Keep Our Republic

Keepers of Our Republic

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Keepers of the Republic is a new podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. Through thoughtful conversations with election officials, county clerks, legal experts, and retired federal judges, we explore how elections are really run, separate fact from fiction, and highlight why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic. At a time of uncertainty and misinformation, Keepers of the Republic provides trusted, nonpartisan insights into how our democracy works—and how, together, we can keep it strong.

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Keep Our Republic

Episodes

Is the Executive Defying the Courts? Criminal Contempt with Judge Fogel | Keepers of Our Republic 11.12.2025 32:19

This week, Brooke talks headline news and a possible criminal contempt probe against the administration with former US District Court Judge Jeremy Fogel. Judge Fogel takes us behind the headlines regarding Judge Boasberg's criminal contempt probe stemming from this spring's DHS deportation flights of migrants to El Salvador. In this episode, we dive deep into the legal underpinnings of...

Elections After the Storm: Voting in NC after Helene with Cliff Marr | Keepers of Our Republic 04.12.2025 35:37

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. Polk County Director of Elections Cliff Marr talks with Ari this week about running elections during North Carolina's most chaotic elections in decades: 2020 and 2024. Marr and Ari dive deep into the logistics of staffing rural p...

Episode 10: Lessons From A Historic Career in Public Service with Judge Gary Feess 20.11.2025 35:17

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Special Projects Manager Brooke Bergen talks with Judge Gary Feess, former Senior Judge for the US District Court for the Central District of California. Brooke talks with Judge Feess about his long career in public service...

Episode 09: Running Wisconsin's Elections with Marge Bostelmann 13.11.2025 32:22

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Executive Director Ari Mittleman sits down with Marge Bostelmann, State Elections Commissioner for Wisconsin to discuss the unqiue quirks of managing elections in America's Dairyland. Marge talks about the big and smal...

Episode 08: Restoring Faith in Our Judicial System with Judge Liam O’Grady 06.11.2025 27:04

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Brooke talks with former U.S. District Court Judge Liam O'Grady about how we can help restore faith in the American judicial system, and the surprising optimism of speaking with high schoolers about the rule of law. Ev...

Episode 07: Seth Bluestein - Philadelphia City Commissioner 30.10.2025 36:07

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Keep Our Republic's Ari Mittleman sits down with Seth Bluestein, City Commissioner – one of three members of the Board of Elections in charge of election operations and voter registration for the City of Philadelphia....

Episode 06: Judge John E. Jones III 23.10.2025 31:57

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Brooke talks with former U.S. District Court Judge and current President of Dickinson College, John Jones. Judge Jones and Brooke dive into threats facing the American judiciary today, including from our very own Supreme Co...

Episode 05: Thad Hall - Mercer County, PA 16.10.2025 41:23

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Keep Our Republic's Ari Mittleman talks with Thad Hall, Elections Director for Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Ari and Thad talk the realities of administering elections using Pennsylvania's antiquated procedures an...

Episode 04: Judge Philip Pro 09.10.2025 53:34

Welcome back to Keepers of the Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Keep Our Republic's Special Projects Manager Brooke Bergen talks with Judge Philip Pro, former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. Judge Pro and Brooke discuss the rhetorical and very...

Episode 03: Lisa Posthumus Lyons - Kent County, MI 02.10.2025 54:05

Welcome back to Keepers of the Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Keep Our Republic's Executive Director Ari Mittleman talks with Lisa Posthumus Lyons, County Clerk for Kent County, Michigan. Ari and Lisa discuss her years as a Michigan state representative, dive into the nitty gritt...

Episode 02: Judge Paul Michel 25.09.2025 42:51

Welcome back to Keepers of the Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. This week, Keep Our Republic's Special Projects Manager Brooke Bergen talks with Judge Paul Michel, a former federal judge and Watergate prosecutor. Judge Michel and Brooke discuss current threats to the federal judiciary, both l...

Episode 01: Lisa Tollefson - Rock County, WI 18.09.2025 28:05

Welcome to Keepers of the Republic, a new podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. Through thoughtful conversations with election officials, county clerks, legal experts, and retired federal judges, we explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fac...

Introducing Keepers of Our Republic: A New Podcast From Keep Our Republic 05.09.2025 0:38

Launching September 18, 2025, welcome to Keepers of the Republic , a new podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. Through thoughtful conversations with election officials, county clerks, legal experts, and retired federal judges, we explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a st...