Opening Arguments

Latest Episodes:

OA788: All My Conflicts: A Discussion of Trump's Lawyers & More (feat. Mitchell Epner) Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew welcome back to the show Mitchell Epner, who helps break down today's arraignment of Donald Trump in DC, with a particular focus on the conflicts of interest surrounding Stan Woodward (in Florida) and Todd Blanche (in DC).

Notes US v. Trump (DC) docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/united-states-v-trump/

Blanche PHV https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.7.0.pdf US v. Trump (SDFL) Garcia motion https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654.97.0.pdf US v. Garcia, 517 F.2d 272 (1975) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2468718350509973831 Liz's Wonkette on “Free Speech” defense https://www.wonkette.com/p/no-shut-up-new-york-times-the-first

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OA787: Trump Indictment 3 - Because It's Still A Big Lie Even If You Pretend to Believe It Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

It's INDICTMENT DAY! Liz and Andrew release an emergency episode one day early that tells you everything you need to know about the just-released Trump DC indictment!

Notes TRUMP DC Indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf

J6 committee report https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf

Ricky Vaughn Complaint https://www.justice.gov/d9/press-releases/attachments/2021/01/27/mackey_complaint_0.pdf

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

OA786: Can Donald Trump Really Overturn New York Times v. Sullivan? Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew begin by discussing the latest developments in Fulton County, Georgia. No, it's not a Trump indictment - but it is the next best thing!

After that, the duo break down Trump's latest LOLsuit loss in Trump v. CNN, and discuss how Trump may aim to leverage that loss into an argument to overturn the most important Supreme Court case in terms of press freedom: New York Times v. Sullivan.

Notes OA 744 https://openargs.com/oa744-georgia-fake-electors-scheme-gets-real-feat-lawfares-anna-bower/

McBurney order denying Motion to Quash, Preclude, and Recuse https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/View/2057/EX-PARTE-FILING-7-31-23

Fulton County docket http://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/94?Grid-orderBy=LastModifiedDate-desc

Trump v. CNN complaint https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.621239/gov.uscourts.flsd.621239.1.0.pdf

Order dismissing Trump v. CNN https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.621239/gov.uscourts.flsd.621239.31.0_1.pdf

State v. Lampl, 770 S.E.2d 629 (Ga. 2015) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13555564276998303856

Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476, 484 (1957) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=14778925784015245625

Carson Holloway, “Overturn New York Times v. Sullivan”, The American Conservative, Sep. 9, 2022. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/overturn-new-york-times-v-sullivan/

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OA785: All Gerrymandering is Local (feat. Joe Dye) Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew welcome a very special guest expert to break down redistricting in Alabama, Miami, and elsewhere in light of Allen v. Milligan. This is an unpaid post on Patreon.

Notes Grace, Inc. v. Miami https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.625372/gov.uscourts.flsd.625372.94.0.pdf

Merrill v. Milligan (2022) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a375_d18f.pdf

Allen v. Milligan (2023) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-1086_1co6.pdf

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OA784: Trump Sends Goons To Destroy The Evidence: Is That Bad? Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

HERE IT IS! Liz and Andrew break down a rapid response to the superseding indictment of Donald Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.

As a bonus, the duo also discuss today's DOJ filing for a protective order and what it tells us about Trump's strategy (hint: it's greymail).

Notes Trump Superseding Indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653.85.0_1.pdf

Trump Superseding indictment summary https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653.86.0.pdf

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

OA783: Hunter Biden Plea Goes Sideways, Fox News Goes Nuts Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew break down the latest developments in Hunter Biden's plea deal and help inoculate you against the coming right-wing storm of misinformation suggesting something nefarious.

In the Patreon bonus, Andrew and Liz take a deep look at the Trump SDFL docket and discover something very interesting about Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Notes Liz’s ATL on Giuliani https://t.co/CN4aal5bx9

DOJ Press release https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/tax-and-firearm-charges-filed-against-robert-hunter-biden

DOJ Information 2 - tax https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-06/rhb_information_2.pdf

DOJ Information 1 - firearm https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-06/rhb_information1.pdf

DOJ Agreement to produce Weiss https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23886334/doj-letter-weiss-testify.pdf

Fed R. Crim. Pro. 11 https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/rule_11

Jason Smith amicus brief https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.7.3.pdf

Email correspondence between Kittila and Biden's counsel https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.8.1_1.pdf

Ted Kittila's (Jason Smith's counsel) letter to the Court https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.8.0_1.pdf

Clerk's office email to Ted Kittila (Jason Smith's counsel) https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.13.0_1.pdf

Salerno letter in response to show cause order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.14.0_3.pdf

Affidavit of Jessica Bengels, the litigation specialist: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ded.82801/gov.uscourts.ded.82801.14.1_4.pdf

Unsealed Search Warrant Order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.617854/gov.uscourts.flsd.617854.146.0_2.pdf

26 U.S.C. § 6531 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6531

NY Times on Hunter Biden Plea Deal Hearing https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/us/politics/hunter-biden-plea-deal-charges.html?smid=url-share

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

OA782: No, Shut Up, Republicans Do Not Get To Steal Elections Because of Hawaii in 1960 Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Indictment Watch(TM) continues as Liz and Andrew update you as to what's new with Bernard Kerik before debunking the false arguments being made in defense of the fake electors who plotted with Trump to try and steal the 2020 election.

If you've ever heard anyone dishonestly suggest that "Hawaii in 1960" justifies generating fake electoral certificates, this is the episode for you!

Notes Judge Howell Discovery Order re Kerik Motion to Compel https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.238720/gov.uscourts.dcd.238720.82.0_1.pdf

Joint Stipulation re Kerik Discovery https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.238720/gov.uscourts.dcd.238720.83.0_1.pdf

Chesebro-Troupis Dec. 9, 2020 memo https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/trump-electors-memo-december/eb149df1a68cc512/full.pdf

Todd Zywicki, “The Law of Presidential Transitions and the 2000 Election,” BYU L. Rev. https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2031&context=lawreview

Zywicki 2023 declaration https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Todd-Zywicki-Declaration-07.11.2023.pdf

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

OA781: Fulton County DA Fani Willis Rosins Up Her Bow; Maybe This Time It Really Is RICO? Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

As Indictment Watch(TM) continues, Liz and Andrew turn their eyes to Fulton County, Georgia. Will DA Fani Willis beat Jack Smith in the race to indict Donald Trump for a third set of crimes? Will Trump's new lawyer, John Lauro, be less of a dipshit? (No.) And what about the fake cosplay electors who helped Trump try to steal Georgia? What's going to happen to them? Listen and find out! In the Patreon bonus, Liz explains that yes, sometimes it is RICO, and gives us a very special Lizdive into the Georgia standardized test scandal of 2009. Trust us, it's all a seamless web!

Notes Lauro on Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/video/6331632263112

3 U.S.C. § 5 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/5

3 U.S.C. § 15 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/15

SUPREME COURT Petition for Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23875842/s23o1134_-_original_petition-copy.pdf

SUPERIOR COURT Petition for Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/View/2046/2023CV382670

Trump Amendment to Petition for Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/View/2051/AMENDED-COMPLAINT

Judge Glanville order https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23883767/2023cv382670-order-of-recusal.pdf

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OA780: SCOTUS Blocked Biden From Cancelling Student Loans Because F--- You Is Why Jul 21, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew provide a brief update as we continue to wait with bated breath on Trump indictments in DC (for the January 6th insurrection) and possibly in Fulton County, Georgia (for trying to falsify Georgia's election results).

In the main segment, Liz and Andrew break down the Supreme Court's recent decision in Biden v. Nebraska on the so-called "major questions" doctrine as to why we can't have nice things like student loan forgiveness.

This is a paid post on Patreon.

Notes Biden v. Nebraskahttps://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-506_nmip.pdf

Dep’t of Education v. Brown https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-535_i3kn.pdf

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

OA779: Trump's a Target, MI Electors are Defendants & Judge Cannon Keeps Rolling (feat. Mitchell Epner) Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Liz and Andrew invite back friend of the show Mitchell Epner to discuss the breaking news today that Jack Smith's Washington, DC grand jury has issued a "target letter" informing Donald Trump that he is likely to be indicted in connection with the January 6 investigation. Find out exactly what all that means & much, much more!

This episode is an unpaid post on Patreon & was released a day early for all Patrons!

NOTESMichigan AG Dana Nessel's press release https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2023/07/18/michigan-attorney-general-dana-nessel-charges-16-false-electors

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-For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki

-And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com