Barb McQuade
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barbmcquade.bsky.social
Barb McQuade
@barbmcquade.bsky.social
Wife, Mom, UMich Law School Professor from Practice, MSNOW legal analyst, The Contrarian contributor, former U.S. Attorney, EDMI
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My book, “Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America,” reveals the tactics and dangers of disinformation and offers solutions. Democracy depends on truth. More here. barbaramcquade.com
Third circuit finds appointment of interim US Attorney Alina Habba is invalid. Courts have consistently struck down Trump’s efforts to evade Senate confirmation process.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/n...
Appeals Court Says Alina Habba, Former Trump Lawyer, Is Serving Unlawfully as U.S. Attorney
The judges wrote that the Trump Administration appeared to have become frustrated by legal and political barriers that have prevented its preferred U.S. attorneys from leading federal prosecutors’…
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Beautiful snowfall in Ann Arbor.
November 30, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Trump’s retribution presidency risks longterm harm to American democracy. I’ll discuss on MS NOW at noon ET.
November 30, 2025 at 4:44 PM
As former Bush OLC leader Jack Goldsmith writes, the DOD manual prohibits killing shipwrecked enemies. If reporting is correct, killing helpless men clinging to boats was a war crime.
open.substack.com/pub/executiv...
A Dishonorable Strike
Indulging all assumptions in favor of the administration’s boat strikes, killing helpless men is murder
open.substack.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Barb McQuade
For holiday gifts, I’ll be signing copies of my book, “Attack from Within,” at @literatibookstore.bsky.social. Order by Dec 8 for mail orders and Dec 15 for in-store pickup. Order here and add customer comment for personalized request.
literatibookstore.com/book/9781644...
Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERUPDATED EDITION: The MSNBC legal analyst explores the impact of disinformation after the 2024 presidential election—and what Americans can do before it’s too late.“A comprehensive guide to the dynamics of disinformation and a necessary call to theethical commitment to truth that all democracies require.” —Timothy Snyder, author of On TyrannyDisinformation—the deliberate spreading of lies disguised as truth, whether from opportunists on the far right, misinformed media influencers, or others—is fragmenting America more than ever before, pushing the nation toward extreme views, civil unrest, and violence. In this bestselling book, now with a new foreword by the author, Barbara McQuade identifies how disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society, causing havoc in our voting systems, schools, hospitals, workplaces, and the Capitol. McQuade, an MSNBC legal analyst and former federal prosecutor confronts the ways disinformation is being weaponized to polarize voters, degrade our legal structures, and leverage the political influence of manipulators and authoritarians. Now newly updated, Attack from Within shows us how to fight back against misinformed, extremist thinking and work toward preserving America’s hard-won democracy.
literatibookstore.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reviewing account locations on X shows the value of transparency in digital communication. It’s hard to pretend to be an American when you’re posting from Russia. 
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:55 PM
In new episode of #SistersInLaw, we discussed the tragic National Guard shooting, the investigations lawmakers for speaking out, and the Comey and James dismissals. You can listen here.
www.politicon.com/podcast-epis...
November 29, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Trump’s attack on our independent judiciary is an attack America itself.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I am grateful to live in a country that sets aside a day for giving thanks. Remember the best of who we are. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
November 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Private fundraising for presidential transitions and inaugural galas is an invitation to patronage and corruption.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Donors to Trump’s Transition Revealed a Year Later
A 46-person list includes billionaires and people he went on to appoint to positions of power.
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:45 PM
The FBI’s operations guidelines forbid initiating an investigation on the basis of First Amendment protected activity.
www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...
FBI probes Democratic lawmakers who warned against 'illegal' military orders, Slotkin says
President Trump is using "the FBI against us" for telling military members they can defy "illegal" orders, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin said Tuesday.
www.detroitnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
What’s next now that a judge has dismissed indictments against Jim Comey and Letitia James? I’ll discuss with Rachel Maddow at 9:40 pm ET on MS NOW.
@maddow.bsky.social
@msnownews.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Comey, James cases dismissed as judge disqualifies interim US attorney Lindsey Halligan
A judge concluded Halligan’s appointment violated laws that limit the ability of DOJ to install top prosecutors without Senate confirmation.
www.politico.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Is anyone surprised that the top MAGA trolls on X are posting from outside the U.S.?
newrepublic.com/post/203562/...
Many Top MAGA Trolls Aren’t Even in the U.S.
Elon Musk’s new X feature has been very revealing.
newrepublic.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:05 AM
For holiday gifts, I’ll be signing copies of my book, “Attack from Within,” at @literatibookstore.bsky.social. Order by Dec 8 for mail orders and Dec 15 for in-store pickup. Order here and add customer comment for personalized request.
literatibookstore.com/book/9781644...
Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERUPDATED EDITION: The MSNBC legal analyst explores the impact of disinformation after the 2024 presidential election—and what Americans can do before it’s too late.“A comprehensive guide to the dynamics of disinformation and a necessary call to theethical commitment to truth that all democracies require.” —Timothy Snyder, author of On TyrannyDisinformation—the deliberate spreading of lies disguised as truth, whether from opportunists on the far right, misinformed media influencers, or others—is fragmenting America more than ever before, pushing the nation toward extreme views, civil unrest, and violence. In this bestselling book, now with a new foreword by the author, Barbara McQuade identifies how disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society, causing havoc in our voting systems, schools, hospitals, workplaces, and the Capitol. McQuade, an MSNBC legal analyst and former federal prosecutor confronts the ways disinformation is being weaponized to polarize voters, degrade our legal structures, and leverage the political influence of manipulators and authoritarians. Now newly updated, Attack from Within shows us how to fight back against misinformed, extremist thinking and work toward preserving America’s hard-won democracy.
literatibookstore.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Fawning over an alleged murderer is not a good look for an American president.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/o...
Opinion | No, Mr. President, We Cannot ‘Leave It at That’
Working with imperfect partners does not mean that the United States should cover up and lie about their misdeeds.
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Great piece on Trump's 'Quiet, piggy' moment. This phrase could be the new shorthand way to explain how abusers silence their victims. Keep quiet or be punished cruelly.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/h...
Heidi Stevens: After Trump’s ‘Quiet, piggy’ moment, we’re done asking why survivors don’t come forward, right?
If we’re going to become a nation that truly protects children and women, we have to stop giving a pass to sexual abusers, writes Heidi Stevens.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:16 PM
America was great when America was good. Make America good again.
November 22, 2025 at 2:17 PM
In new episode of #SistersInLaw, we broke down some of the 11(!) errors the judge identified in the prosecution of Jim Comey.. And that’s even before you get to the likely fatal flaws in the case on the merits.  You can listen here.
www.politicon.com/podcast-epis...
November 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Enjoyed talking with @womensmarch.com last night about how disinformation is used to stoke division in society. We can build resilience by spotting the tactics. You can watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JofU...
Reading the Revolution: Propaganda, Disinformation, and Wicked Witches
YouTube video by Women's March
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Just finished reading The Gales of November by @JohnUBacon about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I truly could not put it down. Riveting history of the Great Lakes and the people behind the legend. A+.
November 21, 2025 at 3:26 AM
After reading the government’s brief in the Comey case, I think the indictment is valid even if the grand jurors never actually saw the final version. Of course, there are still the other 11 (!) errors the judge identified in this case that could doom it before trial. 
November 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I will confess, I have never seen a situation before where the grand jury never saw the indictment, so the remedy is unknown, but I can’t believe an unseen indictment could be valid.
Times www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...
Lindsey Halligan Admits Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment
Grand jurors have to vote on indictments to approve them, but a prosecutor told the judge in the case that only the foreperson formally approved the second charging document, a move that could…
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Trump’s reference to a reporter as “insubordinate” is all you need to know about his view of the right to a free press.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Trump says he supports release of Epstein files, but remember, DOJ still possesses and control them. AG Bondi could “pluck” some out in the name of grand jury secrecy or privacy laws. I’ll discuss on MSNOW at 11 AM ET.
www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts...
Trump says he supports release of Epstein files
Trump says he supports release of Epstein files
www.nbcnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I’ll be continuing as a legal analyst for MS NOW, the successor to MSNBC. New name. Same mission. I explain the law so you can form your own opinion.
@msnowreports.bsky.social
@msnowcomms.bsky.social
@MSNOW.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM