Jessica Pishko

Jessica Pishko is an independent journalist and lawyer who, for the last decade, has focused on the criminal justice system and how law enforcement intersects with political power. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Politico, the Nation and more. She is writing a book about the political power of sheriffs to be published by Dutton. Prior to writing, Pishko practiced law where she specialized in securities fraud and did pro bono work defending death penalty clients and victims of domestic abuse. Pishko graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and received an M.F.A. from Columbia University. She is the author of The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy. As a contributor to Democracy Docket, Pishko writes about the criminalization of elections and how sheriffs in particular have become a growing threat to democracy.