Why Bove’s Bitter at You, Contrarians

Publisher's Roundup 29

We have seldom seen as shocking a judicial nominee as the scandal-tarred Emil Bove. And there is no sugarcoating that his confirmation this week by a bare 50-49 votes was a loss for democracy. But we Contrarians—all of us—helped make it as difficult as possible. We did that through our unfiltered coverage of his profound corruption over a period of many months, including his apparent quid pro quo in unjustifiably dismissing the Eric Adams case, his consideration of telling judges “f' you” in connection with the Alien Enemies Act case, the exposure of his wrongdoing by whistleblowers, his targeting of Jan. 6 investigators, and much more. Your paid subscription made all that coverage possible.

And your contribution to the cause did not end there. Because we are owned by nobody, all profits go to support our litigation, which means we fought—and won against—Bove and the Trump Justice Department he helped lead month after month. I discuss some of those successes below—but don’t take my word for it. One of the things that Bove did on the day of his confirmation—when he was forced to confront the whistleblower witnesses against him—was to lash out (via letter) at “Norm Eisen—another participant in the attacks against me and in prolonged lawfare against President Trump.” He cited one of the many legal matters where we and our partners have enjoyed success against his boss—and him.

So though Bove eked through, we should still accept his backhanded compliment. As I look back at the defeats DOJ has sustained at our hands and yours (since you helped support the work) over the past six months of Bove’s tenure, I can see why he’s bitter. Indeed, in the case he complained about—our effort with wonderful colleagues to combat the destruction of Voice of America—we just this week got an important victory from the judge. He excoriated the government for its evasiveness and ordered it to produce a plan showing exactly how it will comply with his preliminary injunction mandating that Voice of America air programming that sufficiently meets its statutory requirements.

The wins in our over 100 legal matters initiated during Bove’s first six months hardly stop there. We and our colleagues were the very first in the country to sue over birthright citizenship, as well as the first to get a class certification and preliminary injunction stopping President Donald Trump’s executive order purporting to decide which babies born here are citizens and which are not. The constitution resolved that question in 1868.

Then there was Trump’s elections executive order, which similarly tried to make it easier for his voters to cast ballots and harder for everybody else to do so. Again, we were the first to go to court to stop it, and we and our clients and co-counsel did just that.

Our many other cases besides Voice of America are also pushing back on Trump’s efforts to dismantle the government. Take for example our win, again with wonderful colleagues, in the AmeriCorps case. In this case, the judge granted a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s attempt to destroy America's flagship civic service agency, often referred to as the Domestic Peace Corps.

And on and on. No wonder Emil Bove is mad. But he only thinks he’s mad at me. He’s really mad at all of you as well, because we couldn’t have done it without your paid subscriptions.

It’s the best bargain in American journalism because you not only get to support litigation fighting for our democracy, but you of course also get our amazing coverage of that democracy every day. It’s like getting a daily magazine with up to a dozen essays, live video feeds, culture, comics, and cartoons. It’s a steal at only $7 a month. To see why, let’s take a look back at some of this week’s amazing coverage.

This week in corruption

The rich and powerful go unpunished: Julie K. Brown on the scale of the Epstein scandal

Julie K. Brown, the investigative journalist whose peerless reporting on Jeffrey Epstein continues to unearth the real scandal beneath the conspiracy-mongering, joined Jen for an in-depth interview to discuss the years-long enabling of Epstein by a web of rich and powerful individuals and institutions. “These victims feel betrayed once again, by the DOJ and by our government officials who, they believe, are still covering up for wealthy and powerful…”

We shouldn’t just shrug at Trump’s latest effort to use his office for personal gain

Jeff Nesbit reported on Trump’s Truth Social buying $2B in Bitcoin, situating the move in the context of months of his administration pushing crypto—and how Trump could personally cash in from the scheme.

Grassroots energy

Democrats Catch a Break in North Carolina

Jen Rubin wrote on promising campaign news out of North Carolina, where Democrats are rallying fast around a senatorial candidate who may just give a shot at flipping the state. "Democrats have hit the jackpot with Roy Cooper—someone who can expand their tent, win in a red state, and weaken MAGA Republicans’ chokehold on the Senate. They must not squander this gift of a candidate."

Zohran Mamdani showed how to convert internet energy into actual votes

Daryn Dickens explored the lessons we can learn from June's NYC mayoral primary, which she argues was more than just a local political hiccup—it was a model for future campaigns, in which the new age of digital storytelling finally showed potential for energizing young voters. “Digital literacy is no longer optional. It’s essential."

