LEFT BIAS
These media sources are moderate to strongly biased toward liberal causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.
- Overall, we rate Talking Feds as Left Biased due to its explicit left-leaning ideological orientation, consistent opposition to conservative and Trump-aligned officials, and advocacy-driven legal framing. We also rate it Mostly Factual, as it relies on documented events, legal precedent, and verifiable statements, but its heavy editorialization, selective framing, and lack of balance prevent a higher factual rating.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT (-6.5)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (2.9)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Talking Feds is a law-and-politics commentary platform founded and authored by Harry Litman, a former U.S. Attorney and senior Department of Justice official. According to the About page, Litman launched the Talking Feds podcast during the early Trump years in response to public interest in the Department of Justice, federal courts, and constitutional law. The project has since expanded to include a Substack newsletter, YouTube videos, live discussions, and related programming. Litman previously wrote for the Los Angeles Times before resigning in 2024, citing concerns about the paper’s editorial direction toward the Trump administration.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Talking Feds is independently owned and operated by Harry Litman. The platform is funded through Substack subscriptions and podcast-related revenue. It states that it does not accept advertising or corporate sponsorship and is entirely reader-funded, with optional paid subscriptions offering access to live discussions, Q&A sessions, and ad-free podcast content.
Analysis / Bias
Talking Feds is an openly ideological commentary outlet centered on legal and constitutional analysis of U.S. politics. Its content consistently reflects a left-leaning perspective, particularly in its framing of Donald Trump, his administration, and allied officials. For example, in Trump Administration Propaganda Taints the Minnesota Shooting Investigation, Litman and former prosecutor Mimi Rocah argue that Trump administration officials deliberately distorted facts surrounding the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent. The article characterizes official statements as propaganda and asserts political interference in an active investigation, adopting a clear adversarial stance toward the administration.
Similarly, The Coming Shitstorm with the OLC Memo criticizes Trump-era Caribbean airstrikes as unconstitutional acts of war carried out without congressional authorization. The article frames reliance on a classified Office of Legal Counsel memo as legally insufficient and situates the strikes within a broader narrative of executive overreach and constitutional crisis.
In Hegseth and Trump’s Unhinged Rantings Got it Exactly Wrong, Litman argues that investigations into Democratic lawmakers who criticized military orders constitute unconstitutional retaliation and violations of the Speech or Debate Clause. The article relies heavily on Supreme Court precedent, including Abrams v. United States, to support its conclusions. While legally detailed, the framing is one-sided and dismissive of alternative interpretations.
Across its content, Talking Feds relies on real-world events, public statements, and established legal doctrine. However, it does not attempt ideological balance and consistently frames issues through a progressive, anti-Trump lens, often employing strong editorial language and advocacy-oriented conclusions.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Talking Feds as Left Biased due to its explicit left-leaning ideological orientation, consistent opposition to conservative and Trump-aligned officials, and advocacy-driven legal framing. We also rate it Mostly Factual, as it relies on documented events, legal precedent, and verifiable statements, but its heavy editorialization, selective framing, and lack of balance prevent a higher factual rating. (D. Van Zandt 01/17/2026)
Source: https://harrylitman.substack.com/
Last Updated on January 17, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources