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Law and Chaos

Liz Dye; Andrew Torrez
Law and Chaos
Seneste episode

287 episoder

  • Law and Chaos

    Ep 240 — The Only Consistent Thing About The Supreme Court

    26.06.2026 | 1 t.
    DOCKET ALERTS:
    The administration says it's going to prosecute anyone who touches the algae-ridden Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. So far, that seems to be more bluster than reality.
     
    Sadly, what isn't bluster is that Judges Reed O'Connor and Mark Pittman in Texas are handing down extraordinarily long punitive sentences for Antifa protestors to "send a message" not to criticize the government.
     
    DOOFUS OF THE DAY: Postmaster General David Steiner, who tried to pass off voter suppression efforts to not distribute ballots as just "best practices" for the USPS. Fortunately, Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts permanently enjoined that part of Trump's plan to steal the midterms and ordered declared Trump's executive order unconstitutional and void.
     
    MAIN SHOW:
    It was a rough week at the Supreme Court, with SEVEN decisions all reaching extreme right-wing outcomes, all by the exact same 6-3 margin, and using contradictory legal "reasoning" to get there. The Supreme Court prevented victims of human rights abuses from suing the US company Cisco, while permitting Exxon Mobil to sue the Cuban government.
     
    US v. Song [antifa protestors, docket via CourtListener]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71912958/united-states-v-arnold/
     
    California v. Trump [post office injunction, docket via CourtListener]
    https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.298518/
     
    Exxon Mobil v. Corporation CIMEX [Supreme Court suits against Cuba]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-699_f204.pdf
     
    Cisco Systems v. Doe [Supreme Court human rights suits]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-856_kjfm.pdf
     
    Landor v. Louisiana Dep't of Corrections [Supreme Court Rastafarian religious liberty]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/23-1197_h3ci.pdf
     
    Blanche v. Lau [Supreme Court lawful permanent residents]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-429_h3ci.pdf
     
    Mullin v. Al Otro Lado [Supreme Court asylum applications]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-5_86qd.pdf
     
    Mullin v. Doe [Supreme Court TPS]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-1083_f204.pdf
     
    US v. Southern Poverty Law Center [criminal indictment of SPLC; docket via CourtListener]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73223865/united-states-v-southern-poverty-law-center-inc/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc



    Show Links:
    https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
    BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
    Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
    Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
  • Law and Chaos

    Ep 239 — Slush Fund Funtimes

    23.06.2026 | 56 min.
    DOCKET ALERTS:
    Maryland became the ninth state to beat back a lawsuit from the DOJ's Civil Division seeking to seize its full, unredacted voter rolls.
     
    In Massachusetts, a judge allowed states to proceed with a lawsuit to block an executive order requiring DHS to maintain a master list of voters and barring USPS from delivering mail-in ballots from anyone on the list. 
     
    DOOFUS OF THE DAY: Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar, who was featured in a Bloomberg Law story about judges embarrassing themselves by trying to get nominated for SCOTUS if/when Justice Alito announces his retirement in July. Thapar, who is 56, started a Substack to talk about how his fitness regimen means he's really only 43.
     
    MAIN SHOW:
     
    In Minnesota, Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz quashed DOJ subpoenas for Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, AG Keith Ellison, and several other state officials. The court held that the subpoenas were plainly levied for an improper purpose, namely to punish state officials for refusing to cooperate with Trump's immigration raids. That's a violation of the Tenth Amendment.
     
    Also in Minnesota, charges were dropped against yet another protester from the winter immigration surge into the Twin Cities. ICE/CBP conduct here was egregious, and the US Attorney claims to be investigating.
     
    Since the satirical newspaper The Onion is planning to launch an InfoWars parody on July 2, we revisit all of the bankruptcy court shenanigans to date and talk about what might happen next in court.
     
    Finally, we check in on the Trump insurrectionist slush fund and the administration's continued refusal to actually promise in court, under oath, that it won't resurrect the idea. In the Eastern District of Virginia, the administration simply refused to file declarations ordered by the presiding judge. And in the original lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS in Florida, 35 eminent judges filed their reply brief urging the judge to reopen the case and inspect the settlement.
     
    In the Subscriber Bonus, we break down a lawsuit filed by the Ford Motor Company against a law firm in California that has an… aggressive approach to trying to get its attorneys' fees reimbursed for representing consumers who get their cars replaced under the state's "Lemon Law."
     
