Why does the President of the United States not know what tariffs are, why does he want to crash the world economy, and can he do any of it? We answer as many of those questions as we can. Come for phi times epsilon times m sub i, stay for the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917. Plus! Judge James Boasberg in D.C. is NOT HAPPY the administration flouted his orders and intends to figure out who was responsible and why. Also, things are about to get ugly at the D.C. Circuit.

Links:

DC Circuit Local Rules

https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/sites/cadc/files/rules-RulesFRAP20241212c.pdf

Trump Tariff EO

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/regulating-imports-with-a-reciprocal-tariff-to-rectify-trade-practices-that-contribute-to-large-and-persistent-annual-united-states-goods-trade-deficits/

Trump Annex I to Tariff EO

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Annex-I.pdf

USTR on how tariffs are calculated

https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/reciprocal-tariff-calculations

The Economist, “President Trump’s Mindless Tariffs Will Cause Economic Havoc”

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc

Forbes, “How Much Would An iPhone Cost If Apple Were Forced to Make it In America?”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/01/17/how-much-would-an-iphone-cost-if-apple-were-forced-to-make-it-in-america/

Emily Ley Paper Inc. v. Trump

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69842090/emily-ley-paper-inc-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Time to round up the latest in lawsuits against the Trump administration. The trans military ban is blocked. Renditioning Venezuelans to El Salvador without due process is blocked. The shutdown of the CFPB is blocked. The shutdown of the US Inst of Peace … not blocked. Yet! Liz and Andrew run down a bunch of the Trump cases and explain why it seems like every day brings another restraining order. (Hint: It’s because Trump wants to do lots of illegal stuff in a hurry.)

Links:

Name & Shame

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/name-and-shame

Shilling v. Trump Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/

Jenner & Block v. DOJ Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807126/jenner-block-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/

WilmerHale v. Executive Office of the President  Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807328/wilmer-cutler-pickering-hale-and-dorr-llp-v-executive-office-of-the/

Georgetown students’ letter to Skadden

https://bsky.app/profile/heidilifeldman.bsky.social/post/3llon26enmc2o

US v. Sanders (5th Cir. 2025)

https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/15/15-31114-CR0.pdf

Eakin v. Adams County Board of Elections Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65738841/eakin-v-adams-county-board-of-elections/

J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/

Trump v. JGG (SCOTUS Docket)

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html

US Institute for Peace v. Jackson Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/ 

NTEU v. Vought (DDC docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624423/national-treasury-employees-union-v-vought/?

NTEU v. Vought (DC Cir Appeal)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69821739/national-treasury-employees-union-v-russell-vought/

Show Links:

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BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

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Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Trump hand-picked his national security team to troll the libs, and boy did he get us good. From Pete Hegseth to Tulsi Gabbard to John Ratcliffe, each pick seemed more incompetent than the last. But are they also criminals? We break down all the criminal, civil, and record-keeping issues in Signalgate. Also: we’ve got good news from the D.C. Circuit as a conservative panel declines to hand Trump the unreviewable power to deport anyone, anywhere under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Things are… maybe looking up?

Links:

J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/

J.G.G. v. Trump (DC Circuit) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69742127/jgg-v-donald-trump/

American Oversight v. Hegseth (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Signalgate) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/

Shilling v. Trump (W.D. Wash - trans military ban) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

It’s another week in paradise with the Trump administration trying to burn down the government. First we’ll talk about the attack on law firms and judges, then we’ve got a breakdown of the newest executive order on immigration silos. You know when they try to hide crazy sh*t under the most boring, generic label ever. It’s that! Plus subscribers get a visit with Dinesh D’Souza.

Links:

Perkins Coie v. DOJ docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice

JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump

Does 1-26 v. Musk [Docket]

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.576293

The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/

Presidential Proclamation on information silos

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/

“Fact Sheet”

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-eliminates-information-silos-to-stop-waste-fraud-and-abuse-60f3/

OMB Data on Improper Payments

https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/briefing-room/2024/11/27/omb-releases-annual-data-showing-lowest-government-wide-improper-payment-rate-since-2014/

https://www.paymentaccuracy.gov/payment-accuracy-the-numbers/

GAO Report on Improper Payments

https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106927.pdf

PIIA 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-33/subchapter-IV

Show Links:

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BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

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Musk’s fash-coders take out the US Institute for Peace. Mahmoud Khalil’s case gets transferred to New Jersey. And the DOJ is daring the court to find it in contempt in the case of the kidnapped Venezuelans. Plus, we have the second half of our interview with immigration expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick.

