Law and Chaos

Liz Dye
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.

  1. Ep 108 — Trump Demands Immunity From Rules of Civil Procedure

    4 DAYS AGO

    Ep 108 — Trump Demands Immunity From Rules of Civil Procedure

    We follow up on the Thursday Night Massacre, as Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove finally got someone to file the paperwork to dismiss the case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. And we do a deep dive into Dellinger v. Bessent, as the Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to remind everyone that the laws don’t actually apply to Donald Trump. All of that and DOCKET ALERTS!   Links:   Courts Stand Up For Trans Rights and the Rule of Law https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/courts-stand-up-for-trans-rights   Bove Feb. 10 letter to Sassoon (SDNY) ordering dropping of Adams prosecution https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/76308bc134b67d36/4cc46c59-full.pdf   Hagen Scotten resignation letter https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/0b16892a-b4a3-4511-9eab-44ff6f69a97f.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_4   US v. Adams docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916/   Nick Akerman amicus https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916.124.0.pdf   Henry Cuellar criminal docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68499933/united-states-v-cuellar/   Dellinger v. Bessent district court docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277297/   Dellinger v. Bessent (DC Circuit docket) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.41741/gov.uscourts.cadc.41741.01208711227.0.pdf   Dellinger v. Bessent (SCOTUS petition) ***REPLACE S3 LINK WHEN SCOTUS LINK IS AVAILABLE*** https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25536866/bessent-v-dellinger-vacatur-app-final.pdf   Seila Law v. CFPB (2020) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19-7_n6io.pdf AIDS VACCINE ADVOCACY COALITION v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69627654/aids-vaccine-advocacy-coalition-v-united-states-department-of-state/   Talbott v. Trump https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583866/talbott-v-trump/  Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

    59 min
  2. Ep 107 — Thursday Night Massacre

    14 FEB

    Ep 107 — Thursday Night Massacre

    Trump’s personal lawyers are turning the DOJ into a protection racket, dropping bribery charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams after he agreed to violate the City’s immigration laws. But they can’t find any lawyer in the Justice Department to implement their corrupt decree. At least seven prosecutors have been fired or quit. But will anyone in America notice?   Links: Sassoon resignation letter https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/24535586a908999e/3801d435-full.pdf   Bove response letter to Sassoon https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/7c71f04757006735/05b1f604-full.pdf   Dellinger v. Bessent docket (Office of Special Counsel) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277297/   US v. Eric Adams [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/    Bove Letter Ordering Adams Dismissal [via NYT] https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/76308bc134b67d36/4cc46c59-full.pdf    After Meeting With Trump’s Border Czar, Adams Opens Rikers to ICE Agents https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/nyregion/adams-ice-rikers-homan.html   How the Justice Dept. Helped Sink Its Own Case Against Eric Adams https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/nyregion/adams-lawyers-justice-department-dismissal.html   Grand Vizier Musk Is A Problem For The Justice Department https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/grand-vizier-musk-is-a-problem-for   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

    55 min
  3. Ep 106 — The Musk Parasite Multiplies

    11 FEB

    Ep 106 — The Musk Parasite Multiplies

    Donald Trump got bored during the Super Bowl, and now apparently pennies are illegal. Also, as everything Trump torches the entire executive branch, trial judges aim their garden hoses at the flames to save what they can. Today we’ll talk about as many cases as we can cram into an hour. Come for the DOGE take over of Treasury, stay for the Project 2025 shutdown of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.   Links: ABA STATEMENT on the Rule of Law https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/02/aba-supports-the-rule-of-law/   When You’ve Lost Clarence Thomas https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/when-youve-lost-clarence-thomas   New York v. Trump (state Treasury challenge) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69623558/state-of-new-york-v-donald-j-trump/   CNN: Trump stopping penny production https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-doge-usaid-news-02-09-25#cm6yd9c61001m3b6no8ip8cc3   Coinage clause annotated https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C5-1/ALDE_00001066/   Coinage Act of 1792 https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/historical-documents/coinage-act-of-april-2-1792   31 U.S.C. § 5112 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/5112   12 U.S.C. § 5481 et seq. (creating CFPB) https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/12/chapter-53/subchapter-V   Sen. Warren Initial Report on the CFPB https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/2011/07/Report_BuildingTheCfpb1.pdf   Seila Law, LLC v. CFPB https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=14557349188638541514   NTEU V. VOUGHT I docket (CFPB data) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277286/   NTEU V. VOUGHT II docket (CFPB dismantling) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287/   CFPB v. CFSA https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-448_o7jp.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

    59 min
  4. Ep 105 — The Week Everyone Sued The Trump Administration

    7 FEB

    Ep 105 — The Week Everyone Sued The Trump Administration

    Donald Trump’s blitzkrieg of executive orders is running into a million lawsuits. And Elon Musk’s inability to keep his mouth shut isn’t helping. We’ll discuss the avalanche of lawsuits by labor unions, non-profits, FBI agents, and anonymous federal employees, along with the judiciary’s response.    Links:   44 USC § 3501 Note https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/3501   Musk associates sought to use critical Treasury payment system to shut down USAID spending, emails show https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/politics/elon-musk-treasury-department-payment-system/index.html   US v. Illinois docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69616357/united-states-v-state-of-illinois/   FBI Agents Association v. DOJ https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69609596/federal-bureau-of-investigation-agents-association-v-department-of-justice/    AFL-CIO v. Department of Labor docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69613359/afl-cio-v-department-of-labor/    Nat’l Council of Nonprofits v. OMB (“Nonprofits Case”) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583571/national-council-of-nonprofits-v-office-of-management-and-budget/   ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS v. BESSENT (challenge to Treasury/BFS) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69607077/alliance-for-retired-americans-v-bessent/   Doe v. OPM docket (challenge to Musk server spoofing OPM email) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69582338/doe-v-office-of-personnel-management   New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump (challenge to birthright EO) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69560542/new-hampshire-indonesian-community-support-v-trump/    The Three-Headed Chimera of Trumpian Destruction [Gift Link] https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-three-headed-chimera-of-trumpian-destruction/sharetoken/09cb444c-9355-4852-be93-f505cbbd1418    Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

    56 min
  5. Ep 104 — Muskrats Invade Federal Agencies

    4 FEB

    Ep 104 — Muskrats Invade Federal Agencies

    Elon Musk has invaded Washington. He has set loose a pack of feral teenage code monkeys with a god complex inside every federal agency, promising to do for Washington what he did for Twitter. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, and Musk also has a plan to “rightsize” the government by waving unenforceable contracts at federal employees to induce them into resigning. There’s a Fork in the Road all right, but this one is perhaps best not taken. Links: Nat’l Counsel of Nonprofits v. OMB (“Nonprofits Case”) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583571/national-council-of-nonprofits-v-office-of-management-and-budget/   Elon Musk Wants to Get Operational Control of the Treasury’s Payment System. This Could Not Possibly Be More Dangerous by  https://www.crisesnotes.com/elon-musk-wants-to-get-operational-control-of-the-treasurys-payment-system-this-could-not-possibly-be-more-dangerous/ Office of Personnel Management “Fork in the Road” https://www.opm.gov/fork   OPM Guidance on Schedule Policy/Career (formerly Schedule F) https://chcoc.gov/sites/default/files/OPM%20Memorandum%20re%20Schedule%20Policy%20Career%20Guidance%2001-27-25%20FINAL.pdf   American Federation of Gov’t Employees v. Trump docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69588089/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-trump/   VSIP 5 U.S.C. § 3521 et seq. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/part-III/subpart-B/chapter-35/subchapter-II   Truman EO 9830 https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-9830-amending-the-civil-service-rules-and-providing-for-federal-personnel   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

    1h 6m
  6. Ep 103 — Trump Executive Orders Wind Up In All The Courts

    31 JAN

    Ep 103 — Trump Executive Orders Wind Up In All The Courts

    Trump issued dozens of imperial edicts — oh, sorry, executive orders. Many of them are wildly illegal, mostly are deeply cruel, and all are being challenged in court. We’ll discuss the pending injunctions on his birthright citizenship order and the “pause” on government spending so that he can redline the federal budget and delete all the “woke.”    Links:   Trump v. Meta docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/61568745/trump-v-meta-platforms-inc/    American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69588089/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-trump/   OMB M-25-13 https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/deb7af80-48b6-4b8a-8bfa-3d84fd7c3ec8.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_2   OMB CLARIFICATION MEMO https://ngma.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/White%20House%20OMB%20Clarification%20Memo.pdf   Nat’l Counsel of Nonprofits v. OMB (“Nonprofits Case”) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583571/national-council-of-nonprofits-v-office-of-management-and-budget/   State of New York v. Trump (“States Case”) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69585994/state-of-new-york-v-trump/   OPM Guidance on Schedule F https://www.chcoc.gov/content/guidance-implementing-president-trump%E2%80%99s-executive-order-titled-restoring-accountability Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    56 min

About

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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