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 eve...
Ep 114 — After Stealing Congress’s Spending Power, Trump Is Back For Advice And Consent
It’s another week where the DOGE bros are trying to burn down the government, and another week where the courts are trying to stop it. For our main story, we focus on the Trump administration’s crazy shenanigans at the United States Africa Development Corp. Trump may have tried to fire Senate-confirmed principal officers by email… to an email address that doesn’t exist. Links: Perkins Coie Executive Order https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-risks-from-perkins-coie-llp/ Climate United Fund v. Citibank [Docket via CL] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69718818/climate-united-fund-v-citibank-na/ Trump’s false claim that Stacey Abrams headed a group that got $1.9 billion https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/06/trump-stacey-abrams-fact-checker/ US v. Adams docket (SDNY) (charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916/ Brehm v. Morocco (DDC) (USADF) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69711562/brehm-v-marocco/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc USADF Act https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/22/chapter-7/subchapter-XXIII USADF Bylaws https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278118/gov.uscourts.dcd.278118.7.5.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
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Ep 113 — Hey, DOJ, Some Idiot Is Signing Your Name On Pleadings
Today’s episode is another roundup of how trial judges are playing whack-a-mole with the Trump administration, and how all of it fits in with Trump’s plan to usurp Congress’s power to reshape the country in his image. Plus, we’ve got some crazy stories featuring the Interim US Attorney for DC trying to strongarm Georgetown University, a blast from the past with bigoted Kentucky court clerk Kim Davis, and a subscriber bonus on an obscure Civ Pro rule that Trump plans to use to make terrible losing arguments in court. Links: Ermold v. Davis [Sixth Circuit Opinion, Gay Marriage Clerk Case] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca6.151496/gov.uscourts.ca6.151496.6015541768.2.pdf AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition v. Department of State (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69627654/aids-vaccine-advocacy-coalition-v-united-states-department-of-state/ Harris v. Bessent DC Circuit appeal https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69704122/cathy-harris-v-scott-bessent/ Some asshole is signing your name to stupid letters https://www.loweringthebar.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/browns_letter_1974.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
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Ep 112 — The (Judicial) Center Holds
The Supreme Court is still sitting on its (tiny) hands, but trial judges are holding strong against the Trump administration’s assault on the rule of law. We’ll talk about the pushback to Trump’s anti-trans executive orders, his assault on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the effort to ensure that the Dear Leader can fire watchdogs at will. Plus subscribers get a deep dive on trial judges attempting to SCOTUS-proof their rulings to protect trans kids. Links: Dellinger v. Bessent [District Court Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624836/dellinger-v-bessent Dellinger v. Bessent [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a790.html National Treasury Employees Union v. Vought [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624423/national-treasury-employees-union-v-vought/ Jones v. Bondi [Docket via Court Listener] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277335 Washington v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69620657/state-of-washington-v-trump/ PFLAG v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69614668/pflag-inc-v-donald-j-trump/ Seila Law v. CFPB [SCOTUS Opinion] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19-7_new_bq7d.pdf Corporate Transparency Act, 31 USC § 5336 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/5336 Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod
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Ep 111 — Let the Sanctions Rain Down
The Trump administration is now openly defying court orders as multiple trial court judges seek to rein in the government’s illegal conduct. Are sanctions the solution? In at least one case, we won’t know until Chief Justice Roberts releases the “administrative hold” he imposed to consider Trump’s latest meritless request for help from the Supreme Court. All of this plus the return of ChatGPT lawyering and a subscriber bonus on the OG Coat Factory Law Firm! Links: Jack Smith 278e disclosure https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25522081-smith-john-l-special-counsels-office-smith-termination-278-2025-2025-01-10/ Talbott v. Trump https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583866/talbott-v-trump/ Wadsworth v. Walmart (ChatGPT litigation) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67564066/wadsworth-v-walmart-inc/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc Trump’s anti-Covington EO (Patreon bonus) https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/suspension-of-security-clearances-and-evaluation-of-government-contracts/ Doe v. Office of Personnel Management. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69582338/doe-v-office-of-personnel-management/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition v. US Department of State https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69627654/aids-vaccine-advocacy-coalition-v-united-states-department-of-state/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod
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Ep 110 — It’s A TROpallooza
The Trump administration has been sued by everyone and their mother, and we’re here to cover it all. From the First Amendment violations to the illegal terminations, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we’ve got an update in the Eric Adams case. Links: AP v. Budowich https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69662918/associated-press-v-budowich Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69580474/philadelphia-yearly-meeting-of-the-religious-society-of-friends-v-us/ Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. v. De Moraes https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69650977/trump-media-technology-group-corp-v-de-moraes/ Mizelle Letter to Judge Srinivasan [via Bloomberg] https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/r0FHd6DtBQwE/v0 Dunne/Pomerantz Feb. 20 amicus https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916.135.0_1.pdf US v. Adams criminal docket (SDNY) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc In re Flynn, 973 F.3d 74 (DC Cir. 2020) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3512121653435918827 Bessent v. Dellinger (Supreme Court Shadow docket) order https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a790_6i79.pdf’ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod
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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