Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

A discussion on ongoing legal trials involving Donald Trump, including fraud prosecution, defamation trial, vote subversion allegations, Stormy Daniels' hush money payments, and collection of classified documents. An analysis of the Eileen Cannon case, its potential consequences, and judge's temporary suspension of discovery issues. Challenges of navigating overwhelming news, implications of incendiary posts, and analyzing Trump's defense strategy. Concern over MAGA ideology and constitutional lawyering.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy to discuss the stakes of this moment for American democracy. They explore Protect Democracy's work in protecting election workers, addressing disinformation through lawsuits, and the dangers of authoritarianism. They highlight the need for regulations on new forms of communication and emphasize the importance of individuals in strengthening democracy.

The podcast discusses a Supreme Court case involving a racial gerrymander disguised as a political one. It explores the impact of gerrymandering on the Gullah people and their cultural preservation. The speakers express frustration with ongoing voting rights issues and the difficulty of proving circumstantial evidence. They analyze the evidence and lower court decisions in racial gerrymandering cases and emphasize the importance of addressing racial issues and protecting voting rights.

Elizabeth Warren joins Dahlia Lithwick to discuss the Supreme Court's stance on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Investigative reporter Andrea Bernstein explains Leonard Leo's influence on reshaping the courts. The podcast also covers Trump's business fraud trial in New York City.

The podcast discusses the upcoming Supreme Court term, highlighting cases related to commerce and second amendment extremism. It explores topics such as the influence of wealth on rulings, the challenges faced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, weak physician harm claims, the wealth tax case, and potential implications of a Trump victory on the Supreme Court.

Ryan Busse, former gun-industry executive and gun-safety advocate, discusses the radicalization of gun culture and its influence on Supreme Court decisions. Dr. Alison Block explores the challenges faced by red state abortion providers in the confusing legal landscape created by Dobbs. The podcast also touches on the controversial Bohemian Grove and the Propublica report on billionaire-funded interest groups.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by award-winning documentarian and lawyer Dawn Porter to discuss the Supreme Court's history and its current crisis of legitimacy. They explore the power of women in bringing about political change and highlight Porter's new documentary series on the Supreme Court. The chapter also explores the role of race, religion, and gender in shaping the Supreme Court, as well as the symbolism of the justices' robes. The episode concludes with gratitude and a promotion for Lithwick's book.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Marc Elias, who has litigated more election and voting cases than almost anyone, to talk about Alabama’s disregard for SCOTUS’ decision in the big Voting Rights Act case of last term, and why the lawlessness is the point. They also delve into the dangers of tying the disqualification of former President Donald J Trump from office under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the outcomes in his criminal trials. And why, when it comes to defending democracy, depending on the courts may make sense in the short term, but faces serious problems in the long term.In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Dahlia is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern to discuss Justice Samuel Alito’s chosen venue to publish a love letter to Senator Dick Durbin, Chief Justice John Roberts’ chosen venue to publish a love letter to Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and why a major religious freedom case is looking more and more like a fake spike.  Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Dahlia’s book Lady Justice: Women, the Law and the Battle to Save America, is also available as an audiobook, and Amicus listeners can get a 25 percent discount by entering the code “AMICUS” at checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judge Margaret M McKeown of the Ninth Circuit explores the environmental legacy of William O. Douglas, and discusses how his activism balanced with his role as a judge. They also delve into his influence and lobbying efforts in Congress, and the ethical considerations he faced. The conversation highlights the importance of studying history and learning from it.

In Amicus’ summer series of conversations about books that expanded our thinking about justice and the courts, beyond the churn of headlines, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Joshua Prager to discuss his book The Family Roe: An American Story, about the unknown lives at the heart of Roe v Wade. Sign up for Slate Plus now to support our show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices