Opening Arguments show

Opening Arguments

Summary: Every episode, legal expert Andrew and comic relief Thomas will tackle a popular legal topic and give you all the tools you need to understand the issue and win every argument you have on Facebook, with your Uncle Frank, or wherever someone is wrong on the Internet. It's law. It's politics. It's fun. We don't tell you what to think, we just set up the Opening Arguments.

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Podcasts:

 OA288: More Led Zeppelin! (& Legal Ethics with Amy Chua) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:08:38

Today's episode explains exactly what happened with the story you probably saw about how Led Zeppelin "got a new hearing" in their lawsuit with the estate of Randy California. We also break down the latest ethical wrangling over Yale law professor Amy Chua and Brett Kavanaugh.

 OA287: Down the Hatch (Act)? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:27:44

Today's Rapid Response Friday covers all of the breaking developments this week, including a ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the latest news out of the House of Representatives, and the Office of Special Counsel's latest request that Donald Trump should fire Kellyanne Conway for "flagrant" serial violations of the Hatch Act.

 OA286: The Census and Disenfranchisement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 55:36

Today's episode takes a deep dive into recent developments following the death of Republican operative Thomas Hofeller -- the architect of the REDMAP -- that may impact the census question case currently pending before the Supreme Court, Department of Commerce v. New York.

 OA285: Tulsi Gabbard & Michael Flynn | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:10:48

Today's instant-breaking episode takes a look at the significance of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn's decision to fire his lawyers, Andrew's buddies over at Covington & Burling. Oh, and we also take a semi- deep-dive into President Trump's decision to impose tariffs on "all goods" imported from Mexico. What does it all mean? Listen and find out!

 OA284: Drain the Swamp, Starring Gordon Hartogensis | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:02:41

Today's episode brings together three seemingly-unrelated stories: (1) understanding the looming crisis at the Pension Benefits Guarantee Corporation; (2) figuring out who Gordon Hartogensis is and why he's about to gain control over potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in assets; and finally, (3) putting together all the pieces to see how President Trump has acted to protect his crony, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, from potential criminal and civil liability in connection with his management of

 OA283: Mueller Speaks! (& Clarence Thomas Pens a Nonsensical Concurrence) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:26:37

Today's episode breaks down the statement made this week by Robert Mueller in connection with his report and investigation. We also break down the Supreme Court's brief, two-page per curiam order in Box v. Planned Parenthood and the sprawling, nonsensical 20-page concurrence written by Clarence Thomas.

 OA282: OREO (& The Real HUD Scandal) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:26:49

Lost in the (justifiable) concern over Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson's apparent lack of understanding of REOs, OREO, and just about anything pertinent to his job is a recently-proposed HUD rule that would deliberately reverse an Obama-era regulation requiring nondiscrimination in the provision of services to the homeless based on gender identity.

 OA281: Follow the Money! (Analyzing Judge Mehta's Order) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:13:23

Today's episode breaks down Judge Mehta's recent order in the Trump v. Mazars litigation, which is parallel to the Deutsche Bank lawsuit we discussed on last week's show. Why is this ruling significant, how does it accelerate the House's efforts to uncover crucial financial documents, and what does this mean for the future of the Trump Presidency?

 OA280: Abortion Rights Under Assault | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:19:01

Today's episode takes an in-depth look at the recent abortion bans passed in Georgia and Alabama, breaking down exactly what these laws say (and don't say!) to help you sort through the panic from the actual news.

 OA279: Deutsche Wanna Loan? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:14:51

Today's episode breaks down everything you need to know about the pending Trump v. Deutsche Bank lawsuit over the pending Congressional subpoenas for Donald Trump's (and Don Jr.'s, and Eric's, and Ivanka's, and the Trump Organization's) financial records. Why is Trump suing Deutsche Bank, and what's going to happen?

 OA278: The Founding Myth (w/guest Andrew Seidel) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:01:12

Today's episode features a long-form interview with one of our favorite recurring guests, Andrew Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. He's on to discuss his just-released book, The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un- American.

 OA277: The Republican Civil War | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:24:55

Today's episode breaks down everything you need to know about what's going to happen with the House Judiciary Committee's vote to recommend holding Bill Barr in contempt of Congress. Is this all going to go nowhere in a Trump-dominated executive and a right-wing judiciary? Find out why Andrew's optimistic, and why he calls the underlying dynamic the coming Republican Civil War!

 OA276: Did Kansas Really Show Us The Way Forward on Abortion Rights? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:21:42

Today's episode features an in-depth analysis of Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt, a recent decision out of the Kansas Supreme Court holding that -- whatever the U.S. Supreme Court does -- the Kansas state constitution protects a woman's right to choose. Join us to understand how this decision is important not only for Kansans but for all of us as we deal with the challenges created by the increasingly Trump-ified federal bench.

 OA275: Yes, Bill Barr Perjured Himself | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:15:19

Today's episode covers everything you need to know about Bill Barr's testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee (and his refusal to testify before the House). Has he perjured himself? (Yes.) Is there a reasonable defense of Barr? (No.)

 OA274: Arguing Before the Supreme Court (with Monica Miller) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:04:46

Today's episode features an in-depth interview with Monica Miller, counsel for the American Humanist Association and (we think!) the second-youngest person ever to argue before the Supreme Court! Just last month, Monica argued the AHA's position in Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission v. American Humanist Association before the Supreme Court,

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