Law and Chaos

Goblinlover Alex Jones is threatening to jail Ben Collins, CEO of the Onion for trying to buy InfoWars. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustee is threatening to seek sanctions against Alex Jones’s lawyers for making frivolous arguments and telling half-truths. What’s next for the efforts to find some measure of justice for the Sandy Hook families? Plus, Donald Trump seems poised to hand over the nation’s national security secrets to a bunch of goons who couldn’t get cleared for a job as a mall cop. Can he do that? We welcome back Kel McClanahan of National Security Counselors to answer all of our security clearance-related questions. Links:   Alex Jones Bankruptcy docket (SDTX) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txsb.459750/   Support and donate to: www.nationalsecuritylaw.org Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

The Onion is buying Infowars! Unless a bankruptcy judge puts the kibosh on the sale. And Rudy Giuliani’s lawyers are pulling the ripcord in the Freeman/Moss case. Also … Attorney General Matt Gaetz? WTF?!?!   Links:   Onion Press Release https://theonion.com/heres-why-i-decided-to-buy-infowars/    Alex Jones Bankruptcy docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66583024/alexander-e-jones/   Giuliani - Caruso Declaration - lawyers withdrawing https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.626017/gov.uscourts.nysd.626017.110.0.pdf   New York Rules of Professional Conduct https://nysba.org/app/uploads/2024/02/20240226-Rules-of-Professional-Conduct-as-amended-6.10.2022.pdf   Matt Gaetz ethics report https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/matt-gaetz-ethics-committee-report.html   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

A week after the election, Trump is already demanding that Congress bend the knee and allow him to staff his administration without bothering to get Senate confirmation. Can he do that? And will the new Senate majority leader let him?   Links:   Musk's X seeks to steer lawsuits to conservative court in Texas https://www.reuters.com/legal/musks-x-seeks-steer-lawsuits-conservative-court-texas-2024-10-17/    Federalist No. 67 (Hamilton) https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/federalist-no-67/   Noel Canning v. NLRB https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=67923386243166640 Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Well, it happened. We talk about what the election of Donald Trump means for you, for the country, for this show, and for the efforts to hold Trump accountable for his crimes against the American people. Special Counsel Jack Smith has announced that he intends to “wrap up” his office; we tell you why and what that means. We’ll be here with you, and we’ll always tell you the truth.   Links:   NPR report: Smith To Wind Down https://www.npr.org/2024/11/06/g-s1-33021/trump-trials-jack-smith-election-2024   28 CFR Part 600 (Special Counsel regulations) https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/part-600   Trump v. US (2024) https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/23-939.pdf   24 Op. OLC 222 (2000) - Presidential immunity https://www.justice.gov/file/146241-0/dl?inline Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Joe Dye is back to talk us through how to watch the election returns. How similar are Wisconsin and Iowa? When will we know the results out of Georgia? And what’s up with that Selzer poll? Andrew and Joe break it all down. Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Election litigation is well underway in Pennsylvania, even before election day. The Trump campaign has already racked up a win, since they decided that early voting is … good now? Meanwhile Elon Musk is dodging a civil action by Philadelphia’s DA over his million dollar “lottery,” and Trump filed an absolutely gonzo trollsuit in Texas against CBS.   Links:   Workers Say They Were Tricked and Threatened as Part of Elon Musk’s Get-Out-the-Vote Effort https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-america-pac-blitz-canvassing-michigan-uhaul/ Lancaster County officials should deliver real answers on voter registration issues — not shut down questions [editorial] https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/lancaster-county-officials-should-deliver-real-answers-on-voter-registration-issues-not-shut-down-questions/article_6f9b8ae8-9640-11ef-8723-dfe8afbc7b37.html   Fed. R. Crim. Pro. 48 https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/rule_48   Baxter v. Philadelphia Board of Elections (Pa. App. Oct. 30, 2024) https://www.pacourts.us/assets/opinions/Commonwealth/out/1305CD24_10-30-24.pdf?cb=1   Trump v. CBS Texas Consumer Protection Law Complaint https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.396451/gov.uscourts.txnd.396451.1.0.pdf   Krasner v. Attorney General https://casetext.com/case/commonwealth-v-the-attorney-gen-1 Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Republicans have discovered ONE WEIRD TRICK to win elections, and it is for the legislatures to steal all the electoral votes. Or if that can’t be arranged, they’d accept an intervention from SCOTUS. We’ll discuss the independent state legislature theory, as well as Trump’s latest filing in the stolen documents appeal.   Links:   Musk Petition https://petition.theamericapac.org/   Pennsylvania v. America PAC complaint https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25255630-philly-v-musk    Pennsylvania SCT appeal (Genser v. Butler County) https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25255962/scotus-24a408-stay-application-pa.pdf   5th Circuit provisional ballots case (RNC v. Wetzel) https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/24/24-60395-CV0.pdf   US v. Trump (11th Circuit appeal) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68955302/united-states-v-donald-trump/   US v. Trump (SDFL documents case) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67643393/united-states-v-trump/   28 CFR § 600.1 https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.1   Inside the Movement Behind Trump’s Election Lies https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/28/us/politics/inside-the-movement-behind-trumps-election-lies.html Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

