THE OFFICIAL MEA CULPA WITH MICHAEL COHEN ARCHIVE

Mea Culpa welcomes back our good friend Elie Honig, acclaimed author of the National Bestseller, “Hatchet Man: How Bill Barr broke the prosecutor's code and corrupted the Justice Department”. Honig is also a CNN Senior Legal Analyst, and a former federal and state prosecutor. You may also know him from his popular podcasts, “Up Against the Mob” and/or “Cafe Brief”. As a New Jersey federal prosecutor, Honig directed major criminal cases against street gangs, arms dealers, and even a few corrupt politicians. He was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he successfully prosecuted more than 100 members of La Cosa Nostra, including bosses and other high-ranking members of the Gambino and Genovese organized crime families. Honig leverages all his prosecutorial experience to keep the public informed and as fodder for his excellent new book “Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With It”. Be sure to pick up a copy when it comes out in January of 2023. Michael and Elie discuss everything from antisemitism, racism, and why powerful people are untouchable.

Mea Culpa welcomes back, Bakari Sellers, a CNN political commentator who made history as the youngest-ever member of the South Carolina State legislature at the age of just twenty-two. Sellers has been named one of the nation's most influential African Americans and became a New York Times best-selling author with his memoir, “My Vanishing Country”. Sellers is known for his sharp political and social analysis informed by his first-hand experience both inside the Democratic Party and as a practicing lawyer and lobbyist. Sellers has tirelessly worked on progressive policies that address issues ranging from education and poverty to preventing domestic violence and childhood obesity. He is seen as one of the rising stars in politics and a sought-after public speaker, who has addressed hundreds of organizations including the NAACP, and the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Michael and Bakari discuss, antisemitism, racism, the new GOP majority in the house, and the direction of the leadership in the Democratic party.

This is a special encore episode of Mea Culpa with Norm Eisen. Michael and Norm dive into the midterms, voter's rights, and Trump's legal woes.

This is a special encore episode of Mea Culpa with Reed Galen. Michael and Reed dive into what the midterms meant and what the future looks like for the GOP.

Mea Culpa welcomes one of the most influential spiritual leaders living today. Sadhguru is the founder and head of the Isha Foundation, based in Coimbatore, India. The foundation, established in 1992, has ashrams and yoga centers all over the world and provides education and spiritual connection for anyone seeking it. Sadhguru has been teaching yoga since 1982. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Inner Engineering: A Yogi's Guide to Joy and Karma: A Yogi's Guide to Crafting Your Destiny and is a frequent speaker at international forums. Sadhguru also advocates for protecting the environment against climate change, leading many initiatives like Project GreenHands, Rally for Rivers, Cauvery Calling, and the Journey to Save Soil. In 2017, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to spirituality and humanitarian services. Michael and Sadhguru discuss climate change, world leaders, Karma, and how to let go and move on from anger and from being a victim.

Mea Culpa welcomes back Brian Tyler Cohen, progressive commentator and the host and creator of the popular podcast “No Lie” where Brian covers breaking political stories and sits down with major players in the world of politics, promising to bring you the news straight with no disinformation, and no lies. His guests have included, Vice President, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, and White House chief of staff, Ron Klain. Cohen is amongst the most watched commentators in the country and can be found on all the major platforms including YouTube where he has a million and a half followers, Instagram and Twitter. Brian once an actor and writer, left it behind to doggedly criticize Fox News, Donald Trump, and anyone on any side of the political spectrum spreading lies and disinformation. Michael and Brian dig deep into the midterms and what the future of democracy will look like.

Today we welcome back to the show, Michael Smerconish, the host of CNN’s eponymously titled "Smerconish." When he’s not dishing common sense on the small screen you can catch Smerconish on Sirius XM where his radio show airs daily. Make sure to check out his amazing newsletter which curates the top 20 stories of the day from a wide variety of sources. Check out he and Michael as they chop up the midterm results and see what’s next for both parties.

