In the latest episode of Pantsuits and Lawsuits, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is joined by guest host former New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin to discuss how public corruption actually works, why it inflates your bills and weakens your services, and what it takes to hold powerful people to the same laws as everyone else. From the misuse of tax credits to officials running private ventures from public offices, the attorneys general break down real cases, hard lessons, and the reforms that followed.
The conversation explores the pressure that comes with prosecuting the well-connected: claims of “weaponization,” media megaphones used against prosecutors who can’t respond, and the Supreme Court decisions that narrowed federal corruption tools. During the episode, Platkin explains the history behind New Jersey’s strong anti-corruption statutes, while Nessel shares Michigan’s recent overhaul of opaque earmarks—forcing sponsors to testify and face specific votes.
The episode then turns to the hidden “corruption tax”: dark money washing through politics, utility influence that distorts rates and reliability, and FOIA gaps that breed suspicion. The attorneys general explore practical solutions with broad public support: banning stock trading for officials with enforcement power, tough financial disclosures, cooling-off periods to slow the revolving door from elected official to lobbyist, robust public financing to elevate small donors, and a sustained push to overturn Citizens United.
“It was great talking to former Attorney General Platkin about the work our states are doing to expose corruption,” Nessel said. “Real reforms prove that the rules really do apply to everyone and that we can combat the schemes that drive up our costs and weaken our services.”
New episodes of Pantsuits and Lawsuits are released biweekly to break down complex legal topics in a way that is engaging, informative, and accessible to listeners.
The latest episode is available now on major podcast platforms.
The conversation explores the pressure that comes with prosecuting the well-connected: claims of “weaponization,” media megaphones used against prosecutors who can’t respond, and the Supreme Court decisions that narrowed federal corruption tools. During the episode, Platkin explains the history behind New Jersey’s strong anti-corruption statutes, while Nessel shares Michigan’s recent overhaul of opaque earmarks—forcing sponsors to testify and face specific votes.
The episode then turns to the hidden “corruption tax”: dark money washing through politics, utility influence that distorts rates and reliability, and FOIA gaps that breed suspicion. The attorneys general explore practical solutions with broad public support: banning stock trading for officials with enforcement power, tough financial disclosures, cooling-off periods to slow the revolving door from elected official to lobbyist, robust public financing to elevate small donors, and a sustained push to overturn Citizens United.
“It was great talking to former Attorney General Platkin about the work our states are doing to expose corruption,” Nessel said. “Real reforms prove that the rules really do apply to everyone and that we can combat the schemes that drive up our costs and weaken our services.”
New episodes of Pantsuits and Lawsuits are released biweekly to break down complex legal topics in a way that is engaging, informative, and accessible to listeners.
The latest episode is available now on major podcast platforms.
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