Keepers of Our Republic

America turns 250 this week, but what does that milestone mean at a moment of deep political division? In this special Independence Day episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Brooke Bergen shares a collection of reflections from retired federal judges, legal scholars, civic educators, and leaders from across the legal profession, recorded during a symposium at the University of Washington School...

This week on Keepers of Our Republic, host Tate Fall sits down with Brook Schreiner, Elections Director for Chatham County, Georgia, to discuss what it takes to administer elections in one of the state's largest and most diverse counties. After spending more than a decade in election administration, everywhere from large metro counties to rural communities, Brook shares why she continues to d...

In this episode, we sit down with Judge Robert Henry, former judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, former Oklahoma Attorney General, and Jurist in Residence for Rule of Law at the University of Washington School of Law. Recorded at the University of Washington School of Law's *Neither Sword nor Purse* conference, Judge Henry reflects on why judicial independence has been e...

In this episode, host Tate Fall sits down with Tonnie Adams, Elections Supervisor for Heard County, Georgia, and one of the state's most experienced election administrators. Tonnie shares how he went from a Georgia Tech engineering graduate helping implement Georgia's first statewide electronic voting system to becoming the election official responsible for serving nearly 9,000 voters in...

In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, former Georgia election official Tate Fall sits down with Rebecca Anglin, Director of Elections in Greene County, Georgia, to talk about what it really takes to run elections at the local level, and why her office proudly calls itself the “Chick-fil-A of voting.” Rebecca shares her journey from teenage poll worker to county election director and reflects...

This week on Keepers of Our Republic, host Brooke Bergen speaks with civic educators, legal scholars, and former judges at the University of Washington School of Law. They chat about the growing civics education gap in the United States, and what it means for the future of democracy. Guests discuss declining public trust in government and the judiciary, why so many Americans misunderstand how cour...

In this special episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Brooke Bergen travels to the University of Washington School of Law for a judicial conference featuring some of the nation’s leading former federal judges, legal scholars, and attorneys. Through a series of conversations with retired federal judges from across the country, this episode explores growing threats to judicial independence, the e...

In this episode, host Tate Fall sits down with Deidre Holden, longtime elections director in Paulding County, Georgia, for a conversation grounded in service, experience, and a deep commitment to voters. With nearly three decades in election administration, Deidre Holden from Paulding County, Georgia, shares how she got her start, why she’s stayed, and what continues to motivate her work. From mai...

Cut through the partisan noise and find out how elections really work in your community, and around the country, straight from the election workers themselves.  In this episode, host Tate Fall sits down with Travis Doss, Executive Director of the Richmond County Board of Elections and a 31-year veteran of election administration in Georgia. Travis shares how he got his start in elections (spoiler:...

In this episode, our new elections expert co-host Tate Fall sits down with Akyn and Noah Beck, a married couple serving as election directors in neighboring Georgia counties, to talk about what it really takes to run free and fair elections. From rebuilding voter trust to recruiting poll workers with limited resources, they share how local election officials keep things running—often behind the sc...

In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Brooke sits down with former U.S. District Judge John Martin, who also served as U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the most influential prosecutorial offices in the country. At a time when U.S. Attorneys’ offices are making headlines, and facing growing scrutiny, Judge Martin offers a grounded, h...

From East Baltimore to the federal bench, Judge Andre Davis built a career rooted in one idea: the law is a tool for public service. In this episode of Keepers of the Republic, Brooke sits down with the former Fourth Circuit judge to talk about civil rights, community impact, and what it really means to uphold the rule of law. They cover everything from his unexpected path to the bench, to leaving...

What's really happening in Michigan elections, and what's changed in recent years? In this episode of Keepers of the Republic, hosts Ari Mittleman and Kamryn Hoadley sit down with Lynn Henry, Deputy Clerk and Elections Director for Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. From implementing early voting to managing a surge in absentee ballots, Lynn shares a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes...

Voting is a fundamental right — but for many Americans with disabilities, accessing the ballot can still present real challenges. This week, Brooke sits down with former Cobb County, Georgia Elections Director Tate Fall to explore how accessibility shapes election administration. From ADA compliance at polling places to ensuring voters with physical and intellectual disabilities can confidently ca...

Wisconsin is one of the nation’s leaders in voter turnout — but how do its elections actually work? This week, Ari sits down with Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe to discuss how the state administers elections through nearly 2,000 local election officials. They talk about Wisconsin’s unique bipartisan commission system, the challenges of training clerks across the state, a...

The Supreme Court has issued a major ruling in the Trump tariffs case — but what does it actually mean? This week, Brooke sits down with former federal judges Philip Pro and Liam O’Grady to break down Learning Resources v. Trump in nonpartisan terms. They explain the constitutional issues at stake, how the decision reflects checks and balances at work, why Justice's Gorsuch and Barrett's...

Shorewood, Wisconsin is bucking the trends: 90% of registered voters show up to vote in elections, and Village Clerk Toya Harrell has more volunteers than she knows what to do with. What's the secret to Shorewood's civic engagement? This week Brooke chats with Toya Harrell to discuss an unexpected career in public service, voting in Wisconsin, and a family legacy of protecting free and f...

As Wisconsin continues to play a pivotal role in national elections, Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys offers a local perspective on what keeps the state’s decentralized election system strong. As we honor Black History Month on Keepers of Our Republic, Celestine joins Ari to reflect on more than two decades of public service, including her historic election as Green Bay’s first African Amer...

As partisan politics take center stage in the federal judiciary confirmation process, this week's guest, Retired Federal Judge Lee Yeakel, United States District for the Western District of Texas, talks us through the Senate confirmation process from an insider's perspective. Judge Yeakel and Keeper's host Brooke Bergen discuss the effects of injecting partisanship into the judiciar...

As Georgia's elections have come under increased scrutiny and national attention in recent years, Bartow County’s Election Supervisor Joseph Kirk has weathered the storm. This week on Keepers of Our Republic , Executive Director Ari Mittleman sits down with Joseph Kirk, current President of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials. Ari and Joseph discuss the many r...

In the wake of President Trump's executive orders targeting various law firms in 2025, a number of former federal judges, attorneys, and legal scholars rallied to create a new set of legal principles that would affirm the necessity of asserting independence and exercising First Amendment rights in the legal profession. On this week's episode, Judge Shira Schendlin and Professor Pearlstei...

Welcome back. This week, Brooke sits down with former Judge John Tinder, a former AUSA and Judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Tinder and Brooke discuss recent mass resignations at the Department of Justice. The DOJ is the most common litigant in the federal court system. With apparent chaos over staffing shortages, firings, and resignations at the nation's largest prosecutorial...

This week on Keepers of Our Republic, Brooke sits down with one of Keep our Republic's newest staff members, Kamryn Hoadley, a former elections administrator from Pontiac, Michigan who literally grew up in elections. Kamryn shares childhood memories of working in elections administration with her family before jumping into it as her full time career. Kamryn shares her experiences pulling in v...

Happy New Year, and welcome back to Keepers of Our Republic, a weekly podcast that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy.  This week, host Brooke Bergen speaks with Judge Diane Wood, retuired federal judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to discuss the annual SCOTUS report, and Chief Justice Roberts' not so subtle message about the state of the federal...

This week, Brooke speaks with former federal judge Robert Cindrich about recent calls for impeachment hearings against federal judges. Judge Cindrich dives deep into the history and legal underpinnings of the impeachment process, and why maintaining judicial independnce is essential for a peaceful and just America.  You can read the Article III Coalition's statement on judicial impeachment, h...