Unions and community organizations uniting against the dictator

Maria Peralta reported on a gathering of hundreds of organizers from 35 states in Chicago, uniting to take on Trump’s anti-worker agenda with plans for 2,000 rallies on Sep 1. "Based on the millions of people across the country demanding an America that works for everyone, this Labor Day might well be the largest we’ve seen yet."

The Contrarian covers the Democracy Movement

This week we covered UK protesters giving Trump the welcome he deserved (and Sweden joining in), a CBS protest in New York, an ICE protest in Maryland, supporting rent control in Massachusetts, a Beto O'Rourke rally in Texas, Tesla protests, and more.

The Gaza emergency

Americans must speak out on the catastrophe in Gaza

Tom Malinowski explained how famine in Gaza followed a decision by Netanyahu to block U.N. food aid—and why staying silent about the deepening crisis no longer serves Israel or its allies. No wonder over 70% of Israelis seek a deal to end the war, as I pointed out in this Contrarian video on the crisis featuring Malinowski.

It’s Not a Linguistic Debate, it’s Man-Made Starvation

Jen Rubin wrote on how, when it comes to a humanitarian crisis in plain sight, defense of Israel cannot excuse the indefensible by the Netanyahu regime. “Hamas’ unforgivable behavior does not condone the Israeli government’s misconduct in violation of international norms and law nor Trump’s refusal to use all available leverage to end the war.”

Live with Jen Rubin on the crisis in Gaza and the fight for democracy

Jen Rubin and Ilan Goldenberg went live to discuss the latest on Israel, democratic backsliding, and the road to 2026. "Authoritarians love war because it gives them power and muffles dissent."

The world awakens to the Gaza famine

Shalise Manza Young wrote on the importance of calling a spade a spade, or a famine a famine, as starvation in Gaza reaches a breaking point. “Atrocities are atrocities, and we must say as much, in clear language, every time they happen.”

Misogyny and MAGA

The degradation of democracy and abortion rights go hand in hand

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf wrote on a federal judge’s block to Trump’s latest attempt to defund Planned Parenthood: a major win in an ongoing fight for women’s reproductive rights—not to mention democracy itself—playing out in courts, clinics & statehouses nationwide.

What is the connection between the alt-right and violent misogyny? Cynthia Miller-Idriss explains

Why are young boys in school telling their female peers “your body, my choice?” Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss joined Jen to discuss the far-right misogyny, influencer culture, and neo-natalist rhetoric shaping young men. "Misogynistic narratives, which are so accessible, can also introduce other forms of hate."

Split Screen: Michelle Obama and the double bind

In her latest “Split Screen” column, Azza Cohen looked at how Michelle Obama, who entered public life armed with Ivy League degrees and policy chops, weathered the bias of cameras that framed the story of fashion as controversy, power as threat, and Black women's emotions as both at once.

Embattled institutions

The quiet purge at our national parks

Brian O’Neill took a sobering trip to our national parks, where subtle changes in promotional material show that historical revisionism is underway. "We’re not burning books, not yet. But as Ray Bradbury warned in his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, forgetting doesn’t always need fire. Sometimes all it takes is neglect and the right submission form."

How to Weather the Next Storm

Rep. Eric Sorensen, armed with twenty years of experience as a meteorologist, made the case for rethinking disaster response in the wake of the Texas floods and Trump’s ongoing cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service. "It’s not just the meteorologists I talk to who are in full support for a new 'National Weather Safety Board.' Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are excited about this approach."

Bullying universities

Kim Lane Scheppele analyzed Columbia’s new deal with the federal government, arguing that it signals a new model of political control through financial coercion—“regulation by deal”—and warning that this is just the beginning of the administration’s attempts to permanently reshape higher education.

Fun Stuff

This week our cartoonists saw Trump reeling, dealing, and tilting at (actual) windmills. The Art of the Deal by Michael de Adder, Tom the Dancing Bug by Ruben Bolling, and Ticked off at windmills by RJ Matson.

Billy Joel: "And So It Goes" is Nearly Five Hours Long, but Worth Every Minute

Culture columnist Meredith Blake recommended a new HBO documentary on the piano man himself, which argues that we’re still underrating this fixture of American life "With a running time of nearly five hours, "And So It Goes" is nothing if not comprehensive. You may be wondering if there is really that much to learn about Billy Joel. It turns out there is."

Make it work mujadara

Emily Breyda suggested her budget-friendly and nourishing mujadara, a humble legume and grains dish you can pair with cucumber yogurt sauce. This dish is as hearty as it is delicious–inspiring, hopefully, you to continue fighting the rising economic tides another day.

Contrarian Pet of the Week

This week’s pet of the week is the wonderful Leroux. She is a three year old Mexican street dog who loves chasing squirrels, out-smarting humans, eating, and cuddles. Her charm, smarts and tenacity is like no other!