Boom! Lawyered

Anti-choice politicians are pushing a new legislative strategy to demonize their opponents and confuse the public: so-called Born Alive bills. In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess dissect the myths propping up this strategy and give you all the tools you need to combat anti-choice lies about later abortion.

An unforgettable day of testimony on Capitol Hill began with Republicans demanding a do-over because—wait for it—they didn't get documents on time. For anyone who followed the Kavanaugh hearings, that might be funny if it wasn't so sad. And that was just the beginning! In this emergency episode of Boom! Lawyered, Jess and Imani discuss some of the most pressing legal questions and concerning developments from Michael Cohen's day of testimony before the House oversight committee.

This week, the Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal by Kathrine McKee, a woman who publicly accused Bill Cosby of raping her more than 40 years ago. As part of this decision, Clarence Thomas issued an alarming concurring opinion that may signal the start of a prolonged attack on the First Amendment in the courts. Imani and Jess explain how this fight may take shape and what could change forever if Thomas's position wins out.

In several states, there are evangelical adoption and foster care agencies trying to keep federal funding while refusing to place children in LGBTQ or non-Christian families—and now the Trump administration may help them. Jess and Imani break down who's behind these discriminatory efforts and what they mean for kids and parents around the country. 

Last night, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to block an anti-choice law in Louisiana from taking effect while it is being challenged in the courts. John Roberts was the deciding vote. Yes, you read that correctly. Is this a one-time thing, or does this signal that Roberts is moving to the middle on abortion? And what's next for abortion rights in Louisiana and around the country? Join Jess and Imani for a discussion of all of this plus an interview with Center for Reproductive Rights senior counsel (and lead attorney on this case!) T.J. Tu.

The Supreme Court issued a stay against an anti-choice law in Louisiana—but only for a few days? Jess and Imani try to make sense of this puzzling move by the Court and what might happen next.

The Fifth Circuit has teed up a big test for Chief Justice John Roberts in a case out of Louisiana that involves hospital admitting privilege requirements for abortion providers. If Roberts respects precedent as much as he says he does, the law should be dead in the water. But is it?

In the second and final day of confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee William Barr, witnesses testified both for and against his nomination. Some of it was fluff, but some of it was fire. Imani and Jess break down the key takeaways as a confirmation vote draws near.

Jess and Imani sift through the testimony of Attorney General nominee William Barr, including his subtle but serious signals that he might be a danger to civil rights and immigration justice.

The Trump administration plans to take a sledgehammer to the birth control benefit. Imani and Jess explain why its approach might not be entirely legal thanks to a little-known—but super-important—law called the Administrative Procedure Act. Read more from Imani: I Can’t Believe It’s 2019 and We’re Still Arguing About the Birth Control Benefit