State of Gold Podcast
Guest: Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
Guest Bio: Harmeet Dhillon is the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, a nationally recognized constitutional attorney, and a former Republican National Committeewoman for California.
Known for her legal battles on behalf of free speech and equal protection, Dhillon has taken on cases involving Big Tech censorship, UC Berkeley, and controversial DEI policies.
A former candidate for RNC Chair, she now leads the federal government’s Civil Rights Division under the Trump administration, steering it in a bold new direction focused on protecting the rights of all Americans.
Show Summary
In this no-holds-barred conversation, Harmeet Dhillon joins Jon Slavet to talk about her powerful new role reshaping the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ.
She discusses her ongoing investigation into UC Berkeley’s response to violent protests, explains why DEI policies may be on their way out, and shares how she’s pushing back against the old status quo.
Dhillon also offers a candid diagnosis of California’s legal system, why she calls it the “utopian petri dish of bad ideas,” and what she would do - if King for a day - to fix the state.
Her views are bold, controversial, and grounded in decades of legal experience.
Whether you agree or disagree, you’ll walk away thinking differently about the future of civil rights and California politics.
Chapters
00:00 – Why Civil Rights Should Protect All Americans
00:49 – Free Speech & Violence at UC Berkeley
02:29 – State of Free Speech on College Campuses
03:09 – Competing Trends: Conservative vs. Anti-Speech Culture
05:50 – Race in Admissions: What’s Really Changing
08:23 – Rewriting the Mission of the Civil Rights Division
11:30 – Comparing Civil Rights Priorities Under Past Administrations
13:09 – How Lawsuits & DEI Are Hurting California
15:45 – Corruption & One-Party Rule in Sacramento
17:16 – Why Californians Still Vote Blue
18:02 – If King for a Day: Dhillon’s Top Fix
18:14 – What Gives Her Hope About the State
19:31 – Admired Political Leaders & California’s Future
