Dahlia Lithwick...

Dahlia Lithwick (who I saw from a few feet away when I was at the Supreme Court on Wednesday) is one of the best writers Slate has. She writes about legal issues and politics, and her coverage of the Supreme Court is outstanding. She has the ability to take complex issues, break them down so they are understandable to the laymen (without making the legal issues so simple they're useless), and does so all while making it funny. Here are some of my favorite articles of hers, and a quote from her coverage of the Alberto Gonzales hearings:

One of the finest moments comes when Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., busts out a big, big chart. Which happens after almost everyone has gone home. The chart compares the Clinton protocol for appropriate contacts between the White House and the DoJ on pending criminal cases with the Bush protocol. According to Whitehouse, the Clinton protocol authorized just four folks at the White House to chat with three folks at Justice. The chart had four boxes talking to three boxes. Out comes the Bush protocol, and now 417 different people at the White House have contacts about pending criminal cases with 30-some people at Justice. You can just see zillions of small boxes nattering back and forth. It seems that just about everyone in the White House, including the guys in the mailroom, had a vote on ongoing criminal matters.

Here are some of her other articles that I've enjoyed reading:

Justice Breyer Finds Anna Nicole Hot

A Questionairre Harriet Miers Can Answer

SCOTUS-gate

Thou Shalt Not Pray