Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts He Quit the Bench to Raise the Alarm
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Nov 15, 2025 
Mark Wolf, a retired U.S. district judge, candidly discusses his departure from the bench to highlight threats against democracy and the rule of law. He reflects on past reforms and calls for civic engagement. Joining him, California Attorney General Rob Bonta explains the state's legal battles against the federal administration, including urgent cases to uphold SNAP benefits and challenges against federal overreach. Together, they emphasize the importance of judicial integrity and public involvement in protecting democratic values.
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Watergate Shaped His DOJ Ethic
- Wolf recounts his Watergate-era Justice Department experience under Attorney General Edward Levi.
- That period shaped reforms and a culture insisting DOJ not serve partisan purposes.
Open Assaults Beat Secret Corruption
- Wolf contrasts Nixon's secret abuses with Trump's open, repeated attacks on norms.
- He warns that Trump's public contempt for DOJ traditions threatens equal justice under law.
Undercover Cash To A DHS Official
- Wolf describes the undercover FBI probe that gave $50,000 to DHS official Tom Holman.
- He says DOJ closed the case after the election and called the evidence "not credible."