Ep 209 — Gorsuch, Gummies, and Government Lies About Iran

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Summary <p dir="ltr">DOCKET ALERTS:</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The Trump administration is <a href= "https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39"> tapping out</a> on the lawsuits defending executive orders attacking law firms. Too bad, so sad for the Vichy law firms that pledged a billion dollars in "conservative pro bono" work.</p> <p dir="ltr">Justice Gorsuch <a href= "https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234">says</a> we can't take guns away from drug users because the Founders were drunk all the time.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The Federal Circuit <a href= "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf"> declines</a> a request by the Trump administration to delay tariff refunds.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Kansas's revocation of trans citizens' drivers licenses draws its first <a href= "https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf">court challenge</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">And Virginia's redistricting referendum can <a href= "https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules"> go ahead</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">MAIN SHOW:</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">We discuss the history of the president's power to commence hostilities and explain why Trump and his goons are so deeply invested in claiming that the war in Iran — which isn't a war at all! — was defensive, not offensive. Plus Andrew's got a deep dive into the <a href= "https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33">War Powers Resolution</a> and how it might bring about an end to this nightmare.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">We've got clips from <a href= "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/"> 60 Minutes</a>'s very good story on the danger federal judges face when they go against the Trump administration. </p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Judges in the Western District of West Virginia <a href= "https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575"> join the list</a> of jurisdictions telling DHS/DOJ that contempt charges are <a href= "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036.18.0.pdf"> coming</a> if they keep relying on crackpot legal theories to kidnap residents.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Judge John Tunheim issues <a href= "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.230526/gov.uscourts.mnd.230526.133.0_1.pdf"> class relief</a> to refugees in Minnesota, barring DHS from interning them for recertification.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">And for subscribers: a discussion of the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Trump Administration to Drop Defense of Law Firm Sanctions</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39"> https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">US v. Hemani Oral Argument</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234">https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">V.O.S. Selections [Tariff mandate]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf"> https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Doe v. Kansas [Trans drivers' licenses]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf">https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Virginia redistricting election can move forward, court rules</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules"> https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Federal judges who've ruled against Trump administration denounce threats against themselves, their families</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/"> https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Judges in a Trump stronghold condemn ICE tactics</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575"> https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Dominguez Izaguirre v. Mason [West Virginia Habeas]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036.18.0.pdf"> https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036.18.0.pdf</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">War Powers Resolution, 50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33">https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">"Trump Can't Declare War On Iran (or Anyone)" [lawandchaospod.com]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/trump-cant-declare-war-on-iran-or"> https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/trump-cant-declare-war-on-iran-or</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Liz's YouTube video for Legal Eagle, "The Largest Bribe in American History"</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE2pm3omzMI&t=3s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE2pm3omzMI&t=3s</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Nat'l Treasury Employees' Union v. Nixon, 492 F.2d 587 (D.C. Cir. 1974)</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4156385560315482496">https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4156385560315482496</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">INS v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919 (1983)</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2221871582286121199">https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2221871582286121199</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Show Links:</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.lawandchaospod.com/">https://www.lawandchaospod.com/</a></p> <p dir="ltr">BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod</p> <p dir="ltr">Threads: @LawAndChaosPod</p> <p dir="ltr">Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod</p> <p> </p>

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