Beyond the Bench

Mountain States Legal Foundation
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Mountain States Legal Foundation presents, Beyond the Bench. In this podcast you will receive insights into MSLF's advocacy approaches and successes. You will hear from our expert attorneys and outside guests from the liberty movement.

  1. Beyond The Bench: S2 E4, Nadine Strossen, A Conversation on Free Speech, Leadership, and Liberty

    2d ago

    Beyond The Bench: S2 E4, Nadine Strossen, A Conversation on Free Speech, Leadership, and Liberty

    Nadine Strossen has spent her life defending one of America's most fundamental freedoms: the freedom to speak. As the first woman to serve as President of the ACLU, Nadine led one of the nation's most influential civil liberties organizations through some of the most contentious debates in modern history. But beyond the headlines and courtroom battles is a fascinating story of conviction, leadership, and the courage to defend principles even when doing so is unpopular. From personal stories and leadership lessons to thoughtful discussions on the future of civil discourse, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Listen to the episode now and join us for an engaging discussion with one of the most influential voices in the fight for civil liberties. Whether you agree, disagree, or just want to understand the conversation better — this is an episode worth hearing.

    53 min
  2. Beyond The Bench: S2 E4, Alicia Garcia, What if The Second Amendment Wasn't Taboo?

    May 14

    Beyond The Bench: S2 E4, Alicia Garcia, What if The Second Amendment Wasn't Taboo?

    What happens when you sit down with one of Colorado’s most outspoken Second Amendment advocates for a no-script, no-filter conversation? In this episode, Alicia Garcia, also known as “Boomstick Babe”, opens up about the reality behind the online persona, the misconceptions surrounding gun owners, and what pushed her from supporter to activist. This isn’t a debate panel. It’s a real conversation. We talk about: • What people get completely wrong about gun culture • The pressure of being a woman in the firearms space • Activism, lawsuits, and public criticism • The Second Amendment explained in plain English • The personal side of becoming a public figure online Along the way, Alicia shares stories most audiences never hear, and breaks down why this issue matters to millions of Americans beyond politics. Whether you agree, disagree, or just want to understand the conversation better — this is an episode worth hearing.

    45 min
  3. Beyond The Bench: S2 E3, Randy Barnett, What if The System Is the Problem?

    Apr 20

    Beyond The Bench: S2 E3, Randy Barnett, What if The System Is the Problem?

    What if the biggest threat to liberty isn’t the laws we debate...but the ones we don’t question? In our latest episode of Beyond the Bench, we sit down with Randy E. Barnett—a leading constitutional scholar at Georgetown University Law Center and one of the most influential voices in modern originalist thought. From arguing before the Supreme Court to advancing the “presumption of liberty,” Professor Barnett has spent decades challenging how we interpret the Constitution. Now, with his upcoming book Felony Review, he turns his focus to a system most Americans rarely see up close: felony prosecution. In this conversation, we dive into: - Where the criminal justice system may be falling short of constitutional principles - Why felony law deserves more scrutiny than it gets - The real-world consequences of unchecked prosecutorial power - And what it would take to realign the system with the Constitution’s promise of liberty We also get personal—touching on his journey from Chicago to the courtroom, the experiences that shaped his thinking, and why this moment in legal history demands a closer look. If you care about the Constitution, criminal justice, or the future of liberty in America, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. About MSLF: Mountain States Legal Foundation is a non-profit law firm based in the American West. We go to court to fight for your constitutional rights. Your freedom is under attack. To learn what you can do to fight back, visit: Website: http://www.mslegal.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainstateslegalfoundation/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSLF

    42 min
  4. Beyond the Bench: S2 Ep2, Travis Joseph Speaks for the Trees: Timber and Resource Management in the Todays Economy

    Mar 16

    Beyond the Bench: S2 Ep2, Travis Joseph Speaks for the Trees: Timber and Resource Management in the Todays Economy

    In our newest episode, we sit down with Travis Joseph, President and CEO of the American Forest Resource Council, to unpack the laws and policies shaping the future of forests in the American West. We discuss the legacy of the Northwest Forest Plan, the legal mandate behind the Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands Act, and the growing controversy over monument designations under the Antiquities Act, including the expansion of Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument. We also look ahead to what Congress is considering now, from provisions in H.R. 1 to the proposed Fix Our Forests Act and broader efforts to reform federal permitting. If you care about wildfire, public lands, and the future of rural communities in the West, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

    47 min
  5. Beyond the Bench: S2 EP 1 Who's Really Making the Rules: Energy Responsibility in the US

    Feb 23

    Beyond the Bench: S2 EP 1 Who's Really Making the Rules: Energy Responsibility in the US

    We sit down with constitutional scholar John Yoo to unpack one of the most consequential trends in modern litigation: using local lawsuits to influence national climate policy. At the center of the discussion is County Commissioners of Boulder County v. Suncor Energy USA, Inc., where Colorado local governments are attempting to hold energy companies liable under state tort law for the global effects of climate change. Professor Yoo, who joined an amicus brief in the case, walks us through the constitutional stakes: When does federal law preempt state tort claims? Should courts be setting policy that affects the entire country? What happens to constitutional federalism if every state adopts its own climate liability regime? This conversation goes beyond energy policy. It strikes at the heart of separation of powers, the proper role of courts, and whether nationwide policy decisions should be made through legislation, or litigation.

    24 min
  6. Beyond the Bench: Episode 9 with Will Trachman, Cause and Character: The Future of Equal Protection

    Jan 27

    Beyond the Bench: Episode 9 with Will Trachman, Cause and Character: The Future of Equal Protection

    The U.S. Supreme Court hears fewer than 1% of the cases appealed to it each year. That means the promise of equal protection under the law lives, or dies, in lower courts, far from the spotlight. That’s exactly where our latest Beyond the Bench episode takes you. In this episode, we break down Young v. Colorado Department of Corrections and Brigida v. U.S. Department of Transportation, two cases that expose what happens when government officials treat one person differently from others without a lawful reason. In Young, selective punishment raises serious equal protection concerns about retaliation and unequal treatment. In Brigida, uneven enforcement by a federal agency shows how bureaucratic discretion can quickly turn into the power to pick winners and losers. These cases make one thing clear: equal protection isn’t about special treatment, it’s about equal application of the law. And it only works when it’s actively defended. About MSLF: Mountain States Legal Foundation is a non-profit law firm based in the American West. We go to court to fight for your constitutional rights. Your freedom is under attack. To learn what you can do to fight back, visit: Website: http://www.mslegal.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainstateslegalfoundation/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSLF

    26 min
  7. Beyond the Bench: Episode 8, Kristi Brown, Constitutional Collisions: Free Speech and Equal Protection in the Modern Court

    Jan 19

    Beyond the Bench: Episode 8, Kristi Brown, Constitutional Collisions: Free Speech and Equal Protection in the Modern Court

    Free speech and equal protection are two of the Constitution’s most powerful promises, and two of its most contested battlegrounds. In this episode of Beyond the Bench, we sit down with constitutional attorney and policy leader Kristi Burton Brown to examine how courts are shaping the future of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause. From ongoing legal battles to the limits of judicial power, this conversation explores what happens when speech, equality, and the courts collide, and what’s at stake if judges get it wrong.

    26 min
  8. Beyond the Bench: Episode 7 Kathleen Sgamma on Power, Public Lands, and Who Decides

    12/29/2025

    Beyond the Bench: Episode 7 Kathleen Sgamma on Power, Public Lands, and Who Decides

    Kathleen Sgamma has spent decades inside the battles over public lands, energy policy, and federal authority. In our latest episode, we sit down with the longtime energy advocate and former nominee for Director of the Bureau of Land Management to unpack how power is actually exercised in Washington, and what happens when precedent starts to shift. We cover: The unprecedented use of the Congressional Review Act to overturn BLM land-use plans How litigation has tied up thousands of oil and gas leases EPA climate regulation and its ripple effects across the industry The growing pressure on energy companies from regulators and financial institutions What her BLM nomination revealed about the future of public lands governance This is a conversation about WHO decides, HOW rules change, and WHY institutional stability matters, regardless of politics. About MSLF: Mountain States Legal Foundation is a non-profit law firm based in the American West. We go to court to fight for your constitutional rights. Your freedom is under attack. To learn what you can do to fight back, visit: Website: http://www.mslegal.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainstateslegalfoundation/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSLF

    46 min
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About

Mountain States Legal Foundation presents, Beyond the Bench. In this podcast you will receive insights into MSLF's advocacy approaches and successes. You will hear from our expert attorneys and outside guests from the liberty movement.

Information

  • Creator
    Mountain States Legal Foundation
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean