Opening Arguments
Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith and lawyer Matt Cameron help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas! The schedule is M-W-F, with the main show on Monday and Friday and Vapid Response on Wednesday!
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OA639: Alex Jones Owes a Literal Billion Dollars
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Alex Jones owes Sandy Hook victims' families... so much money. So, so much. But should we be worried that it will get appealed or reduced or some legal shenanigans will happen? Find out! Then, Andrew breaks down an interesting False Advertising case making waves. Should companies have to be honest about where their products are produced? Or is it ok to engage in a little puffery? Links: Alex Jones Case: How the Jury Divided Nearly $1 Billion in Damages, Peacock v Pabst
OA638: Citizens United, Part 2
Make sure you listened to part 1, episode 636 before you proceed! It's part 2 of the long-awaited Citizens United deep-dive. In this one, we finally get to... Citizens United... Links: McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 93 (2003), Citizens United, SCOTUS decision
OA637: Trump's Appeal Is On Clarence Thomas's Desk, But That's Ok
I mean it isn't really ok that Clarence Thomas is on the Supreme Court, and he definitely should recuse himself from any of this (he won't), HOWEVER, there is no need to freak out about this particular thing. Andrew has the breakdown. Plus, Ken Paxton avoided a deposition... until he didn't. Because he's an idiot. And finally, is Elon Musk going to buy Twitter? And therefore was Andrew wrong? Well.... no. Links: Fund Texas Choice v. Paxton, DOJ motion 11th circuit, Trump opposition, Trump asks SC for stay, why Justice Thomas has the decision, Elon Musk letter, Trump v CNN, The Onion's Amicus Brief
OA636: Finally, a Deep-Dive on Citizens United!
Look it seems impossible, but someone Andrew insists that we've never done a deep-dive on Citizens United! It's obviously one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history, but do you know the details of just HOW terrible it was? Listener Thomas S. certainly didn't. So listen in and be dumbfounded at how tf we got here. Links: Wealth Inequality in the U.S. by Household Type, Has Wealth Inequality in America Changed over Time, Trends in U.S. income and wealth inequality, Unequal gains: American growth and inequality since 1700, founding fathers wealth inequality, United States v. Int'l Union United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW-CIO), 352 U.S. 567 (1957)
OA635: Trump Gets His Special Master, Immediately Regrets It
You can't quite call it f around and find out, since Judge Cannon has bent over backwards and around and through the 4th dimension and back in time for Trump. But Trump got his hand picked Special Master and quickly found out... he's just a Reagan Republican. Not a Qanon shaman. Trump has been caught it 11 different traps. OR WOULD HAVE BEEN except for the absolutely Cannon ball that dropped right after we recorded. Links: Lunn v. Commonwealth (2017), Arizona v. U.S., 567 U.S. 387 (2012), 18 U.S. Code Chapter 77 - PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, "A-M-P" Model, Justice Manual, the appointment order, order following partial stay, case management order, motion to stay, revised filing, Trump opposition to Dearie's CMO, Rule 53. Masters, 18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information, DOJ;s reply, Trump opposition to extension of time
OA634: Wizards of the Coast vs. Transphobic Racists
Some transphobic and racist a$$holes stole a DnD-like game from Wizards of the Coast and tried to use it for their own racist transphobic purposes with a really stupid "one weird trick." They got busted and dueling lawsuits followed. Andrew has the breakdown! Links: complaint against wizards, answer and counterclaim, TSR Online Store, Wizards of the Coast files lawsuit against TSR LLC, Schuh affidavit, Rainwater affidavit
OA633: Why Adnan Was Released
No doubt you've heard the huge news – Adnan Syed has been released. So what happened? Is there really new evidence? New suspects? Does this mean he didn't actually kill Hae? Find out! Then, big news in the Nara-Lago case! We recorded a breakdown before the 11th Circuit granted DoJ's appeal, and then Andrew was able to record a follow up after! So, tons of stuff in today's show! Links: Other Postconviction Review, OA107: Adnan Syed Obviously Did It, State v. Syed 2019, Motion to vacate, DOJ Trump reply
OA632: Alex Jones's Lawyers Still Don't Know WTF They're Doing
Despicable a**hole Alex Jones is getting properly destroyed in court once again. You might be thinking, what is it Groundhog Day? But no, this is not the Texas trial in which he got suitably destroyed. This is yet another trial over his disgusting lies about Sandy Hook. This one is being tried in Connecticut, which you may recognize as the state where Sandy Hook happened. If you thought his lawyers botched the last one, wait until you hear some clips from this one! Presented brilliantly by Ace Associate Morgan Stringer!
