Holding The Line

About Holding The Line

Holding the Line is a podcast from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund sharing firsthand stories and expert insights into what it really means to serve and protect in America today.

Publisher

Jason Johnson and Sean Kennedy

Category

government · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2026

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

25 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Who Holds the Line When the System Fails?

   As we wrap up our second season of Holding the Line, we're looking back at some of the conversations that shaped this season—and the questions that kept coming up again and again. From prosecutors and academics to crime-data experts and technology researchers, our guests took us into very different corners of America's criminal justice system. But beneath those conversations were some common themes: What happens when the institutions responsible for public safety stop functioning as they should? What does the evidence actually tell us about crime? And how do we make sound public policy when so much of the debate is driven by politics, ideology, media narratives, and incomplete information? In this season finale, Jason Johnson revisits several of the conversations that stood out most, including: Philadelphia attorney George Bochetto on his years challenging Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the consequences of progressive prosecutorial policies. Professor Peter Moskos on crime data, policing, and the importance of knowing WHO is at the table when it comes to setting policy. Dr. Laura Huey on criminology, crime prevention, victims rights, and the complicated relationship between academic theories and real-world criminal justice policy. Charles Fain Lehman on automated license plate readers, Flock, privacy, regulation, and the role technology can play in preventing and solving crime. Together, these conversations point toward a fundamental question: How do we build a justice system that protects people while preserving accountability? That's the question we've been exploring throughout Holding the Line—and it's one we'll continue exploring in Season 3. Thank you for listening, sharing episodes, leaving reviews, and helping us grow this show. If you haven't already, subscribe to Holding the Line, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with someone who cares about policing, crime, and public safety. Season 3 is coming soon—and something very special is in the works as well. Stay tuned.

2. 

   3 Oct 2026

   Who is Jessica Brand? Sean Testifies About the Wren Collective's Control of DAs' Offices

   On this week’s episode of Holding the Line, LELDF President Jason Johnson and Director of Policy Sean Kennedy take a deep dive into progressive prosecutors, outside influence, and what LELDF has uncovered through our investigation into Soros DAs. Sean went to Austin this week to testify before the Texas House Select Committee on Oversight about the influence of third-party organizations on prosecutors’ offices—including what our research uncovered about the Wren Collective and its connections to prosecutors across the country. You won't want to miss what Sean exposed about how donors and activists are secretly running many of America’s prosecutors’ offices—including many in the Lone Star State. Much of his testimony was based on the findings of his report Outsourcing Justice—based on dozens of public records requests and over 50,000 pages of texts and emails. Watch Sean's testimony here: https://leldf.substack.com/p/leldf-policy-director-goes-to-texas (https://leldf.substack.com/p/leldf-policy-director-goes-to-texas?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web) And read Outsourcing Justice here: https://www.policedefense.org/outsourcing-justice/ (https://www.policedefense.org/outsourcing-justice/)

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Larry Krasner: Is the Reckoning Finally Here?

   For years, Larry Krasner has escaped accountability for his gross misconduct as Philadelphia's Attorney General—conflicts of interest, misleading courts, and aggressive efforts to overturn criminal convictions. He was impeached in 2022, but remained in office (stay tuned to find out why) - but now, the courts are finally stepping in. He was impeached in 2022, but remained in office (stay tuned to find out why) - but now, the courts are finally stepping in. In this explosive episode of Holding the Line, Sean Kennedy sits down with Philadelphia attorney George Bochetto, one of the most persistent legal opponents of the Krasner administration, to examine the extraordinary developments surrounding Philadelphia’s Soros-backed district attorney. A federal judge has referred Larry Krasner and one of his top prosecutors to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for a potential criminal investigation. After conducting an evidentiary hearing, U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond concluded that the evidence could constitute false statements, false declarations under oath, perjury, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. He disqualified Krasner and his top assistant, Matthew Stiegler, from the case and referred the matter for investigation. Even more extraordinary: the allegations came from senior prosecutors inside Krasner’s own office. As George explains, prosecutors testified about pressure they say they received from Krasner while handling a case involving a convicted murderer. They told the court that Krasner instructed them to act in a way that would “protect the office” and warned that there would be “consequences” if they alerted the court to conflicts they believed needed to be disclosed. And this wasn't an isolated courtroom controversy. Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that Krasner’s office had misled courts and violated its duty of candor in its efforts to overturn a murder conviction. The court found the problems sufficiently serious and recurrent that it imposed a new layer of oversight: going forward, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office must be given an opportunity to review cases in which Krasner's office seeks to overturn convictions. In other words, the state's highest court no longer trusts Krasner's office to police itself when seeking exonerations. George Bochetto has been fighting to expose the Krasner administration's malfeasance for years. He discusses the cases that brought him into the fight, including Krasner's appalling efforts to free Mumia Abu-Jamal—a man who confessed to the execution-style murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. We also discuss Krasner's outrageous prosecution of Philadelphia Police Sergeant Eric Bologna—as well as his role as special prosecutor in the Pennsylvania House's 2022 impeachment proceedings against Krasner. The conversation also goes much deeper into the policies and outside political organizations that have shaped Krasner's office—including the role of the Wren Collective and Real Justice PAC, campaign spending, and the relationship between outside political groups and prosecutorial policy. Because this goes FAR beyond Larry Krasner. Want to learn more about the influence of the Wren Collective and Real Justice PAC? Read our report Outsourcing Justice: https://www.policedefense.org/outsourcing-justice/ (https://www.policedefense.org/outsourcing-justice/) We hope you enjoyed—and if you found this episode valuable, please subscribe and leave us a five-star review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Contact Holding The Line

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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