November 9, 2025

Rep. Dan Goldman has the unfortunate super power of anticipating Donald Trump’s every move. As lead counsel in the impeachment inquiry into Trump, he’s become an expert on Trump’s brand of authoritarianism. For that reason, and because the congressman is an important leader in the fight for democracy, I’m happy to say he has become a regular on the podcast. 

During his latest visit, Rep. Goldman and I discussed updates in the gerrymander battle, the political prosecutions against James Comey and Attorney General Letitia James, and how Democrats can fight back if they win the majority in Congress. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marc Elias: Congressman Dan Goldman, welcome back to Defending Democracy.

Rep. Dan Goldman: Thanks so much, Marc. Great to be with you again.

Marc Elias:You've become a regular here so I want to thank you for that. I want to go back to something you said when we talked earlier this year that turned out to be incredibly insightful. People who saw my reaction could tell a little light bulb went off, but it also turned out to be incredibly prescient. And that is you said that one of the risks that we faced with Donald Trump's weaponization of the Department of Justice against his political opponents would be that it would create an atmosphere that you could not sort out who was actually being prosecuted on the merits and who was not being prosecuted on the merits. In other words, it undermines good prosecutors doing their job because bad prosecutors create suspicion.

And the reason why I wanted to start here, Congressman, is I have been engaged in something of a public back and forth with some others on the left who are well-meaning as well, in that I have basically said, I think the Comey prosecution is a political hit job. I think the prosecution against Tish James is a political hit job. But I'm also not willing to give the benefit of the doubt on the John Bolton prosecution. I'm not willing to give the benefit of the doubt on what we just saw in Illinois. I certainly don't give the benefit of the doubt of the prosecution of your colleague across the river in New Jersey, LaMonica McIver. So I want to know, am I falling into the trap that you warned against, or am I reacting appropriately with skepticism now because Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are misusing the Department of Justice...