OA631: Updates on Trump Treason!
Listen as local attorney P. Andrew Torrez attempts to beat the Guinness World Record for most bullet points covered in an OA episode! From candid golf shots, to mystery DC tarmac photos, to subpoenas and sh*t rulings by a sh*t judge, this week brings 8 Trump Treason items to update you on! And of course, plenty mini-dives on the way! Links: NY Attorney General May Sue Trump, Eastman Emails, Mark Meadows complied with DOJ subpoena, Save America PAC FEC disclosure, About – Conservative Partnership Institute, Trump Makes Conveniently Timed Donation To Mark Meadows's Employer, Reinhart Mar-a-Lago less redacted affidavit, DOJ reply in support of relief
OA630: Court Says Employers Can Deny Even More Healthcare Because... Religion
Reason number a billion why we need to prevent right wing Christian Nationalists from ever having any power at all in this country – Braidwood Management, Inc. v. Becerra. Under Republican rule, if I have a 'sincerely held belief' that bats are birds, no one is allowed to question that or tell me I'm wrong, and I can refuse to pay for any healthcare I want if I can link it to my stupid belief. Listen as Andrew breaks down this horrible f*cking decision. Also, we some more updates on the DoJ's appeal to the 11th circuit. Links: Appeal to 11th Cir docketed, DOJ motion for stay pending appeal, Judge Cannon ordered Trump response, Trump Cannon media brief, Special master joint brief, 42 U.S. Code § 300gg - Fair health insurance premiums
OA629: Hack Judge Hands Trump a Win. What Comes Next?
The napkin with crayon scribbling on it that Trump's lawyers submitted was somehow... granted? by Judge Cannon, whom we now know to be a complete MAGA hack. This ruling was such an embarrassment to the rule of law that even Republican judges will recognize it. So what comes next? What will an appeal look like? Also Andrew covers the brilliant strategy undertaken by DoJ lawyers that will give them an advantage in this next step. Before that, more on the Alaska ranked choice election, and can states charge income tax on student loan forgiveness? Links: Kel McClanahan article, 28 U.S. Code § 1292 - Interlocutory decisions, Hoosiers will be taxed hundreds of dollars on student loan forgiveness, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021, 26 U.S. Code § 108 - Income from discharge of indebtedness, 42 U.S. Code § 300gg - Fair health insurance premiums
OA628: Sarah Palin LOSES! A Win for Ranked Choice?
It's a situation as confusing as it is incredible – Sarah Palin, who won an open primary for the AK House Seat, has LOST. The Democrat, Mary Peltola, despite coming in LAST in the primary, has WON! How did this happen? Ranked choice voting! But is that good? Does this make sense? Imagine if this were the Democratic equivalent, would we be happy? Or would it not happen? Then, Better Call Saul is being sued by a tax company that is virtually identical to the dirtbag one portrayed in the show. Is the lawsuit credible? Links: Alaska's Better Elections Initiative, Al Gross for Congress, JTH Tax, LLC d/b/a Liberty Tax Service v. AMC Networks
OA627: How To Convict Donald Trump
The more we learn, the worse it gets for Trump. It's almost like he's a pathological narcissist without any regard for laws. Today Andrew breaks down two ways to convict Trump, using two different provisions of the law. Links: motion opposing special master, DOJ exhibits, United States v. Gonzalez, 18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information, Proving Intent at Mar-a-Lago, The Trump Warrant Had No Legal Basis - WSJ, 44 U.S. Code § 2201, 44 U.S. Code § 2202 - Ownership of Presidential records, 44 U.S. Code § 2203 - Management and custody of Presidential records, 44 U.S. Code § 2205 - Exceptions to restricted access, 44 U.S. Code § 2204 - Restrictions on access to Presidential records
OA626: F(boi)POTUS Is So Porked
For real, things are not going well for Trump. We get that he's Teflon Don, but even those teflon pans get messed up if you scratch them with a knife or if they steal a bunch of top secret documents. Listen and enjoy as Andrew details the many ways Trump is having a very bad law thingy. Links: Response to Media Queries About Presidential Records, Redacted warrant affidavit, Trump's terrible motion, Cover sheet, rule 41g, Judge Slapdown, trump response, "Anomalous" Federal Jurisdiction, Rule 65. Injunctions and Restraining Orders, letter from archives, Navarro reply brief
OA625: Student Loan Forgiveness!
Biden not only kept his campaign promise, but expanded on it! Andrew breaks down the history of the student loan debt problem and what Biden's plan is. It's good news!