Opening Arguments

Hey folks, no VR this week because Lydia and I are traveling. (We're in Boston, going to record RRF live together with Matt!) But folks NEED to hear this episode of Gavel Gavel we did. It's so absurd.
Gavel Gavel Episode 83:
Thomas, Lydia, and Matt dig into a newly released federal indictment out of Minneapolis, where ICE's undercover operation, officially named Operation Puppet Master, has charged roughly 15 protesters under the same statute as the sandwich guy. The conspiracy map names a boxing club, a bike club, and some of the largest unions in America. The overt acts include renting a U-Haul, exchanging Signal messages, and being introduced to someone named Sam.
Part 2 gets into the HSI undercover memos and the defense's discovery motion. You can get it right now at patreon.com/gavelpod.
Cases discussed:
United States v. Sant et al. (D. Minn.)

United States v. Bigazzi et al. (Broadview indictment)

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OA1292 - Jenessa takes us through the Supreme Court's 6-3 shadow docket ruling in Trump v. California, which lifted a preliminary injunction blocking Trump's executive order directing the U.S. Postal Service to gatekeep mail-in ballot delivery before the midterms. Is this a procedural technicality or a five-alarm fire for November? And what does it mean that the Postal Service published its final rule on a Friday night, in apparent violation of an injunction, right before the Court's Monday ruling? Jenessa walks through the chaotic docket, Judge Talwani's genius pivot, and why Justice Jackson's 20-page solo dissent might be the most important thing you read this election season.
Cases discussed:
Trump v. California (Supreme Court shadow docket, 8/25/2026)

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump, D. Mass.

DSCC v. Trump, D.D.C.

State of California v. United States Postal Service

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OA1291 - This week on Rapid Response Friday: the single biggest consumer protection settlement ever reached with any U.S. company puts new guardrails on younger social media users, a federal judge refuses to let Steve Bannon off the hook just because DOJ asked him to, an under-the-radar example of ICE’s determination to get around federal court orders, and Trump’s new war on how law schools are accredited. Finally in today’s footnote, we honor absolute legend Dolly Parton with a cosmic coincidence: a special shoutout in a federal judicial decision published on the day we lost her.
Order on government’s motion to dismiss indictment in U.S. v. Bannon (8/26/26)

U.S. v. McIver, Nos. 25-3573 & 26-1122 (3rd Cir. 8/26/26)

Supplemental Findings and Conclusions of Law & Amended Order of Permanent Injunction in Extragrams et al v. Paxton, 

Order in Doe v. Guadian, N.D.MD (8/26/26)

Video for Dolly Parton’s cover of Collective Soul’s “Shine”

VR42 - Thomas, Matt, and Lydia take a long, hard look at America First Legal's podcast "The Arena," hosted by Gene Hamilton, Stephen Miller's longtime ally. AFL runs a segment called "Bad Legal Takes," complete with the silliest jingle for a fascist outlet anyone has ever heard. Also none of the takes are even takes. And they aren't bad. Nor legal.
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OA1290 - Jenessa returns with a surveillance grab bag: a New York mayor declares a bizarre "emergency" to keep her city's Flock cameras running after the city council said no, and a state lawsuit arguing license plate readers are flatly unconstitutional, no federal court needed. Plus a federal bill that could make biased AI hiring and healthcare tools very expensive, and the surprisingly deadly reason some camera poles might already be illegal.
Cases discussed:
Common Council of Troy v. Mantello

Umamoto v. Westchester County

AI Civil Rights Act

Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!