcare—and how overwhelmed women are making their voices heard this holiday season. “The cost of caregiving itself is a national crisis.”
The Political Contagion Threatening Public Health
Roberto Valadéz wrote on the ongoing rise of measles outbreaks across North America, the product of vaccination mistrust and the dramatic weakening of public health guardrails under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership of DHHS and Trump’s withdrawal from the WHO.
The Economy Still Stinks
How Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Agenda Is Dominating You With Dirty Energy
Tim Dickinson analyzed the bad policy trifecta of Trump’s “Energy Dominance” agenda: raising costs, killing the climate, and helping China. “Trump is giving fossil-fuel producers a license to dominate American consumers, leaving them with less choice, higher energy bills, and an overheating climate—even as it clears a path for China to dominate the next generation of energy production.”
Jesse Ferguson wrote on the economic path to defeating Trump’s authoritarianism from within, with lessons from the collapse of the USSR. “Authoritarianism doesn’t fall because people reject it in the abstract. It falls when it fails to put food on the table.”
Constitutional Crises (Both Real and MAGA-Made)
An Unconstitutional Vestige of Monarchical Rule
Austin Sarat analyzed the serious threat to legislative independence embedded in Trump’s threat to prosecute Sens. Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, and other Democrats for “sedition.” “Legislators who are afraid to speak out cannot do their jobs. They cannot keep their focus on doing what is best for the country and hold the executive accountable for its actions.”
The Damning Dismissal of Trump’s Election Interference Case in Georgia
Carron J. Phillips explored the anti-democratic significance of a decision last week to throw out Donald Trump’s last remaining criminal case over the 2020 election. “A new precedent has been set. Now others will try to circumvent the system.”
The First Amendment Can’t Get You Out of Following Class Instructions
Shalise Manza Young wrote on the case of a University of Oklahoma student who failed an assessment and seemingly blamed it on her professor being a trans woman—after which the professor was put on leave. “A failing grade for not understanding the assignment isn’t a constitutional crisis.”
Media, Discourse, & Misinformation
The Media Helped Trump Spread a Lie After the National Guard Shooting
Josh Levs analyzed the media narrative surrounding the shooting of two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., last week. It was a tragedy that instead of leading to bipartisan action became a pretense for furthering the president’s anti-immigration agenda. “The job of the media is to provide truth, which equals facts plus context.”
The Executive Order No One Is Talking About
Julie Sweetland wrote on Trump’s declaration of English as the “official language” of the United States, a move with deep roots in nativist xenophobia and a favorite tactic of authoritarian regimes. “Making English our official language does not make us stronger as a nation; it makes us smaller, colder, and less humane.”
We All Have a Role to Play: Seth Limmer on Preventing Violent Extremism
Seth Limmer joined Jen Rubin to discuss how young adults and children are exposed to extremist ideology online and how we can curb its hateful influence. “There don’t need to be endless cycles of rising hate crimes, and we don’t need to take away free speech to make that happen.”
Bruce Schneier and Nathan E. Sanders gave us a blueprint for approaching responsible governance of artificial intelligence. “We need transparency into how AI systems are built, when they are used, and what biases they encode in democratic processes.”
Fighting Back
Planning for the Next Blue Wave: Jason Berlin on Getting Voters to the Polls in 2026
In the wake of big Democratic wins in November, Jason Berlin joined Jen Rubin to share how his 35,000 volunteers plan to register even more Democratic voters ahead of the midterms. “Our mission is ‘register Democrats, save the world’.”
The Contrarian Covers the Democracy Movement
This week we saw protests in Ohio, Vermont, North Carolina, Croatia, and much more. Keep checking to see how Americans all across the country(and the world) are protecting and defending democracy. Get help organizing from Indivisible, find protests in your area at mobilize.us, and send us your protest photos at submit@contrariannews.org.
Culture, Cartoons, Pets & Fun Stuff
Mira Nair, the Creative Visionary Who Shaped New York’s Next Mayor
A must-read from Meredith Blake on the trailblazing, Oscar-nominated director of Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!, and Mississippi Masala, a feminist visionary who has spent her life telling the stories of marginalized communities—and who raised Zohran Mamdani.
This week our cartoonists took on blame games (A Sinking Ship, RJ Matson; Sleepy Don and A Pat on the Back, Michael de Adder), congressional cowardice (Time to take a stand, Nick Anderson), and who the buck is actually stopping with (Tariff Tuesday, RJ Matson).
Syrian Lentil Soup Brings the Holidays Home
Emily Beyda shared her Syrian Red Lentil soup with us, “an affirmation of…simplicity and ease.” This soup comes together in less than ten minutes of active time–perfect for the lazy winter season.
This week’s Pet of the Week is the sweet Bertie. He is an American short hair Tuxedo who loves to eat houseplants and cut flowers. His favorite is tulips. Everyone say hi to Bertie!
Well there you are Contrarians—another great week of content and of legal action made possible by your paid subscriptions. We are so grateful! We look forward to seeing you on Coffee with the Contrarians Monday morning at 9:15 AM ET. Until then, have a great weekend. Warmly, Norm
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What has happened in this short a time is beyond incredible. I will emphatically say that anyone voting for any Republican in the next two elections is not a loyal, trustworthy American. The right wing idiotsphere has to be overturned.
Read the HCR column about NSS 2025, it will chill you to the bone.