Law and Chaos

DOCKET ALERTS:
 
The Supreme Court issued orders today, opinions coming Thursday.
 
The Wall Street Journal reports that Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for DC, is investigating banks for "debanking" conservatives. 
 
Judge James Boasberg benchslapped Pirro's effort to magic away his order quashing her abusive subpoena on the Federal Reserve.
 
DOOFUS OF THE DAY: A judge in Mississippi disqualified all the lawyers in a case after finding that both sides cited fake cases hallucinated by AI.
 
MAIN SHOW:
 
The battle over the Kennedy Center continues. At the eleventh hour, the Center's Board appealed the order to take Trump's name off the building, citing a new rule that would strip all funding from the institution if Trump's name came down. The trial judge denied the requested stay, and so did the Circuit Court. Meanwhile, the Washington National Opera is suing the Kennedy Center for expropriating its $17 million endowment.
 
In the Eastern District of Virginia, Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from implementing the Anti-Weaponization Fund whether under a new name or not.
 
New reporting from Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan in the New York Times reveals two revealing memos from White House advisor Will Scharf on suspending the writ of habeas corpus and the Insurrection Act.
 
SUBSCRIBER BONUS:
 
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked Texas AG Ken Paxton's investigation into the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue, holding that it was plainly retaliatory for its support for his Democratic Senate rival James Talarico.
 
SCOTUS Orders List June 15
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/061526zor_5if6.pdf
 
Jeanine Pirro's Prosecutors Probe Big Banks for Alleged 'Debanking'
https://www.wsj.com/finance/regulation/jeanine-pirros-prosecutors-probe-big-banks-for-alleged-debanking-13568e9b
 
Powell/Fed Reserve Subpoenas
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72490330/in-re-grand-jury-subpoenas
 
ActBlue v. Paxton
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73285205/actblue-llc-v-paxton/
 
Washington National Opera v. US
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73476333/washington-national-opera-v-united-states/
 
Beatty v. Trump [DC Circuit]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73477160/joyce-beatty-v-donald-trump
 
Withers v. City of Aberdeen [AI Attorney Sanctions]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69485760/withers-v-city-of-aberdeen
 
Floyd v. DOJ [docket via CourtListener]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73383692/floyd-v-department-of-justice/?order_by=desc
 
Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan,"Frustrated by Courts, Trump Weighed Suspending a Constitutional Right," New York Times, June 15, 2026
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/us/politics/trump-scharf-habeas-corpus-insurrection-act.html
 
Will Scharf Habeas Corpus memo
https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/2afc51a03e41c257/7f0f0dff-full.pdf
 
Will Scharf Insurrection Act memo
https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/ab7a26e5d4b63268/402f052f-full.pdf
 
Show Links:
https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
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Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

DOCKET ALERTS:
 
Will Trump's name come off the Kennedy Center in time for the court-ordered deadline?
 
New York congressional candidate Brad Lander was acquitted of charges related to a peaceful protest inside the federal building where ICE is warehousing immigrants.
 
The House failed to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. We'll explain what this has to do with Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte.
 
MAIN SHOW:
 
Doofus of the Day Alejandro Brito, Trump's lawyer on the defamation trollsuit against the BBC, is inventing new ways to piss off the judge. But he's teaching us a lot about CivPro!
 
The grand jury transcripts are here in the Broadview 6 case, and they are somehow even worse than we expected. We'll break down all the vouching/ex parte/voir dire action, and the rapidly expanding blast radius. 
 
SUBSCRIBERS:
 
Is the Trump slush fund alive or dead? Acting AG Todd Blanche says it's over, but he won't put it in writing.
 
US v. Rabbitt
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71795281/united-states-v-rabbitt/
 
Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic, "Trump Isn't Giving Up on His Slush Fund"
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/06/trump-anti-weaponization-fund/687500/
 
'Broadview 6' repeat? Loretto Hospital exec's fraud case could crumble amid claims of prosecutors' misconduct
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/06/10/hearing-in-loretto-hospital-case-could-address-claims-of-prosecutors-misconduct-if-feds-dont-drop-it
 
Show Links:
https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
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Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

DOCKET ALERTS:
 
Doofus of the Day: George Santos, who is clearly trying to get himself back into jail. NPR reported that the former congressman bet against his own appearance at the State of the Union in February. After NPR reported that Kalshi had frozen his accounts and referred him to the CFTC and DOJ, Santos called up journalist Bobby Allyn and threatened him with "a gun in your face."
 
Also seeking a pardon: Sam Bankman-Fried.
 
Judge Leo Sorokin in Massachusetts blocked Trump's attempt to tax H-1B visas out of existence by imposing a $100,000 "fee."
 
MAIN SHOW:
 
Trump's lawyer Alejandro Brito is finding new and creative ways to piss off the judge in Trump's trollsuit against the BBC.
 
The DOJ is broken! Today's examples include: The DOJ telling the DC Circuit that it would be just fine for Trump to bulldoze the Statue of Liberty. A judge in Rhode Island referring DOJ lawyers for attorney discipline and sanctions. And a story from the New York Times about all the prosecutors who got pushed out because they wouldn't indict Trump's enemies.
 
Plaintiffs are trying to stop Donald Trump from hosting a UFC fight on the White House lawn.
 
SUBSCRIBER BONUS: The Department of Defense reduced the number of recognized religious faiths from 211 to 31 — they kept all the good non-woke ones, it's fine.



I wrote about George Santos. Then he made a violent threat and lied about it
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/04/nx-s1-5846966/george-santos-kalshi-threats
 
California v. Noem [H-1B visas]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72031571/state-of-california-v-noem/
 
Trump v. BBC
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72040010/trump-v-british-broadcasting-corporation
 
How the Drive to Find a Conspiracy Against Trump Rocked the Justice Dept.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/us/politics/justice-department-trump-patel-conspiracy.html
 
Douglas v. National Park Service (UFC) [docket via CourtListener]
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.293217/gov.uscourts.dcd.293217.3.1.pdf
 
Forbes, "Trump Says UFC Arena Could Be Permanent At White House—Everything We Know About The Upcoming Event" 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/04/trump-says-ufc-arena-could-be-permanent-at-white-house-everything-we-know-about-the-upcoming-event/
 
Pete Hegseth on the chaplain corps
https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4444113/hegseth-announces-reforms-to-chaplain-corps/
 
Sean Parnell announcement re: DOD religious codes [via X.com]
https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2062964159222874227
 
Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-landscape-study-executive-summary/
 
Military.com, "DOD Officially Drops 180 Faiths From Military's Recognized Religion List"
https://www.military.com/dod-officially-drops-180-faiths-from-militarys-recognized-religion-list
 
Show Links:
https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

DOCKET ALERTS:
A federal judge in Colorado enjoined the National Science Foundation from shutting down the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. APA, FTW!
 
The DC Circuit ruled that Pete Hegseth's policy kicking out all trans service members and barring enlistment by anyone who ever had a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is rooted in animus and cannot stand. But the remedy was narrowly cabined to the plaintiffs in this case, and only those who are currency active duty.
 
The Supreme Court let Alabama redraw its Congressional maps while primary voting was already underway and use a racially-discriminatory map in order to squeeze one more Republican seat in Congress out for the 2026 midterms.
 
Doofus of the Day: BATMAN! Eric Batman, some whiny dork in LA who says his Christian faith means that he has to work from home during June lest he be oppressed by a trans flag flying outside his office. The grifters at Liberty Counsel eagerly fundraising off their preposterous trollsuit on Doofus's behalf.
 
MAIN SHOW:
 
The DOJ filed a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center. It's meant to remedy the obvious deficiencies in the first indictment, but it actually seems to bolster the SPLC's claim that they were trying to protect informants, not take down donors.
 
Meanwhile, DOJ seems to have leaked a draft version of the new indictment to reporters before presenting it to the grand jurors, potentially violating grand jury secrecy. SPLC moved for a show cause order forcing DOJ to explain "its conduct and why it should not be sanctioned considering the prejudicial consequences at stake here."
 
Back in Chicago, US Attorney Andrew Boutros explained that he wasn't inappropriately trying to voir dire the grand jury. Perish the thought! And how very dare you, sir! He was just advising them that if they didn't think they could convict, they should put their hands up and explain themselves. Ummmmm….. 
 
On May 1, NASDAQ implemented major rule changes to the way in which newly-public companies can join the Nasdaq 100 index.
 
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research v. National Science Foundation
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72496922/university-corporation-for-atmospheric-research-v-national-science/
 
Talbott v. USA [Trans Troops DC Circuit]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69800554/nicolas-talbott-v-usa/
 
Allen v. Milligan (Alabama redistricting) [Supreme Court stay]
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25a1314_7m58.pdf
 
SpaceX Prospectus
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026036936/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm
 
NASDAQ 100 New Methodology
https://indexes.nasdaq.com/docs/Methodology_NDX.pdf
 
Liberty Counsel's press release (Batman v. Los Angeles County)
https://lc.org/newsroom/details/260530-la-to-christians-youre-mentally-ill
 
Batman v. LA County [docket via CourtListener]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72385442/eric-batman-v-los-angeles-county/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc
 
Copy of Batman's complaint [via Liberty Counsel]
https://lc.org/PDFs/Attachments2PRsLAs/2026/031026-1VerifiedComplaint.pdf
 
US v. SPLC
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73223865/united-states-v-southern-poverty-law-center-inc/
 
US Attorney Andrew Boutros Statement
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/media/1443716/dl?inline
 
Show Links:
https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
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Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

DOCKET ALERTS:
 
Joe Dye begins a series on the second phase of the redistricting wars at his Substack. 
 
Multiple states are threatening to tax payouts from Trump's slush fund at 100 percent. 
 
The Trump Administration is suing Massachusetts for failing to give "confidential," hard to trace license plates to ICE and CBP.
 
A panel of federal judges in Alabama once again rejected the state's congressional map as an illegal racial gerrymander. The state has appealed to SCOTUS.
 
Don Lemon moved to unseal the grand jury transcript in the Cities Church protest prosecution. He cited the recently unsealed magistrate's docket, showing the government's wild overreach — not to mention incompetence — in its warrant applications, along with the many cases where courts have said the DOJ is currently lawless and entitled to no presumption of regularity.
 
The New York Times had a wild story this week about the Justice Department's total loss of credibility with grand juries, including in Wyoming, where the US Attorney's total violation of grand jury rules led to the dismissal of nine indictments.
 
MAIN SHOW:
 
The US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois is reportedly investigating E. Jean Carroll for perjury. In a deposition in 2022, Carroll misspoke and said that her litigation was not being funded by anyone else. She later corrected the record to say that some of her fees were being paid by a nonprofit associated with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. The government is trying to do to that nonprofit what it's done to the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging that it somehow conspired to hide its activities by getting Carroll to lie under oath.
 
Meanwhile, the SPLC is moving to dismiss its case based on vindictive prosecution. Luckily it has eleventy-seven clips of Trump officials declaring that they're on a revenge mission to take out the civil rights organization.
 
In non-political news, a drag queen named Pattie Gonia is in a trademark dispute with the brand Patagonia. 
 
SUBSCRIBER BONUS:
 
Trump is making NDAs great again.
 
How Democrats Can Take Back the Redistricting Wars Pt. 1
https://josephdye.substack.com/p/how-democrats-can-take-back-the-redistricting
 
US v. Massachusetts [Confidential License Plates]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73400637/united-states-v-the-commonwealth-of-massachusetts/
 
Milligan v. Allen
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/61494291/milligan-v-allen
 
US v. Levy-Armstrong [Cities Church/Don Lemon]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72212459/united-states-v-levy-armstrong/
 
In re Search Warrant [Cities Church/Don Lemon magistrate docket]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72323660/in-re-search-warrant/
 
As Trump Politicizes Justice Dept., Prosecutors Struggle With Grand Juries
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/us/politics/trump-justice-department-grand-juries.html
DOJ probes Democratic-allied nonprofit that helped fund E. Jean Carroll's legal bills
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/28/doj-probes-reid-hoffmans-nonprofit-funding-e-jean-carrolls-legal-bills/
 
US v. Southern Poverty Law Center [docket via CourtListener]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73223865/united-states-v-southern-poverty-law-center-inc/
 
Patagonia, Inc. v. Entrepreneur Enterprises, Inc. ("Patty Gonia") [docket via CourtListener]
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72169060/patagonia-inc-v-entrepreneur-enterprises-inc/
 
Pattie Gonia Instagram responding to lawsuit
https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2L725tVow/
 
Show Links:
https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod