

Law and Chaos
Liz Dye
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 15, 2024 • 1h
Ep 73— Everything Must Go: The Alex Jones Edition
The courts are closed, but crazy never takes a break. We’ll check in on Alex Jones’s bankruptcy liquidation, Donald Trump’s shenanigans in the election interference case, and the horror show now that the mifepristone case is back before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Subscribers catch up with Peter Navarro, who seems to be working at cross purposes to his old boss in federal court — although perhaps it hasn’t yet occurred to him. Links: Free Speech Systems Auction Page https://360assetadvisors.com/events/fssmh/ US v. Trump (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc L&C on Trump Revoking CBS’s “license” https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/no-the-fcc-cant-revoke-cbss-license Oklahoma RFP 00000555 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JbS0fT-wBSpLhKojxAv_BN5htPPKSi1g1d8bfbz-wWE/edit?tab=t.0 Alex Jones TX plaintiff appeal https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txsb.457706/gov.uscourts.txsb.457706.1028.0.pdf FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (2024) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-235_n7ip.pdf Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine docket (ND Tex.) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067 Navarro order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.245941/gov.uscourts.dcd.245941.53.0.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Oct 11, 2024 • 45min
Ep 72 — Did SCOTUS Leave A Second Escape Hatch For Trump In The Election Case?
The Trump election interference case is back, and the immunity ruling isn’t the only way the Supreme Court tried to kneecap it. A case called Fischer v. US may prove fatal as well. Also, we take your questions of Florida’s abortion and marijuana ballot initiatives. And for subscribers, we catch up with Kraken weirdos Stefanie Lambert and Patrick Byrne. Links: FL Stat. 101-161 http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0101/Sections/0101.161.html Fischer v. US (2024) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-5572_l6hn.pdf US v. Trump (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc Trump opp redacted appendix https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148.259.0_2.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Oct 8, 2024 • 59min
Ep 71 — Trump Judges Discover One Weird Trick To Get Rid Of Federal Regs (Hint: It Is A Sharpie!)
They’re baaaaaack! The Supreme Court’s October term starts this week, and the howler monkey wing is ready to FSU. Down in Florida, Trump appointee Judge Kathryn Mizelle is doing her best Aileen Cannon impersonation. That story has an old school deep dive from Andrew into 13th century Saxony and beyond. And, for subscribers, we’ll unpack an amazing grift in Oklahoma. Links: ABA Letter rating Mizelle “Not Qualified” https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/government_affairs_office/2020-09-08chair-rating-letter-to-graham-and-feinstein-re-nomination-of-kathryn-kimball-mizelle.pdf?logActivity=true False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Subchapter III https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-37/subchapter-III US ex rel Clarissa Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.364103/gov.uscourts.flmd.364103.346.0.pdf 2007 OLC Memo re Relators https://www.justice.gov/file/494641/dl?inline OKLAHOMA TRUMP BIBLES https://www.lawdork.com/p/oklahoma-ryan-walters-bible-inhalers OKLAHOMA RFP https://sde.ok.gov/ev00000555 Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 13min
Ep 70 — “Make Them Riot. Do It!!!”
Special Counsel Jack Smith filed his opening salvo since the Supreme Court invented a new doctrine of absolute presidential immunity. Trump complained that the immunity brief is functionally a mini-Special Counsel report, and he’s not wrong. But if you don’t want your crimes on the public docket, maybe don’t try to overthrow democracy! Liz and Andrew break down the latest in Trump’s election interference case. Links: US v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?order_by=desc Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Oct 1, 2024 • 1h 1min
Ep 69 — Alex Jones, Eric Adams, And Donald Trump Walk Into A Bar
It’s a regular Star Wars bar on today’s show, with updates in Donald Trump’s election interference case and Alex Jones’s bankruptcy. But the real star is New York Mayor Eric Adams, who wants to dismiss his indictment because the Supreme Court says it’s not a bribe if you don’t get paid until after you do the official act. It’s a gratuity, which is as American as apple pie! Links: US v. Adams [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/ Free Speech Systems Bankruptcy [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/64868456/free-speech-systems-llc-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors-of/ Alex Jones Bankruptcy [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66583024/alexander-e-jones-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors/ Alex Jones' Company To Be Broken Up And Sold For Scrap https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/alex-jones-company-to-be-broken-up Tell Alex Jones to Eat Shit: Let’s Buy Infowars https://thebarbedwire.com/2024/09/30/tell-alex-jones-to-eat-shit-lets-buy-infowars/ Sistersong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective v. State of Georgia, Order https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25178630-mcburney-sistersong-final-order Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Sep 27, 2024 • 48min
Ep 68 — Eric Adams Thought He’d Be President, And So Did His Turkish Handlers
The Mayor of New York was federally indicted for taking bribes from the Turkish government. He was not indicted for taking notes on a criminal f***ing conspiracy in flagrant violation of the Stringer Bell Rule. But perhaps the feds are saving that for a superseding indictment. And for subscribers: an update on the DC election interference case. Links: US v. Adams [SDNY Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/ US v. Trump [DC Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/united-states-v-trump/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Sep 24, 2024 • 48min
Ep 67 — Election Shenanigans Palooza
It’s a roundup day! Time to run down the latest efforts to mess with the vote, from Georgia to Nebraska and all places in between. Then Cards Against Humanity sues SpaceX, and the complaint is a thing of beauty. Finally, let’s talk about Republicans’ grudging plan to NOT sink the economy before November. Please clap! Links: Fuzzy Math: Wrong Way Reforms for Allocating Electoral Votes https://fairvote.app.box.com/v/fuzzy-math-wrong-way-reforms RFK Jr. FEC Statement of Candidacy https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=2ofcShRVs71csui/f9Yq6g== New York election law 1-104 https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/election-law/eln-sect-1-104/ 31 U.S.C § 3101 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3101 Debt limit votes 1978 to present https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R41814.pdf HR 9494 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9494/text Treasury debt data https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny GA Hand Count Rule https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/seb-notice_of_proposed_rulemaking_183_1_12_.12a5_hand_count.pdf Cards Against Humanity Stops the Wall https://cardsagainsthumanitystopsthewall.com/ https://www.cahsuesmusk.com/ Cards Against Humanity v. SpaceX Complaint https://cah-sues-elon-musk.s3.amazonaws.com/240919+Plaintiff's+Original+Petition.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Sep 20, 2024 • 53min
Ep 66 — Things You Wish You Didn’t Know, Some Of Them Not Even About Trump
Republican Mark Robinson hopes to be North Carolina’s next governor. Trump hopes he will go away and stop dragging down the ticket. Meanwhile, the documents case hits the Eleventh Circuit, and outside amici are asking the appeals court to disqualify Judge Aileen Cannon. And in Arizona, a federal judge told Mark Meadows to GTFO with his claim that he was doing official White House business when he tried to steal the state’s electors in 2020. Subscribers will get a deep dive into the sh*tshow that is Trump Media Technology Group stock. Links: US v. Combs [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69167625/united-states-v-combs/ ‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/politics/kfile-mark-robinson-black-nazi-pro-slavery-porn-forum -TMTG/DJT Form S-4 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1849635/000119312524036093/d408563ds4a.htm TMTG Pitch Deck https://tmtgcorp.com/static/tmtg-company-overview-f6cfb16513c78a61681aea3bbdae7a78.pdf US v. Trump [Eleventh Circuit Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68955302/united-states-v-donald-trump/ -Meadows AZ state court indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979.1.1_1.pdf Arizona v. Meadows Order of Remand https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979.21.0_2.pdf US v. Torkington https://casetext.com/case/us-v-torkington ProPublica, Judge Aileen Cannon Failed to Disclose a Right-Wing Junket https://www.propublica.org/article/judge-aileen-cannon-trump-documents-case-travel-disclosures Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Sep 17, 2024 • 42min
Ep 65 — Can You Censor the Internet By Shouting ‘It’s For the Kids?’
Utah tried to implement an age verification requirement for social media. The governor even got into a fight with our guest, free speech lawyer Ari Cohn, on Twitter, when he pointed out that the law was patently unconstitutional. But now a federal judge has enjoined it, because there is no One Weird Trick to get around the First Amendment. Did Gov. Cox ever apologize? Links: Nechoice v. Reyes [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68097000/netchoice-llc-v-reyes/ Utah Netchoice opinion https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.utd.145120/gov.uscourts.utd.145120.86.0_1.pdf Social Media and Youth Mental Health https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Sep 13, 2024 • 41min
Ep 64 — Debate Debacle Denouement
After Kamala Harris dogwalked Trump in Tuesday’s debate, he’s been melting down on every platform and demanding retribution against ABC. How many ways is that threat BS? All the ways! Meanwhile, it’s not just Taylor Swift who hates Donald Trump. It’s basically every artist on earth. And they’re making their feelings known in court. Finally, subscribers get a look at recent court decisions keeping RFK Jr on and off the ballot. Links: NC Supreme Court Ruling Re RFK Ballot Removal https://appellate.nccourts.org/orders.php?t=P&court=1&id=439795&pdf=1&a=0&docket=1&dev=1 MI Trial Court Ruling Re RFK Ballot Removal https://aboutblaw.com/bfuX ABC Should Be Prosecuted For Illegal Contributions To Harris In ‘Debate’ https://thefederalist.com/2024/09/11/abc-should-be-prosecuted-for-illegal-contributions-to-harris-in-debate/ Hayes v. Trump docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.332945/ Hayes v. Trump PI order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.332945/gov.uscourts.gand.332945.60.0.pdf Trump BMI Music License for Political Entities https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.332945/gov.uscourts.gand.332945.28.2.pdf Musicians Who Oppose Donald Trump (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musicians_who_oppose_Donald_Trump%27s_use_of_their_music White v. Trump (Docket via Court Listener) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69144689/white-v-trump/?order_by=desc Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod