By Joe Plenzler, Meidas Defense
In this full-length episode of the Meidas Defense Podcast, host Joe Plenzler sits down with Southern California trial attorney Mitch Jackson to explore the critical intersections between military operations, due process, law enforcement oversight, and civic responsibility. From analyzing military strike directives on alleged drug boats off the coast of California to addressing domestic ICE tactics, public service, and election integrity, Mitch breaks down why active civic participation remains the essential check on executive power and constitutional overreach. In a democratic republic, We the People are the final check on power.
Key Highlights
Operation Southern Spear & Military Ethics: Jackson and Plenzler discuss military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in international waters without formal congressional authorization.
Law of War Standards: Jackson points to Section 18.3.2.1 of the Department of Defense Law of War Manual, noting that firing on shipwrecked or surrendering individuals constitutes an illegal order.
Due Process vs. Strikes: They contrast kinetic military strikes with traditional law enforcement methods, emphasizing that destroying evidence and taking lives deprives the legal system of the ability to dismantle criminal networks through due process.
Navigating Unlawful Orders & JAG Requests: Plenzler and Jackson address the delicate balance between military discipline and unlawful orders, examining how commanders and service members can engage their ethical judgment and formally seek written clarification from their unit’s Judge Advocate General (JAG).
Separation of Powers & Congressional Oversight: Jackson highlights the constitutional mechanics of checks and balances, arguing that congressional oversight and the power of the purse are essential to reining in executive overreach.
Courts, Legal Victories & Media Narratives: Jackson debunks the myth that the legal system is failing to hold power accountable. He highlights that the Department of Justice went 0-for-23 in state voter-data collection lawsuits and emphasizes how federal and state courts continue to enforce constitutional boundaries.
Election Security & Community Poll Working: Plenzler shares his experience working the polls in Virginia, while Jackson shares stories of his grandfather volunteering in local elections. They emphasize that empirical data across over a billion reviewed ballots shows illegal voting is virtually non-existent, framing voting as a safe, unifying community event.
The Power of Jury Duty & Domestic Due Process: Jackson makes a passionate defense of jury service as one of the few direct mechanisms citizens have to check government power, contrasting constitutional due process with aggressive domestic enforcement actions.
Street-Level Law Enforcement & Masked Operations: The discussion moves to domestic ICE operations, marked vehicles, and face-covering tactics in major urban centers.
Identification & Accountability: Plenzler and Jackson argue that public servants exercising force must remain identifiable via badge numbers and clear tags to maintain public trust and legal accountability.
Addressing Systemic Causes: Jackson outlines how fixing the administrative immigration bottleneck—by funding more judges and streamlined processing—eliminates the perceived need for tactical shows of force.
Media Accountability, Civil Discovery & Free Press: A critical examination of traditional press coverage versus independent media. Jackson explains how civil discovery in court forces administrative overreach to back down when forced to produce actual evidence.
The Civic Path Forward: Jackson offers a final rallying call for all citizens to focus on voter registration and turnout in the upcoming midterms to restore oversight, protect democratic norms, and ensure government functions for all Americans. Both Plenzler and Jackson urge their fellow Americans to vote, get all their friends and family to vote, and consider volunteering in their counties to run local elections.
Citizens - especially veterans and their family members - can volunteer to run local elections through the Vet the Vote campaign run by We the Veterans and Military Families. See www.vetthe.vote to register to vote, to check your current voter registration, and to learn how to become a poll worker in your county.
Follow Mitch Jackson on Substack at @Mitchthelawyer and Joe Plenzler @JoePlenzler
