Opening Arguments

There aren't words harsh enough to describe how disgusting, anti-American, and undemocratic the Texas v. Pennsylvania complaint is. Believe me, I checked my thesaurus. 18 Republican attorneys general have joined in this horrific, garbage attempt to keep their emperor Trump in power despite the wishes of 80+ million voters. We get Andrew's deep-dive, as he's as angry as he's ever been (which sounds pretty much like normal Andrew.) Before that, we talk about the closing of the Flynn case, and how Opening Arguments is now super famous for having influenced Judge Sullivan! Links: Flynn final order, compare p 21 with our brief, Texas v. Pennsylvania, Arizona v. California, Arizona insane amicus brief, Trump motion to intervene, terrible constitutional attorneys amicus, Foster v. Love

According to the new fundamentalist majority on the Supreme Court, churches have the right to spread COVID as much as they damn well please and no one is allowed to tell them otherwise. Andrew Seidel is back on the show to give the full breakdown of just how terrible Roman Catholic Diocese v. Cuomo is.

Trump is looking poised to pardon everything not nailed down on his way out of the White House. You've got pardons in exchange for bribes, run-of-the-mill corrupt pardons, preemptive pardons(?), family pardons, and god knows what else. Andrew breaks it all down for us! Also an update on state certification (IT'S OVER, BEAST!) Links: Election results certification dates 2020, Court filing on DOJ pardon investigation, Trump Has Discussed With Advisers Pardons for His 3 Eldest Children and Giuliani, Can Trump Pre-emptively Pardon Allies or Himself? Clemency Power, Explained, Flynn Pardon, Clint Lorance pardon, FIRST BLACK ARMY OFFICER IS PARDONED BY CLINTON

Friend of the show Randall Eliason wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post called "The case against indicting Trump." Both of us on the show strongly disagree with the arguments presented and humbly submit our enthusiastic rebuke of it. Before that, Andrew answers the clickbaity question of whether or not Trump made a major mistake in pardoning Flynn. As with all clickbait, the answer is no. Finally, we briefly touch on the terrible new decision out of the Amy Coney Barrett era that is our new hell. Links: Last election nail, Biden hopes to avoid divisive Trump investigations, Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses Seventh Edition May 2007, REPORT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE UNITED STATES SENATE, 20A87 Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo (11/25/2020)

Happy Thanksgiving! Just like the criminals of the Trump era, Opening Arguments never stops. Just as we went to record, Trump pardoned Flynn via Tweet. Andrew gives us his thoughts on that. Then we cover a couple more things Andrew was right about that should reduce your blood pressure a little! (and one thing that might raise it..) Our main segment is about how Lindsey Graham likely broke several laws in his attempts to influence the vote counting in this election. What's more, there are several things we can do about it! Find out! Links: 3rd Circuit letter, GSA ascertainment letter, Election results certification dates, 2020, OA325: Putin's Puppet? The Open Skies Treaty, Trump administration pulls out of Open Skies treaty with Russia, False Positive Rate for Signature Matching, 52 US Code § 10307 - Prohibited acts, 52 US Code § 10308 - Civil and criminal sanctions, 2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 21 - ELECTIONS, 2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 45 - PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, US Senate: About Expulsion, No Senator Has Been Expelled Since 1862

He still lost, folks! It's over. In our main segment today, we discuss the Electoral College calendar and when things are finally set in stone. But what about faithless electors??? We've got an Andrew for that too. This episode should help you feel fine about the fact that Trump still lost. In the first segment we talk about a few things Andrew nailed his predictions on, including Chad Wolf and Kathryn Kimball Mizelle. Links: Chad Wolf not lawfully appointed, Chris Krebs, List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump, OA420: DoJ Defending Trump in Carroll Case?, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on Twitter: "She is also the wife of Chad Mizelle", OA379: Trump's Contempt for the Press & Husch Blackwell, Trump campaign agrees to drop its defamation lawsuit against a tiny Wisconsin TV station, The Electoral College, Election results certification dates, 2020, Arizona Revised Statutes § 16-648 (2019).

Rudy Giuliani is as bad at being a lawyer as he is at wearing a believable human suit. Both of these shortcomings were on full display this week as Trump's top lawyer continued to not only lose case after case, but also display an impressive ability to not have any idea what any legal term actually means. Also in this episode, Andrew tells us about the Kim Davis of this election - GSA Administrator Emily Murphy. Murphy can't seem to understand which number is bigger than the other. Then ace associate Morgan Stringer joins us to provide a few highlights of Giuliani's insane ramblings. She listened so that none of us have to! Links: 3 U.S.C. 102, CFPB Announces Additional Member of Taskforce, The Law of Presidential Transitions and the 2000 Election, Lawsuit tracker: Trump’s battle faces skepticism from judges, Marks v. Stinton.

It's a 97% Trump-free episode! First we have to cover the bullet points Andrew foolishly thought we could get to last week, including questions like: does a 50-50 Senate mean no more Majority Leader McConnell? and what consequences should there be for law firms that take Trump's money and file frivolous election lawsuits? and more! Then we get to the main signature deep dive, and it's not a happy one. ***content note: this episode contains discussion of sexual assault.*** Some Jehovah's Witnesses church leaders emotionally abused a rape victim, who was a minor, and she very justifiably sued them. But the backwards-ass Mormon judges of Utah conveniently decided churches can do... whatever. While this is likely to be overturned by the Supreme Court, it also might damage Church-State Separation along the way. Links: Jones Day Statement Regarding Election Litigation, Snell & Wilmer withdraws from election lawsuit, Jehovah's Witnesses Lawsuit, Court hears case of woman suing Utah Jehova's Witnesses over rape audio.

While it cannot be overstated how disgusting, unpatriotic, anti-American, and anti-Democratic this pathetic coup attempt by Trump and Republicans is, it also has no chance of working. At least, according to our resident optimist, Andrew Torrez! Before that, Andrew gives us the breakdown on the Affordable Care Act case, and why the media might be completely wrong in how they're covering it. Links: California v. Texas, best Trump case still terrible, Montgomery County Election Results, 25 P.S. § 3150.16, 25 P.S. § 3150.14, In re Recount of Ballots (Pa. 1974)

As always, we can't emphasize enough how important it is to win the two Georgia runoffs, but today's show covers why we COULD still win in North Carolina. It involves court thingies. Then in the main segment, Andrew tells us how exactly Biden can play hardball in the event that we don't win the Senate. There's still a lot we can do. Biden's administration had better be show listeners because this is top notch free legal consulting! Links: 4th Cir. on North Carolina Ballots, Wise v. Circosta, OA415: DeJoy's Illegal Dismantling of the USPS, NAACP v USPS, 5 US Code § 3345 - Acting officer, 15-1251 NLRB v. SW General, Inc, 5 US Code § 3346 - Time limitation, 5 US Code § 3349a - Presidential inaugural transitions, 5 US Code § 3349c - Exclusion of certain officers, Fed Figures 2014: Federal Workforce, Demographic Profile of the Federal Workforce, As of September 30, 2010, L.M.-M., et al., Plaintiffs, v. KENNETH T. CUCCINELLI II, Legality of Service of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, OA61: Flyin' the Friendly Skies