Former Prosecutor Andrew Weissmann Calls for New Law to Hold Political Lies Accountable

Former federal prosecutor and ex-FBI counsel Andrew Weissmann, a senior figure in the Mueller investigation, introduced a legislative proposal in his 2026 book *Liar’s Kingdom*. The Truth in Elections Act would criminalize knowingly false statements that undermine elections, extending the precedent of the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which survived a Supreme Court challenge. Weissmann cites Brazil’s 2022 conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the UK’s 2010 loss of MP Phil Woolas as comparable precedents. He argues that “lying can be held to account” and that the United States must be “as creative as possible” to escape its current “mess”.

The Guardian

Trump’s repeated false claims that the 2020 election was stolen fueled the Jan 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Though he privately acknowledged Joe Biden’s victory, he continued to assert fraud publicly. The Trump administration issued two executive orders targeting Weissmann—one revoking security clearances for officials including him, another sanctioning Jenner & Block for representing him. A federal judge later voided the orders, but Weissmann says publishers and law firms withdrew from his book under pressure.

The Guardian

Trump dismissed Weissmann as a “bad guy” and earlier called him “scum”. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the DC Bar of partisan bias in a DOJ complaint. A judge later voided the security-clearance order. Weissmann called the publishing withdrawals “proof that fear works”.

The Guardian

Legal scholars warn that criminalizing political falsehoods may chill protected speech. Weissmann notes that “defamation law definitely has some chilling effect, and I’m not sure anyone would say that’s a bad thing.” Some argue that existing Biden-era norms already curb election misinformation.

The Guardian

• “Lying can be held to account,” — Andrew Weissmann

The Guardian

• “The principal argument against” strict policing of election lies is that it chills free speech, Weissmann said.” — Andrew Weissmann

The Guardian

• “So defamation law definitely has some chilling effect, and I’m not sure anyone would say that’s a bad thing.” — Andrew Weissmann

The Guardian

• “When Trump or his acolytes challenged the election in 2020, that was in court, and he lost,” — Andrew Weissmann

The Guardian

The sources do not define the legal threshold for “dangerous political lies” nor provide data on how many false statements would meet that standard. The practicality of prosecuting such speech under current jurisprudence remains uncertain.

The Guardian

Weissmann’s proposal has drawn congressional interest, and bills modeled on the Truth in Elections Act are expected later in 2026. Anticipated hearings will address First Amendment concerns, and any enacted provisions could face Supreme Court review.

The Guardian