Links:

JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump

US Institute for Peace v. Jackson (docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/

Khalil v. Joyce (docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69719040/khalil-v-joyce/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Today, we’ve got an all-immigration show. We break down J.G.G. v. Trump, the lawsuit seeking to block Trump’s effort to summarily deport Venezuelan nationals under a 227-year-old law left over from the Alien and Sedition Acts. Then, we have Part One of our interview with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council.

Links:

Presidential Proclamation

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/

JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

New York Times financial editor David Enrich joins us to discuss his new book, Murder the Truth, about the history of defamation litigation and the right wing’s plan to gut the Sullivan standard to make it easier for politicians to bankrupt journalists for saying mean, true things

Links:

Murder the Truth

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/murder-the-truth-david-enrich?variant=42734343421986

Brehm v. Morocco (DDC) (USADF)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69711562/brehm-v-marocco/

Talbott v. Trump (DC) (trans servicemembers ban)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583866/talbott-v-trump/

American Federation of Government Workers v. OPM (Cal.) (probationary employees)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69655364/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-united-states/

Trump SCOTUS birthright citizenship docket 

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a884.html

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

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It’s another week where the DOGE bros are trying to burn down the government, and another week where the courts are trying to stop it. For our main story, we focus on the Trump administration’s crazy shenanigans at the United States Africa Development Corp. Trump may have tried to fire Senate-confirmed principal officers by email… to an email address that doesn’t exist.

Links:

Perkins Coie Executive Order

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-risks-from-perkins-coie-llp/

Climate United Fund v. Citibank [Docket via CL]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69718818/climate-united-fund-v-citibank-na/ 

Trump’s false claim that Stacey Abrams headed a group that got $1.9 billion

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/06/trump-stacey-abrams-fact-checker/

US v. Adams docket (SDNY) (charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628916/

Brehm v. Morocco (DDC) (USADF)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69711562/brehm-v-marocco/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

USADF Act

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/22/chapter-7/subchapter-XXIII

USADF Bylaws

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278118/gov.uscourts.dcd.278118.7.5.pdf

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

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Today’s episode is another roundup of how trial judges are playing whack-a-mole with the Trump administration, and how all of it fits in with Trump’s plan to usurp Congress’s power to reshape the country in his image. Plus, we’ve got some crazy stories featuring the Interim US Attorney for DC trying to strongarm Georgetown University, a blast from the past with bigoted Kentucky court clerk Kim Davis, and a subscriber bonus on an obscure Civ Pro rule that Trump plans to use to make terrible losing arguments in court.

Links:

Ermold v. Davis [Sixth Circuit Opinion, Gay Marriage Clerk Case]

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca6.151496/gov.uscourts.ca6.151496.6015541768.2.pdf

AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition v. Department of State (DC docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69627654/aids-vaccine-advocacy-coalition-v-united-states-department-of-state/

Harris v. Bessent DC Circuit appeal

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69704122/cathy-harris-v-scott-bessent/

Some asshole is signing your name to stupid letters

https://www.loweringthebar.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/browns_letter_1974.pdf

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

The Supreme Court is still sitting on its (tiny) hands, but trial judges are holding strong against the Trump administration’s assault on the rule of law. We’ll talk about the pushback to Trump’s anti-trans executive orders, his assault on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the effort to ensure that the Dear Leader can fire watchdogs at will. Plus subscribers get a deep dive on trial judges attempting to SCOTUS-proof their rulings to protect trans kids.

Links:

Dellinger v. Bessent [District Court Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624836/dellinger-v-bessent

Dellinger v. Bessent [SCOTUS Docket]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a790.html

National Treasury Employees Union v. Vought [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624423/national-treasury-employees-union-v-vought/ 

Jones v. Bondi  [Docket via Court Listener]

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277335

Washington v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69620657/state-of-washington-v-trump/

PFLAG v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69614668/pflag-inc-v-donald-j-trump/

Seila Law v. CFPB [SCOTUS Opinion]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19-7_new_bq7d.pdf

Corporate Transparency Act, 31 USC § 5336

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/5336

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod