Journalist Alex Wagner has released a new book examining how conservative politics shaped the current federal judiciary, resulting in a Supreme Court and lower courts that hold views increasingly at odds with the majority of Americans. In "The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hard-Liners, One Republican Presidency, and the Raid on America’s Courts," published this month by Flatiron, Wagner traces the evolution of the conservative legal movement back to the 1980s, highlighting the strategic efforts that shifted the court system’s ideological balance.

Wagner, known for her work as an MSNBC anchor and editor at large for The Atlantic, initially resisted writing another book after her 2019 debut "Futureface." However, her extensive research into the political forces that produced today’s 6-3 conservative Supreme Court and the numerous federal appointments made during Ronald Reagan’s presidency ultimately compelled her to document the history. She describes investigating archives to uncover speeches and internal meetings from key figures, given the pre-internet nature of much of the material.

The book centers on four influential conservatives whose long-term planning helped reshape the judiciary: Reagan’s attorney general Ed Meese, beer magnate and political donor Joe Coors, conservative activist Paul Weyrich, and Robert Bork, whose failed Supreme Court nomination energized right-wing legal networks. Their coordinated efforts, Wagner argues, forged a judicial philosophy that has since made significant impacts on issues ranging from abortion and voting rights to racial segregation.

Wagner contends that this transformation reflects decades of calculated organizing and funding, not a sudden political shift, and that the courts’ conservative tilt stands in contrast to public opinion on many social issues. She also notes the Supreme Court’s recent decisions have granted former President Donald Trump unusual levels of immunity, heightening concerns about the court’s role in American democracy.

Despite the challenges posed by this conservative dominance, Wagner emphasizes that the struggle over social progress, civil rights, and executive power is ongoing. She encourages readers to engage with the history of the legal movement and remain hopeful that alternative strategies can influence the direction of the judiciary in the future.

Wagner is scheduled to read from "The Steal" at 6 p.m. on September 22 at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in an event hosted by Harvard Book Store.