Winning Was The Beginning
Show notes
Recorded immediately after the November 2026 midterm elections, this is Devin Stone’s argument for what should come next.
Winning congressional majorities is not the same as holding an administration accountable. In this op-ed, Devin argues that the incoming Congress should preserve records, investigate alleged wrongdoing and build a public account of what happened rather than treat the election as permission to move on.
He explains the distinction between congressional oversight and criminal prosecution, and why any prosecution must rest on evidence, a valid criminal statute and proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Political importance does not erase a defendant’s rights, and it should not place anyone beyond the law.
The episode also considers impeachment, presidential pardons, the limits of state prosecutions and the work of rebuilding damaged institutions. Some possible paths are speculative and face substantial legal and political obstacles. Devin’s central argument is that those obstacles are a reason to prepare, not a reason to abandon accountability.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Winning Was the Beginning
02:56 The Limits of Executive Action
03:29 Elections Aren’t Accountability
04:34 The Danger of Moving On
07:42 What Congress Can Do Next
08:58 Pardons and Institutional Resistance
10:52 Impeachment and Other Legal Paths
13:20 Pardons and the Work Still Ahead
LEGAL-ISH DISCLAIMER
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