    US v. DeMarinis [Maryland voter rolls]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71980724/united-states-v-demarinis/
     
    League of Women Voters v. Trump [Mail-in ballot EO]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73133197/league-of-women-voters-of-massachusetts-v-trump/
     
    In re Subpoenas [MN subpoenas quashed]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73512670/in-re-subpoenas/
     
    US v. Johnson [MN protester, charges dropped]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72200628/united-states-v-johnson/
     
    Judges Jockey for Potential Trump Supreme Court Appointment
    https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/judges-jockey-for-potential-trump-supreme-court-appointment
     
    Floyd v. DOJ [lawsuit challenging Slush Fund; docket via CourtListener]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73383692/floyd-v-department-of-justice/
     
    Trump v. IRS [docket via CourtListener]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72040010/trump-v-british-broadcasting-corporation/?order_by=desc
     
    Ford Motor Company v. Quill & Arrow LLP [fee-shifting in Lemon Law cases; docket via CourtListener]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73503023/ford-motor-company-v-quill-arrow-llp/



    Show Links:
    https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
    BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
    Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
    Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
  • Law and Chaos

    Ep 238 — Speech Crimes

    19.06.2026 | 51 min.
    DOCKET ALERTS:
     
    Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville is facing a residency challenge to his gubernatorial campaign.
     
    The Justice Department dismissed a case seeking to enforce a moratorium on offshore and onshore windfarm permits. Instead they're buying back leases for windfarms, so that energy companies can develop natural gas plants in the midwest. Murica!
     
    The DOJ is trying to take advantage of a half-assed plot to attack Trump's UFC to get the court to let him build his ballroom. 
     
    Doofus of the Day: Covid denier Alex Berenson, who got a $150,000 payout from the Trump administration because he got booted from Twitter in 2021.
     
    MAIN SHOW:
     
    It was an opinion day at SCOTUS, and every decision was authored by a bizarre coalition of justices. Of most interest was US v. Hemani, in which the Court held that regular marijuana use cannot be a reason to deny Americans the right to own a gun.
     
    The US Attorneys Office in Minnesota announced conspiracy charges against protesters of the immigration surge into Minneapolis earlier this year. Like the Broadview 6 case, it's a transparent attempt to criminalize activities protected by the First Amendment and impose collective punishment on opponents of the administration's policies.
     
    The Federal Trade Commission sued the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) in Texas, alleging that its Standards of Care document (SOC-8) violates Section 5 of the FTC Act.
     
    SUBSCRIBERS: No FISA for you! Trump just blew up the deal to get FISA reauthorized and his new Director of National Intelligence confirmed.
     
    Tuberville Residency Challenge [via ALReporter]
    https://www.alreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Tuberville-Filings.pdf
     
    US v. Hemani [Supreme Court]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1234_g2bh.pdf
     
    Hunter v. US [Supreme Court]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1063_5ifl.pdf
     
    T.M. v. Univ. of Maryland Medical System [Supreme Court]
    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-197_bp7c.pdf
     
    US v. Sant [MN protesters]
    https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73489496/united-states-v-sant
     
    FTC v. WPATH [docket via CourtListener]
    https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.421590/
     
    WPATH SOC-8
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644
     
    HHS's "Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices."
    https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/gender-dysphoria-report.pdf



    Show Links:
    https://www.lawandchaospod.com/
    BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
    Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
    Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
  • Law and Chaos

    Ep 237 — A Slush Fund By Any Other Name Would Still Reek

    16.06.2026 | 55 min.
    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
    Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
    Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
  • Law and Chaos

    Ep 236 — Is Trump's Newest Lawyer WORSE Than Alina Habba?

    12.06.2026 | 52 min.
    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/
    BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod
    Threads: @LawAndChaosPod
    Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
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Om Law and Chaos
Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That's true for a traffic stop, and it's true if you want to participate in whatever's left of American democracy. If the events since the 2016 election taught us anything, it's that tuning out is not an option. Legal journalists Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez break down the week's most important courtroom stories, so you can keep on top of this crazy news cycle. Whether it's Texas giving two middle fingers to the Supreme Court, or Donald Trump in all the courts at once, we've got you covered.
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