What will happen on November 5 if Vice President Harris is narrowly ahead of Trump? Will it look like 2020? Or is it more likely to resemble 2000, with a knock down, drag out fight over every ballot? Liz and Andrew break it down.   Links:   Musk Is Going All In to Elect Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/us/politics/elon-musk-donald-trump-pennsylvania.html   Press Release: Benedictine Sisters subject of fraudulent claim https://eriebenedictines.org/news-stories.html/article/2024/10/23/press-release-benedictine-sisters-subject-of-fraudulent-claims     Wand et al., The Butterfly Did It: The Aberrant Vote for Buchanan in Palm Beach County, Florida, American Political Science Review (2001) https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/butterfly-did-it-aberrant-vote-buchanan-palm-beach-county-florida   Bush v. Gore (Supreme Court 2000) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2298973060085224552   Gore v. Harris (FL Supreme Court 2000) https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/1489353.html Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Elon Musk is giving Trump’s campaign $75 million. Plus he’s paying out $1 million per day to “registered voters.” Is that a crime, or just a photo op? Meanwhile in DC, what can we learn from the Special Counsel’s latest filing in the Trump election case? And we answer questions about how to watch early election night returns.   Links: Musk Petition https://petition.theamericapac.org/   US v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?order_by=desc   Elon Musk Veers Into Clearly Illegal Vote Buying by Rick Hasen https://electionlawblog.org/?p=146397   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

In this BONUS episode, elections expert Joe Dye returns to tell us what to watch for when the very first returns on Election Day come in at 6 pm Eastern from Indiana and Kentucky. Learn how those deep red states will help us test six different bits of conventional wisdom we’ve all heard from the pundits, like whether Kamala Harris is facing a backlash from college students, or whether she has made inroads with educated white voters & so much more!   Links: The Republican Feelings Industrial Complex https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/bonus-the-republican-feelings-industrial Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Lt. Gov. Mark “Horndog” Robinson is suing CNN and a former porn shop worker named Louis Love Money for $50 million. And Texas’s worst(?) federal judge threatens to tank a Boeing plea deal because the federal monitor might do DEIs. Can’t have the airline pay victims of airline crashes unless the deal is 100 percent woke free! And for subscribers, a deep dive into the latest Trump election interference case foolishness.   Links: Liz on Andrew Bailey: “Missouri AG Andy Bailey Face Plants All Over Federal Docket In Media Matters Case” https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/missouri-ag-andy-bailey-face-plants   Judge McBurney Order re Georgia Hand Count Rule https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25214879-file_0479    ‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/politics/kfile-mark-robinson-black-nazi-pro-slavery-porn-forum/index.html    The Lt. Governor Owes Me Money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4CbWIXGzvE    Ex-Porn Shop Employees Say Mark Robinson Was A Regular. He Denies It. https://www.theassemblync.com/politics/nc-election-governor-republican-mark-robinson-porn-allegations/    Robinson v. CNN complaint https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25215289-robinson-cnn-complaint   NC Pattern Jury Instructions https://www.sog.unc.edu/resources/microsites/north-carolina-pattern-jury-instructions/north-carolina-pattern-jury-instructions-civil-cases   NC Rule 8(a)(2) https://ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_1A/GS_1A-1,_Rule_8.html   Boeing Order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.342881/gov.uscourts.txnd.342881.275.0_1.pdf    US v. Trump (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

The courts are closed, but crazy never takes a break. We’ll check in on Alex Jones’s bankruptcy liquidation, Donald Trump’s shenanigans in the election interference case, and the horror show now that the mifepristone case is back before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Subscribers catch up with Peter Navarro, who seems to be working at cross purposes to his old boss in federal court — although perhaps it hasn’t yet occurred to him.   Links:   Free Speech Systems Auction Page https://360assetadvisors.com/events/fssmh/   US v. Trump (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc   L&C on Trump Revoking CBS’s “license” https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/no-the-fcc-cant-revoke-cbss-license   Oklahoma RFP 00000555 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JbS0fT-wBSpLhKojxAv_BN5htPPKSi1g1d8bfbz-wWE/edit?tab=t.0   Alex Jones TX plaintiff appeal https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txsb.457706/gov.uscourts.txsb.457706.1028.0.pdf   FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (2024) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-235_n7ip.pdf   Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine docket (ND Tex.) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067   Navarro order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.245941/gov.uscourts.dcd.245941.53.0.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

The Trump election interference case is back, and the immunity ruling isn’t the only way the Supreme Court tried to kneecap it. A case called Fischer v. US may prove fatal as well. Also, we take your questions of Florida’s abortion and marijuana ballot initiatives. And for subscribers, we catch up with Kraken weirdos Stefanie Lambert and Patrick Byrne.   Links: FL Stat. 101-161 http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0101/Sections/0101.161.html   Fischer v. US (2024) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-5572_l6hn.pdf   US v. Trump (DC docket) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc   Trump opp redacted appendix https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148.259.0_2.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

They’re baaaaaack! The Supreme Court’s October term starts this week, and the howler monkey wing is ready to FSU. Down in Florida, Trump appointee Judge Kathryn Mizelle is doing her best Aileen Cannon impersonation. That story has an old school deep dive from Andrew into 13th century Saxony and beyond. And, for subscribers, we’ll unpack an amazing grift in Oklahoma.   Links:   ABA Letter rating Mizelle “Not Qualified” https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/government_affairs_office/2020-09-08chair-rating-letter-to-graham-and-feinstein-re-nomination-of-kathryn-kimball-mizelle.pdf?logActivity=true False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Subchapter III https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-37/subchapter-III US ex rel Clarissa Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.364103/gov.uscourts.flmd.364103.346.0.pdf 2007 OLC Memo re Relators https://www.justice.gov/file/494641/dl?inline OKLAHOMA TRUMP BIBLES https://www.lawdork.com/p/oklahoma-ryan-walters-bible-inhalers OKLAHOMA RFP https://sde.ok.gov/ev00000555   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Special Counsel Jack Smith filed his opening salvo since the Supreme Court invented a new doctrine of absolute presidential immunity. Trump complained that the immunity brief is functionally a mini-Special Counsel report, and he’s not wrong. But if you don’t want your crimes on the public docket, maybe don’t try to overthrow democracy! Liz and Andrew break down the latest in Trump’s election interference case.    Links:   US v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?order_by=desc   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

It’s a regular Star Wars bar on today’s show, with updates in Donald Trump’s election interference case and Alex Jones’s bankruptcy. But the real star is New York Mayor Eric Adams, who wants to dismiss his indictment because the Supreme Court says it’s not a bribe if you don’t get paid until after you do the official act. It’s a gratuity, which is as American as apple pie! Links: US v. Adams [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/ Free Speech Systems Bankruptcy [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/64868456/free-speech-systems-llc-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors-of/ Alex Jones Bankruptcy  [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66583024/alexander-e-jones-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors/  Alex Jones' Company To Be Broken Up And Sold For Scrap https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/alex-jones-company-to-be-broken-up  Tell Alex Jones to Eat Shit: Let’s Buy Infowars https://thebarbedwire.com/2024/09/30/tell-alex-jones-to-eat-shit-lets-buy-infowars/ Sistersong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective v. State of Georgia, Order https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25178630-mcburney-sistersong-final-order    Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

The Mayor of New York was federally indicted for taking bribes from the Turkish government. He was not indicted for taking notes on a criminal f***ing conspiracy in flagrant violation of the Stringer Bell Rule. But perhaps the feds are saving that for a superseding indictment. And for subscribers: an update on the DC election interference case.   Links: US v. Adams [SDNY Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69197933/united-states-v-adams/   US v. Trump [DC Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/united-states-v-trump/    Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

It’s a roundup day! Time to run down the latest efforts to mess with the vote, from Georgia to Nebraska and all places in between. Then Cards Against Humanity sues SpaceX, and the complaint is a thing of beauty. Finally, let’s talk about Republicans’ grudging plan to NOT sink the economy before November. Please clap!   Links: Fuzzy Math: Wrong Way Reforms for Allocating Electoral Votes https://fairvote.app.box.com/v/fuzzy-math-wrong-way-reforms RFK Jr. FEC Statement of Candidacy https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=2ofcShRVs71csui/f9Yq6g== New York election law 1-104 https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/election-law/eln-sect-1-104/ 31 U.S.C § 3101 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3101 Debt limit votes 1978 to present https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R41814.pdf HR 9494 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9494/text Treasury debt data https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny GA Hand Count Rule https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/seb-notice_of_proposed_rulemaking_183_1_12_.12a5_hand_count.pdf Cards Against Humanity Stops the Wall https://cardsagainsthumanitystopsthewall.com/ https://www.cahsuesmusk.com/  Cards Against Humanity v. SpaceX Complaint https://cah-sues-elon-musk.s3.amazonaws.com/240919+Plaintiff's+Original+Petition.pdf    Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod

Republican Mark Robinson hopes to be North Carolina’s next governor. Trump hopes he will go away and stop dragging down the ticket. Meanwhile, the documents case hits the Eleventh Circuit, and outside amici are asking the appeals court to disqualify Judge Aileen Cannon. And in Arizona, a federal judge told Mark Meadows to GTFO with his claim that he was doing official White House business when he tried to steal the state’s electors in 2020. Subscribers will get a deep dive into the sh*tshow that is Trump Media Technology Group stock. Links: US v. Combs [Docket via Court Listener] ​​https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69167625/united-states-v-combs/ ‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/politics/kfile-mark-robinson-black-nazi-pro-slavery-porn-forum -TMTG/DJT Form S-4 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1849635/000119312524036093/d408563ds4a.htm TMTG Pitch Deck https://tmtgcorp.com/static/tmtg-company-overview-f6cfb16513c78a61681aea3bbdae7a78.pdf US v. Trump [Eleventh Circuit Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68955302/united-states-v-donald-trump/ -Meadows AZ state court indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979.1.1_1.pdf Arizona v. Meadows Order of Remand https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979/gov.uscourts.azd.1393979.21.0_2.pdf US v. Torkington https://casetext.com/case/us-v-torkington  ProPublica, Judge Aileen Cannon Failed to Disclose a Right-Wing Junket https://www.propublica.org/article/judge-aileen-cannon-trump-documents-case-travel-disclosures Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

Utah tried to implement an age verification requirement for social media. The governor even got into a fight with our guest, free speech lawyer Ari Cohn, on Twitter, when he pointed out that the law was patently unconstitutional. But now a federal judge has enjoined it, because there is no One Weird Trick to get around the First Amendment. Did Gov. Cox ever apologize?   Links: Nechoice v. Reyes [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68097000/netchoice-llc-v-reyes/ Utah Netchoice opinion https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.utd.145120/gov.uscourts.utd.145120.86.0_1.pdf Social Media and Youth Mental Health https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod