Slate News Political Gabfest - Is the Melania Movie a Bribe?
Feb 5, 2026
Nate Persily, a law professor and election-law expert, explains legal risks to U.S. elections. Juliette Kayyem, a former national security official, offers policy and security analysis. They dig into the Melania film payments and Post layoffs, federal interventions in local voting systems, mail-ballot and Election Day vulnerabilities, and the political theater around Clinton subpoenas.
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Owner's Core Business Shapes Editorial Health
- Owners whose primary business is not journalism have harder incentives to sustain contentious, public-interest reporting.
- Emily Bazelon and Juliette Kayyem note that dedicated media owners (e.g., Powell Jobs) can more easily defend editorial missions.
'Nationalizing' Elections Lacks Legal Basis
- The president lacks constitutional authority to 'nationalize' elections; states control election regulation.
- Talk of federal takeover signals intent to use federal power to intervene in select state systems, not a clear legal blueprint.
Three Key Threat Areas For 2026 Elections
- Three election threat vectors: voter registration roll misuse, mail-voting vulnerabilities, and in-person intimidation on Election Day.
- Each presents distinct legal and operational risks requiring targeted defenses.
