Ep 253 — The One Weird Trick Presidency

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Summary <p dir="ltr">DOCKET ALERTS:</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Todd Blanche was confirmed as permanent attorney general after Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy remembered that he's an unprincipled hack.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Trump's lackey Will Scharf is being promoted from staff secretary to White House Counsel in advance of the midterms.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The White House is once again trying to fire Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook after the Supreme Court blocked it the first time.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">DOOFUS OF THE DAY: Senator Mike Lee, who vowed to block the Senate going into recess until it passed the SAVE America Act. He did not. Instead Majority Leader John Thune made him preside over the session, ensuring that he could not object.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">MAIN SHOW:</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">On Friday, the DC Circuit <a href= "https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/opinions/docs/2026/08/26-5123-2187096.pdf"> affirmed</a> the trial judge's order blocking Trump's tacky ballroom — at least the above-ground portion. The government tried to shield this project from judicial review by claiming that the Office of the Executive Residence, which manages floral arrangements and routine maintenance of the White House, was actually superintending the $600 million construction project. But the appeals court nixed it. </p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The administration <a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71918245/cultural-heritage-partners-pllc-v-trump/"> hopes</a> to use a similar ONE WEIRD TRICK to slap white paint all over the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It claims that the project is being overseen by the White House Office of Administration, rather than the General Services Administration. TBD whether Judge Dabney Friedrich lets them get away with it.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Airlines hate <a href= "http://skiplagged.com">Skiplagged.com</a>, which tells consumers how to save money by hopping off flights at the layover. They've failed to shut the site down using various tort claims, and so they <a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67699985/american-airlines-inc-v-skiplagged-inc/"> tried</a> copyright and trademark.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">SUBSCRIBER BONUS:</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">After the Supreme Court blocked him in June, Trump is once again <a href= "https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/ending-birth-tourism/"> trying</a> to end birthright citizenship by <a href= "https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/continuing-to-protect-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/"> executive order</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Park Service [DC Circuit Docket]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73239730/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-v-nps"> https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73239730/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-v-nps</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Park Service [Trial Docket]</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72028010/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-in-the-united-states-v-national/"> https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72028010/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-in-the-united-states-v-national/</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Cultural Heritage Partners v. Trump </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71918245/cultural-heritage-partners-pllc-v-trump/"> https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71918245/cultural-heritage-partners-pllc-v-trump/</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">American Airlines, Inc. v. Skiplagged, Inc. </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67699985/american-airlines-inc-v-skiplagged-inc/"> https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67699985/american-airlines-inc-v-skiplagged-inc/</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">United Airlines' Contract of Carriage</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/contract-of-carriage.html">https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/contract-of-carriage.html</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Trump EO: "Ending Birth Tourism"</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/ending-birth-tourism/"> https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/ending-birth-tourism/</a></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">Trump EO: "Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship"</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/continuing-to-protect-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/"> https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/continuing-to-protect-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/</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 Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod</p> <p> </p>

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