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Opening Arguments

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Oct 6, 2023 • 1h 7min

OA816: Oh, Rudy!

Liz and Andrew try to cover all the breaking news of the past two days, including Trump's civil and criminal trials, good news out of Alabama, and check out the tire tracks on Sidney Powell's back that seem to spell "Trump." Because it's Listener Friday, the duo answer a question about civil procedure and conflicts of laws that provides the perfect throughline to perhaps the dumbest Rudy Giuliani lawsuit yet. You won't want to miss it! Notes Trump MTD DC https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.74.0.pdf Sidney Powell MTD and general demurrer https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23994770/georgia-v-powell-demurrermotion-to-dismiss.pdf Judge Kaplan Order on Motion in Limine in Carroll III. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.543790/gov.uscourts.nysd.543790.217.0.pdf Trump-appointed US appeals judge calls social media 'dangerous'  https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-appointed-us-appeals-judge-calls-social-media-dangerous-2023-10-03/ Giuliani’s Drinking, Long a Fraught Subject, Has Trump Prosecutors’ Attention https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-drinking.html -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Oct 4, 2023 • 59min

OA815: Trump Gagged, McCarthy Bagged, & GOP Dragged

Today, Liz and Andrew tackle the two biggest stories: Matt Gaetz having ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, and Donald Trump’s civil trial in New York. All that AND an Andrew Was Wrong featuring more on the 14th Amendment. In the Patreon bonus, the two tackle a Liz Was Not Wrong about why Trump doesn’t have a jury trial in New York. Hint: yes you can still make fun of Alina Habba! Notes Justice Engoron Order https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=op8OyfqVHpc6eGTx9LOw3Q== OAG v. Trump appellate decision https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=ReQsiVyUL/PE7F5_PLUS_RuqoMw== CBS News story on Trump conceding to $27 million valuation for Mar-a-Lago https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/trump-mar-a-lago-1-8-billion-own-company-said-it-was-too-high/?espv=1 SCOTUS orders 10/2 https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/100223zor_5368.pdf Eastman petition for cert https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-1138/267263/20230519131455424_230516%20PWC%20corrected.pdf Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142 FC indictment https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23909542/23sc188947-criminal-indictment.pdf Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘Governor Newsom, Laphonza Butler, and the Constitution’s Plain Text,’ New Reform Club (Oct. 2, 2023, 3:54 PM), ;  Josh Blackman & Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘Sweeping and Forcing the President into Section 3: A Response to William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen,’ 28(2) Tex. Rev. L. & Pol. (forth. circa Mar. 2024) (posted on: Sept. 12, 2023), . Is There A Constitutional Right to a Jury Trial of Equitable Defenses in New York?, 74 St. Johns L. Rev. 1 (2000) https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1421&context=lawreview -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Oct 2, 2023 • 1h 10min

OA814: Kevin McCarthy Is An Ex-Speaker & Scott Hall Is An Ex-Defendant

Andrew and Liz explain the recent Congressional funding bill, what it means for the country (good things!) & what it means for Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (bad things). What's a motion to vacate? Listen and find out!   Then, of course, the duo return to discuss all the recent developments in the RICO indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, including the plea deal by bail bondsman & former Donald Trump co-defendant Scott Hall. What does it all mean? We tell you!   Notes Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142   FC indictment  https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23909542/23sc188947-criminal-indictment.pdf -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 28, 2023 • 1h 3min

OA813: BREAKING - Trump Org Gets Death Penalty, Organs To Be Sold For Parts (feat. Mitchell Epner)

Liz and Andrew record a day early to discuss the breaking news out of state court in New York granting partial summary judgment to New York Attorney General Letitia James's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump, his kids, and his businesses over phony valuation statements. The upshot is that the Trump businesses will be dissolved as a matter of law. Mitchell Epner guests to help break down the nuances of New York law and procedure. It's not a criminal conviction, but it's a hell of a start! Notes Justice Engoron Order https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=op8OyfqVHpc6eGTx9LOw3Q== -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 27, 2023 • 1h 12min

OA812: Classified Information and Judge Aileen "Loose" Cannon (feat. Kel McClanahan)

Today, Andrew and Liz welcome back to the show National Security Counselor Kel McClanahan to break down a bunch of filings pursuant to the Classified Information Procedures Act, and tell us how to keep our eyes on Judge Cannon! Notes Chris Geidner "Law Dork" on the Fifth Circuit https://www.lawdork.com/p/fifth-circuit-adf-training-book-ban-social-media CIPA - Appendix 13 to Title 18 of the US Code https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18a/compiledact-96-456 Trump’s motion for CIPA Section 4 scheduling https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.160.0.pdf DOJ CIPA Section 3 Brief https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.162.0.pdf Nauta/DeOliveira CIPA Section 3 Brief https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654.163.0.pdf DOJ CIPA Motion Under Seal in DC ( cover page) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/59/1/united-states-v-trump/ -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 25, 2023 • 1h 6min

OA811: Bob Menendez is NOT Being Indicted For Bribery

Liz and Andrew break down the recent indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez plus much, much more. Notes Menendez indictment https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-09/u.s._v._menendez_et_al_indictment.pdf McDonnell v. US, 136 S.Ct. 2355 (2016) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=7646544289520795258 -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 22, 2023 • 1h 8min

OA810: So Major League Baseball And A Unicorn Walk Into The Supreme Court...

Liz and Andrew break down the week's developments before heading into a deep dive about baseball's antitrust exemption and a new petition for certiorari filed by... unicorns? Even if you're not a sports fan, you won't want to miss this one! Notes OA 696 https://openargs.com/oa696-in-which-james-okeefe-pretends-to-be-a-journalist/ Fulton County GA - DA Willis Motion notifying Judge McAfee of potential conflicts https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23986592/23-0920-notice-of-potential-conflicts-of-interest-concerning-attorneys.pdf Anna Bower, Fake Crocodiles and Fake Electors in Fulton County https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/fake-crocodiles-and-fake-electors-in-fulton-county Project Veritas Suspends All Operations Amid Devastating Layoffs and Fundraising Struggles https://www.mediaite.com/news/new-project-veritas-suspends-all-operations-amid-devastating-layoffs-and-fundraising-struggles/ Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore v. National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, 259 U.S. 200 (1922) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=5457794249908053604 Toolson v. New York Yankees, Inc., 346 U.S. 356 (1953) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1315902585984637212 Flood v. Kuhn, 407 U.S. 258 (1972) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1568944639886480553 -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 20, 2023 • 52min

OA809: Will This One Weird Trick Keep Trump Out of the White House? (Part 1)

In this Episode, Andrew and Liz outline the issues underlying the recent law review article by Professors Will Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen suggesting that Trump can be disqualified from the Presidency by virtue of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. After that, the two return to the linkroll to discuss the many, many developments in and around Trumpworld, including whatever happened to that guy Ray Epps that Tucker Carlson insists is a federal agent plant? (Hint: he's not.) In the Patreon bonus, Liz and Andrew describe more of the sad legal trevails of David Shafer, cosplay elector. Notes OA 35 https://openargs.com/oa35-emoluments-clause-wseth-barrett-tillman-part-1/ OA 36 https://openargs.com/oa36-emoluments-clause-wseth-barrett-tillman-part-2/ Baude & Paulsen, “The Sweep and Force of Section Three”, 172 U. Pa. L. Rev. (forthcoming 2024) https://deliverypdf.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=995103073068092081092071118086002065023073053045056031120084030066073022088005028078011036036121038023044082013118012025083101019006033017032126091082092002112010046001043008098085115025107069005116107119092023024116117112126020097081101012025127123&EXT=pdf&INDEX=TRUE In re Griffin (Griffin’s Case), 11 F. Cas. 7 (1869) https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F.Cas/0011.f.cas/0011.f.cas.0007.html US v. Ray Epps docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67807327/united-states-v-epps/ Anna Bower, On Clerks and Caimans: Jeffrey Clark’s Removal Hearing  https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/on-clerks-and-caimans-jeffrey-clark-s-removal-hearing -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 18, 2023 • 58min

OA808: Ken Paxton Acquitted & You Won't Believe Who's Stumping for Trump's Lawyers

Liz and Andrew talk about the surprising acquittal of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment before discussing the companion efforts to gum up the works in the attempt to hold Donald Trump and his co-conspirators responsible for trying to steal the 2020 Presidential Election. In the Patreon Bonus, Liz and Andrew set the record straight on Michael Flynn in light of the government's recent motion to dismiss Flynn's attempt to sue for wrongful prosecution. (Hint: he was not wrongfully prosecuted.) Notes Middlebrooks order dismissing Trump's motion to disqualify https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.610157/gov.uscourts.flsd.610157.342.0.pdf DOJ motion to dismiss in Flynn v. US https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.411523/gov.uscourts.flmd.411523.38.0.pdf DOJ’s reply to Trump’s motion for Chutkan recusal https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.54.0_2.pdf Trump reply brief supporting DQ Chutkan https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148.58.0.pdf Clark reply sup removal https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.319419/gov.uscourts.gand.319419.41.0.pdf Meese amicus in lawsuit against MLB https://theacru.org/wp-content/uploads/Job-Creators-Network-Amicus-Brief.pdf Axios, “Scoop: How GOP pressured Texas senators over Paxton's impeachment trial” https://www.axios.com/2023/09/17/ken-paxton-texas-impeachment-gop -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
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Sep 15, 2023 • 54min

OA807: Hunter Biden Indicted, Cheese Gets Cut & Rudy... Is Still Rudy

Hunter Biden was indicted; what does it mean? Liz and Andrew bring you that, plus an extra-length linkroll today to cover all the week's developments, all before tackling a listener question about the federal removal statute. In the Patreon bonus, the two talk more about the social media case of Missouri v. Biden, which heads to the Supreme Court. Notes SCOTUS administrative stay in Missouri v. Biden https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63290154/333/missouri-v-biden/ Trump SDFL Docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/ Cannon order granting protective order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.150.0.pdf Willis brief on federal removal https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca11.84175/gov.uscourts.ca11.84175.20.0_4.pdf 2018 GAO gun report https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-18-440.pdf  OA 778 https://openargs.com/oa778-geese-ganders-affirmative-action-are-we-overreacting-to-sffa-v-harvard-feat-guha-krishnamurthi/ OA 790 https://openargs.com/oa790-the-trump-prosecutions-a-tale-of-two-courtooms/ -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

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