Mea Culpa welcomes back to our show, Reed Galen, co-founder of The Lincoln Project and an independent political strategist. Galen is a veteran public affairs and political analyst with more than 20 years of experience, Reed has been involved in politics, government, and business at the highest levels. He’s spent more than a decade advising Fortune 50, 100, and 1000 companies in need of high-level counsel in the fields of strategic communications, procurement, and legislation. In addition to his private sector work, Reed has managed several high-profile ballot measure campaigns in California, Texas, and Colorado before moving to the private sector, Reed served as Deputy Campaign Manager for John McCain’s presidential campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful 2006 re-election campaign. Galen also worked on both of President George W. Bush's campaigns and served the Bush Administration at both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. Micheal and Reed dissect the results of the midterms.

Mea Culpa is thrilled to present Part 2 of our first-ever LIVE SHOW recorded at the El Rey Theatre on November 1st, 2022. With comedian actress and activist Kathy Griffin. Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy winner who’s been inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 23 televised stand-up specials!!! Griffin has been twice on the New York Times best-seller list and performed for sold-out crowds around the globe. Also joining Michael is Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. To round out our top-shelf lineup is the former national media director for the Oath Keepers Jason Van Tatenhove. Van Tatenhove testified before the January 6th Committee and is the author of the upcoming book, “The Perils of Extremism …How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should be Concerned about a Future Civil War”. Van Tatenhove has been instrumental in helping the country understand more about the inner workings of extremist para-military groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys and he’s currently hosting his own podcast and writing weekly articles for the Colorado Switchblade. This panel of excellent guests discusses everything from being canceled to what to expect from the midterms. This special episode is hilarious and off the cuff. Enjoy!

Mea Culpa is thrilled to present Part 1 of our first-ever LIVE SHOW recorded at the El Rey Theatre on November 1st, 2022. With comedian actress and activist Kathy Griffin. Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy winner who’s been inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 23 televised stand-up specials!!! Griffin has been twice on the New York Times best-seller list and performed for sold-out crowds around the globe. Also joining Michael is Harry Litman, the former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Litman is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. Harry can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC, and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast. To round out our top-shelf lineup is the former national media director for the Oath Keepers Jason Van Tatenhove. Van Tatenhove testified before the January 6th Committee and is the author of the upcoming book, “The Perils of Extremism …How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should be Concerned about a Future Civil War”. Van Tatenhove has been instrumental in helping the country understand more about the inner workings of extremist para-military groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys and he’s currently hosting his own podcast and writing weekly articles for the Colorado Switchblade. This panel of excellent guests discusses everything from being canceled to what to expect from the midterms. This special episode is hilarious and off the cuff. Enjoy!

Mea Culpa welcomes back to the show our good friend, Norm Eisen. There’s pretty much nothing going on in politics today that he doesn’t have an opinion about. His recent book, "Overcoming Trumpery” is a great read, especially as we get into the midterms and watch Republican candidates try to mimic Trumpian tactics to get elected. Eisen is a CNN Legal Analyst. And the founder and executive chair of “States United Democracy Center”, a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. Eisen served as special counsel to President Barack Obama on ethics and government reform. In that role, he was dubbed “Mr. No” and the “Ethics Czar” because he's well known for his tough anti-corruption approach to governance. Eisen is also active with the Brookings Institute and other groups working to expose the myriad of ways Trump and his cronies broke the law and attempted to overturn the 2020 election. Eisen is also working with the Brookings Institute to help Ukraine recover and progress now and hopefully post Putin’s war. As we always say, Eisen is a witness to history. Michael and Norm dig deep into the upcoming midterms, the rise of antisemitism, and Trump's legal woes.

A terrifying episode that looks into the heart of the GOP’s relentless attack on democracy. We unpack Barton Gellman’s urgent Atlantic Monthly jeremiad on how Trump will subvert the next election and how the Dems are letting it happen. Later, former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi joins Mea Culpa to discuss the radical right wing threat.

Mea Culpa welcomes back Rick Wilson, longtime Republican political strategist, turned Lincoln Project co-founder, and zealous anti-Trump activist. His regular column with The Daily Beast is a hilarious and spot-on must-read in the political community. Rick’s been published in The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, The London Spectator, Rolling Stone, The New York Daily News, USA Today, The Bulwark and beyond and he’s constantly called upon for sharp political insights on the national news networks, including CNN and MSNBC. He’s also a fan favorite on Real Time with Bill Maher. A 30-year veteran of politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 Presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush. And since has produced groundbreaking advertising and provided strategic counsel to political campaigns across the nation and around the world. Rick is also a best-selling author, his latest book is “Running against the Devil” and his #1 New York Times, best-seller, “Everything Trump Touches Dies” that defined the Trump era. Michael and Rick dig deep into the upcoming midterms, the January 6th committee and Trump.

Mea Culpa welcomes back the intrepid newsman, Ali Velshi. Host of “Velshi” and seemingly favorite fill-in host of every other MSNBC Prime Time News Show. Velshi also reported live from the frontlines of the George Floyd protests and most recently he dodged incoming fire from Russian artillery when he fearlessly reported live from the frontlines in Ukraine. A concerned citizen of the world, Velshi seems to be everywhere there is an injustice. I recently join Ali on his show to discuss my latest book, “Revenge.” Michael and Ali dig deep into Trump’s anti-semitic dog whistle and the looming midterm elections which could reverse the work of the January 6th Committee and unleash a new wave of MAGA insanity.

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend David Pakman. Pakman is an exceptionally popular progressive talk show host and political commentator. He is the host of the YouTube/Twitch talk radio program The David Pakman Show. Pakman has appeared on Fox News, CNN, The Nancy Grace program, Dr. Drew on Call, and the Joe Rogan Experience. He’s also been featured in Mother Jones, the Boston Herald, The New York Times, and Wired magazine. Let’s go now to our conversation with David Pakman. Michael and David chat about the Mar-a-largo, the DOJ, and the upcoming midterms.

Mea Culpa welcomes back our old friend Elie Honig. Honig is a best-selling author, a CNN Senior Legal Analyst, and a former federal and state prosecutor. You may also know him from his popular podcasts, “Up Against the Mob” and/or “Cafe Brief”. As a New Jersey federal prosecutor, Honig directed major criminal cases against street gangs, arms dealers, and even a few corrupt politicians. He was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he successfully prosecuted more than 100 members of La Cosa Nostra, including bosses and other high-ranking members of the Gambino and Genovese organized crime families. And now Honig leverages all that prosecutorial experience to keep the public informed and as fodder for his latest book due out soon, entitled Hatchet Man: How Bill Barr broke the prosecutor's code and corrupted the Justice Department. Michael and Elie dig deep into Merrick Garland's DOJ, Mar-a-Largo, and the Manhattan criminal Investigation into Trump and his Business.

Mea Culpa welcomes, Alan Dershowitz, American lawyer, and author. He also garnered attention for his involvement in numerous prominent legal cases. Dershowitz went to Yale law school where he was the editor of the Yale Law Journal. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg, before becoming a professor at Harvard. He retired in 2013. He has worked with the ACLU for 5 decades. He defended celebrity clients like Claus Von Bulow, televangelist Jim Bakker, and OJ Simpson. In 2011 he became part of the legal team for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. And in 2020 he defended former president Trump during his Senate impeachment hearings. Dershowitz is a frequent commentator on legal issues and court proceedings on just about every news and/or political show in the nation. He is currently a regular contributor to the Epoch Times. Michael and Alan dig into all of Trump's legal woes.

Mea Culpa welcomes Trygve Olson, a strategist for the Lincoln Project, founder of Viking Strategies which provides clients worldwide with political risk and public affairs solutions. Trygve has spent his career working on elections in over thirty countries. In the United States, he has served in senior leadership positions on three Presidential campaigns, worked on numerous Congressional Elections, and worked for all the central Republican Party’s political committees. Olson is a sought-after speaker. He regularly briefs leaders in politics, business, academia, and the media. Micheal and Trygve dig deep into the upcoming Mid Terms, Tish James and DOJ.

Mea Culpa welcomes back, the groundbreaking, congressional reporter, Hugo Lowell. Lowell reports on Washington Politics for the Guardian. And has broken a number of high-profile stories about the January 6th committee’s investigation, including several scoops pertaining to Mark Meadows, the “war room” at the Willard Hotel and insider facts such as; Trump ordering his advisors NOT to comply with January 6 committee subpoenas. Lowell regularly appears as a political analyst on MSNBC. And is often a guest on Morning Joe, The Beat with Ari Melber, Velshi and All In with Chris Hayes. His reporting has been cited in the Washington Post, Bloomberg and the New York Times. Michael and Hugo dig deep into the DOJ, Judge Cannon, Tish James and what's coming for the Mango Mussolini.

Mea Culpa welcomes back Reed Galen, co-founder of The Lincoln Project and an independent political strategist. Reed is a veteran public affairs and political analyst with more than 20 years of experience. Reed has been involved in politics, government, and business at the highest levels. Galen has spent more than a decade advising Fortune 50, 100, and 1000 companies in need of high-level counsel. In addition, Reed served as Deputy Campaign Manager for John McCain’s presidential campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful 2006 re-election campaign. Galen also worked on both President George W. Bush's campaigns and served the Bush Administration at both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. Michael and Reed dig into the January the Ginni Thomas and the January 6th hearings, DeSantis, Trump, and the DOJ.

Mea Culpa welcomes acclaimed author David Enrich. Enrich is the Business Investigations Editor at the New York Times and the bestselling author of Dark Towers. He previously was an editor and reporter at the Wall Street Journal. He has won numerous journalism awards, including the 2016 Gerald Loeb Award for feature writing. His first book, “The Spider Network: How a Math Genius and Gang of Scheming Bankers Pulled Off One of the Greatest Scams in History,” was short-listed for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year award. Michael and David dive deep into Davids's New book, Servants of the Damned, an exposé of the shadowy power wielded by the world’s largest law firms and how that one firm shielded opioid makers, gun companies, big tobacco, Russian oligarchs, Fox News and helped Donald Trump get elected.

Mea Culpa welcomes our old friend Harry Litman. Litman was a former US Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General and is currently the legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times Opinion Page and professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. He can be seen as a legal and political commentator on CBS, NPR MSNBC and CNN. Litman is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds Podcast and YouTube Channel. He’s also a member of the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team find them at @CCWhistleblower. Michael and Harry dig deep into all of Trump's legal matters.

We welcome back to our show Jeet Heer, the Canadian author, comics critic, literary critic and journalist. He is the National Affairs correspondent for The Nation and the host of the weekly Nation podcast, The Time of Monsters. He also pens the monthly column Morbid Symptoms. Jeet was a former staff writer at the New Republic and has written for numerous publications including: The National Post, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, the Boston Globe and The Guardian. Jeet has written several books — his anthology “A Comic Studies Reader”, co-authored with Kent Worcester, was the winner of the Rollins Award. He joins Mea Culpa as Trump takes his authoritarian Civil War show on the road.

We welcome back to our show, political satirist and digital comedian, Walter Masterson. Walt is a progressive video content creator who has turned trolling the likes of Marjorie Taylor Green, Matt Gaetz and the whole MAGA shit-show into an art form. His recent work trolling anti-choice protestors, anti-vaxxers and MAGA Republicans brilliantly captures the idiocy of the movement. Video footage that Walt shot while working on the frontlines during the January 6th insurrection has been instrumental in helping the FBI apprehend rioters who were stupid enough to brag about their crimes on tape! Walt’s hilarious and insightful work has garnered him thousands of followers on multiple platforms and pro-democracy sites, like Patriot Takes and Meidas Touch. Walt’s even brave enough to interact with users who both love and hate him on Twitch and Snapchat. Currently, he’s crowdsourcing for his latest venture, “Trolling Conservatives Across America”.