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

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Summary <p>DOCKET ALERTS:</p><p><br></p><p>The Trump administration is <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">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>Justice Gorsuch <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">says</a> we can’t take guns away from drug users because the Founders were drunk all the time.</p><p><br></p><p>The Federal Circuit <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">declines</a> a request by the Trump administration to delay tariff refunds.</p><p><br></p><p>Kansas’s revocation of trans citizens’ drivers licenses draws its first <a href="https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">court challenge</a>.</p><p><br></p><p>And Virginia’s redistricting referendum can<a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> go ahead</a>.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>MAIN SHOW:</p><p><br></p><p>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" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">War Powers Resolution</a> and how it might bring about an end to this nightmare.</p><p><br></p><p>We’ve got clips from <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">60 Minutes</a>’s very good story on the danger federal judges face when they go against the Trump administration.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Judges in the Western District of West Virginia <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">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" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">coming</a> if they keep relying on crackpot legal theories to kidnap residents.</p><p><br></p><p>Judge John Tunheim issues <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.230526/gov.uscourts.mnd.230526.133.0_1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">class relief</a> to refugees in Minnesota, barring DHS from interning them for recertification.</p><p><br></p><p>And for subscribers: a discussion of the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution.</p><p><br></p><p>Trump Administration to Drop Defense of Law Firm Sanctions</p><p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions-cb839c39</a></p><p><br></p><p>US v. Hemani Oral Argument</p><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-1234</a></p><p><br></p><p>V.O.S. Selections [Tariff mandate]</p><p><a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105/gov.uscourts.cafc.23105.173.0_2.pdf</a></p><p><br></p><p>Doe v. Kansas [Trans drivers’ licenses]</p><p><a href="https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/02/Complaint-1.pdf</a></p><p><br></p><p>Virginia redistricting election can move forward, court rules</p><p><a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-redistricting-election-can-move-forward-court-rules</a></p><p><br></p><p>Federal judges who've ruled against Trump administration denounce threats against themselves, their families</p><p><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judges-whove-ruled-against-trump-administration-denounce-threats-60-minutes-transcript/</a></p><p><br></p><p>Judges in a Trump stronghold condemn ICE tactics</p><p><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/01/west-virginia-immigration-rulings-00804575</a></p><p><br></p><p>Dominguez Izaguirre v. Mason [West Virginia Habeas]</p><p><a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036.18.0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036/gov.uscourts.wvsd.243036.18.0.pdf</a></p><p><br></p><p>War Powers Resolution, 50 U.S.C. 1541 <em>et seq.</em></p><p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-33</a></p><p><br></p><p>“Trump Can’t Declare War On Iran (or Anyone)” [lawandchaospod.com]</p><p><a href="https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/trump-cant-declare-war-on-iran-or" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/trump-cant-declare-war-on-iran-or</a></p><p><br></p><p>Liz’s YouTube video for Legal Eagle, “The Largest Bribe in American History”</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE2pm3omzMI&amp;t=3s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE2pm3omzMI&amp;t=3s</a></p><p><br></p><p><em>Nat’l Treasury Employees’ Union v. Nixon</em>, 492 F.2d 587 (D.C. Cir. 1974)</p><p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4156385560315482496" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=4156385560315482496</a></p><p><br></p><p><em>INS v. Chadha</em>, 462 U.S. 919 (1983)</p><p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2221871582286121199" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2221871582286121199</a></p><p><br></p><p>Show Links:</p><p><a href="https://www.lawandchaospod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lawandchaospod.com/</a></p><p>BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod</p><p>Threads: @LawAndChaosPod</p><p>Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

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