The Ins and Outs of DOJ with Liz Oyer
6/25/202655 min
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Is This Really Legal?, a new podcast hosted by Liz Oyer.
This week, former Acting AG Peter Keisler sits down with Liz to guide listeners on a tour of the Department of Justice.
Liz will break down the legal news with an expert in the field and answer your questions in her new podcast. Episodes will be released on Thursdays, and you can find them on Substack, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok, where we’ll share announcements and sneak peaks of future episodes.
Have a question about the legal news? Send Liz an email at ask@isthisreallylegal.org or leave a message at 202-495-1458. She will answer your questions on her podcast soon.
Note: This episode was recorded on June 4, 2026.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.isthisreallylegal.org
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPeter Keisler· Guest0:00
There is a really strong, deep-seated culture among the career civil servants at the Justice Department that takes very seriously the fact that they take an oath to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States.
Liz Oyer· Host0:13
[upbeat music] Welcome to the first episode of "Is This Really Legal?" I'm your host, Liz Oyer. I've worked as a lawyer for over 20 years, and I've seen the justice system from every angle. I worked for a large law firm, then as a public defender, and then at the Department of Justice as the pardon attorney. Today, we are going to go inside one of the most important legal institutions in America, the Department of Justice, AKA DOJ. DOJ is in the news constantly. There's a lot to cover, because DOJ has many different roles and many different responsibilities, but it can also seem really confusing and mysterious. To make sense of all the news coming out of the Justice Department, you need to know what the place looks like from the inside and how it's supposed to work. That's our mission for today, and I have the perfect guest to help us. He's a veteran of the Department of Justice. He was a top official there. He knows what's hiding behind the curtains, and he's going to give us a VIP backstage tour. Peter Keisler, welcome to "Is This Really Legal?" And thank you for being our first guest.
Peter Keisler· Guest1:21
Pleasure to be with you.
Liz Oyer· Host1:22
Peter, you worked in the Justice Department under President George W. Bush. You had several important roles there. You were the acting