Trump’s All Out Assault on Immigrants Continues in Incompetent but Horrifying Fashion
OA1202 - We are pleased to welcome American Immigration Council Senior Fellow Aaron Reichlin-Melnick for this unique conversation between a practitioner and a policy expert. The AIC is one of the country's leading sources of information and advocacy on US immigration matters, and Aaron watches and comments on these issues like no one else out there right now. Topics include, among many other things, how the Trump administration keeps getting in its own way on immigration issues, how the law of who can be released from ICE custody on bond has been radically reinterpreted within the past few months, and our hopes for the future in this critical moment for American immigration law. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick’s bio on the American Immigration Council website Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on Bluesky Donate to support the American Immigration Counsel
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Trump Says DOJ Should Pay Him $230 Million Because Why the F*** Not at This Point
OA1201 - This Rapid Response Friday, Matt and Jenessa play a few rounds of “Can They REALLY Do That?”, with topics including: The legal mechanism and filings behind Trump’s $230 million demand for DOJ having the audacity for investigating him for crimes that he did Arizona’s lawsuit against House Speaker Mike Johnson asking a DC federal court to require him to seat incoming Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva after her election DOJ’s first-ever “Antifa” terrorism indictment Finally, in today’s footnote Jenessa reports back from her recent experience sitting for the federal patent bar. Donald Trump’s Form 95 seeking damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act for the FBI’s execution of a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago (filed 8/7/2024) Transcript of former FBI agent Steven D’Antuono’s testimony to the House Judiciary Committee (6/7/2023) Complaint in Arizona v. U.S. House of Representatives (filed 10/21/2025) Martin v. U.S., 605 U.S. _____ (6/12/2025) Powell v. McCormack, 395 U.S. 486 (1969) Indictment with additional “Antifa”-related charges against Autumn Hill & Zachary Evetts (10/15/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
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We need a sensible compromise between "no kings" and "Trump is king"
VR11 - Today on Vapid Response Wednesday: Thomas, Lydia, and Matt review some of the worst takes to last weekend’s 2700+ “No Kings” events around the U.S. But first, we savor an instant classic of an amuse douche: a recent video of a real-life encounter between a drunk-driving ICE officer and actual law enforcement. We then learn why the National Review is definitely not mad about the No Kings events going so well, and why House Majority Leader Steve Scalise IS mad about the raving socialists of the radical left who have shut down a government full of social programs which Republicans would otherwise absolutely want to fully fund if only they could. Full 30 minute video of ICE officer’s DUI arrest (August 2025) Democrats Look to Rewrite the Narrative with ‘No Kings’ Protests, Brittany Bernstein, National Review (10/20/2025) LEADER STEVE SCALISE: Schumer shutdown hurts families while Democrats rally in DC | Fox News (10/19/2025) “Videos Show ‘No Kings’ Protests Around U.S., World,” CBS News (10/19/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
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Polygraphs and the Limits of Scientific Evidence in Court
OA1200 - We've got another great law and science episode for ya! Are polygraphs admissible? Do they work? Matt and Jenessa talk about the history, law, and science of polygraphs, and how criminal courts treat scientific testimony in general. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
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They’re Going to End the Voting Rights Act. But at Least We Got to Hear KBJ Murder a Guy in Court
OA1199 - Voting rights expert Jenessa Seymour takes us through this week’s oral arguments in one of the most important cases before the Supreme Court this term: Louisiana v. Callais, which has the potential to end some of the most important protections in the Voting Rights Act and allow states to openly racially gerrymander their electoral districts. Also discussed: a related New York state case which may be affected by Callais, and a footnote on what one lying Chicago cop was willing to do to get out of dozens of traffic and speeding tickets--and how actual justice has finally caught up with him. Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court docket Oral arguments in Louisiana v Callais(10/15/2025) 52 U.S.C. § 10301 (Sec 2 of the Voting Rights Act) Thornburg v Gingles, 478 U.S. 30 (1986) Rucho v. Common Cause 588 U.S. 684 (2019) Full text of NY’s John L. Lewis Voting Act Submit a comment on the Election Assistance Commission’s proposal to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voting registration form “Chicago Cop Who Falsely Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Dozens of Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty but Avoids Prison,” Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica (10/2/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith brings on legal analysts to help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas!
The typical schedule will be M-W-F with Monday being a deep-dive, Wednesday being Thomas Takes the Bar Exam and patron shoutouts, and Friday being a rapid response to legal issues in the news!
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