Broken Law

One year out from the 2024 election, Lindsay Langholz checks in with Jessica Huseman from VoteBeat about the election issues that are consuming her attention and could shape the 2024 election space, including the growing obsession with hand counting ballots and the odd steps certain states are taking to "update" their voter registration lists.   Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:...

As state judicial elections become more and more expensive, it's worth asking whether campaign funding impacts judicial decision making. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Michael Kang and Joanna Shepherd about their new book, "Free to Judge: The Power of Campaign Money in Judicial Elections." According to Kang and Shepherd, “campaign money profoundly affects how judges do t...

An increasing number of state court judges and justices are being targeted by state officials for not advancing their interests. On this episode, Taonga Leslie speaks with Dawn Blagrove (Emancipate NC) about how Justice Anita Earls, the only Black justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court, is being targeted for factual remarks she made about the lack of diversity on the NC judiciary. They discus...

Recently, Dish Network became the first company to be fined by the Federal Communications Commission for littering in space. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Professor Michelle Hanlon about why the fine was “a very big symbolic moment for debris mitigation,” and the challenges and urgency in regulating the increasing array of human-driven activities in space.   Join the Progressive Legal...

In honor of World Day Against the Death Penalty (October 10), Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Professor  John  Bessler ab out why the death penalty should be considered an act of torture. They discuss how the death penalty is classified under international human rights law and how the U.S. Supreme Court consistently gets death penalty cases wrong by ignoring the psychological torture invol...

With the Supreme Court's new term underway as of October 2, the ACS team sat down to discuss the biggest trends and cases on the Court's docket. Is the term going to bring all bad news or might there be reason for (cautious and select) optimism? The team weighs in.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Today's   Host: Jeanne Hruska, ACS Sr Advisor for Communicatio...

AI is becoming increasingly widespread and that includes in the electoral space. Elizabeth Binczik speaks this week with Lisa Gilbert (Public Citizen) about the threat of AI to our elections,  from deepfakes to "astroturfing,"  and how we can reduce that risk as we look ahead to the 2024 election cycle.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Today's   Host: Elizabe...

This week, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Cliff Sloan about his new book, "The Court at War: FDR, His Justices, and the World They Made." They discuss the enduring impact of key Supreme Court decisions issued during WWII and the lessons that we should be heeding from FDR and his justices in thinking about today's Supreme Court.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Tod...

Earlier this year, the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history saw Janet Protasiewicz   elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Craig  Mastantuono about  the impact of Justice Protasiewicz's election and Republican legislators' threat of impeaching her. They also discuss the role of judicial selection committees and how listeners can engage...

This summer, we've seen high profile strikes in Hollywood, an overwhelming vote to ratify the Teamsters' agreement with UPS, and renewed energy in the labor movement. On this episode, Elizabeth Binczik speaks with Professor Diana Reddy about what is behind this "hot labor summer" and whether the promising trends are here to stay.   Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   A...

This summer has seen no shortage of extreme weather events, bringing more attention to climate change. For the legal community, it's highlighted the question, can the law keep up with climate science? Elizabeth  Binczik  speaks with   Michael Burger about  climate change litigation and how courts are handling this growing field. They discuss the recent victory by youth litigants in a climate...

With former President Trump now facing four indictments, Jeanne Hruska catches up with Barbara McQuade about some of the issues arising from the legal proceedings. Specifically, they delve into concerns that Trump's commentary about the cases could cross over into witness tampering or tainting the jury pool. What tools do the judges overseeing the different proceedings have to respond and how...

In the wake of his second federal indictment, former President Donald Trump and his legal team are claiming the First Amendment protects against charges of fraud, conspiracy to violate civil rights, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to do so. Lindsay Langholz speaks with Nora Benavidez about this claim and the broader issue of how social media is impacting our elections and our...

Today is a double feature! Jeanne Hruska speaks first with Lindsay Langholz about an unusual August election in Ohio and why the cynical ploy could be decisive for abortion rights in the state. Jeanne then speaks with Russ Feingold about President Biden falling behind his predecessor’s pace in judicial confirmations and the implications going forward. Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   A...

If you were planning to rewrite the U.S. Constitution, it would only make sense to practice. On this week's episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with ACS President Russ Feingold about how a far-Right organization is doing just that, convening their third-known practice session on how to drastically rewrite the Constitution. They discuss the danger of this pursuit and why more people need to pay atte...

Building off episode 101, about the rise of AI chatbots, we delve into the rise of AI-powered worker surveillance on this episode. Jeanne Hruska speaks with Dr. Ifeoma Ajunwa about the use of automated hiring processes, the risk of automated discrimination, and surveillance in the workplace. Should employers have to disclose surveillance programs? Can workers refuse to be surveilled - and stay emp...

With the U.S. Supreme Court now on summer holiday, Jeanne Hruska catches up with Elie Mystal about his new podcast,  the politics and urgency of Supreme Court reform, and his concluding thoughts on the packed Court's recent term.   Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Today's   Host: Jeanne Hruska, ACS Sr Advisor for Communications and Strategy Guest:   Elie Mystal, Ju...

On the last day of Pride Month, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ+ folks. Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Professor  Elizabeth Sepper about  303 Creative v. Elenis , the impact of the decision for LGBTQ+ rights, and what it could mean for non-discrimination protections more broadly.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org T...

The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative supermajority has banned affirmative action in higher education. On this BONUS episode, Taonga Leslie speaks with Bethany Li, Brianna McBride, and David Lewis, leaders in the battle to expand access to opportunity in higher education. They discuss the recent SCOTUS decisions and delve into what comes next and how we maintain hope in the fight for a more e...

We cover a buffet of Supreme Court cases on this episode. Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Professor  Alexis J. Hoag-Fordjour about an array of criminal  legal cases decided this term and the Court's persistent indifference to potential innocence. He later speaks with Lindsay Langholz about the Court's decision in Moore v. Harper, regarding the so-called independent state legislat...

This week, Lindsay Langholz speaks with Professor Wenona T. Singel to debrief the Supreme Court's decision in Haaland v. Brackeen about the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), long considered the "gold standard" of child welfare policies. The episode delves into the statute's history, the details of the case, and the sweeping impact of the Supreme Court up...

Two episodes in one! This week, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Barbara McQuade about the federal indictment and arraignment of former President Trump. Additionally, Lindsay Langholz speaks with Jonathan Diaz to debrief the Supreme Court's decision in  Allen v. Milligan  and how it relates to  Shelby County v. Holder  and the status of the Voting Rights Act.  Join the Progressive Legal Movement Tod...

In its recent decision in  Glacier Northwest, Inc v. Teamsters , the U.S. Supreme Court favored employers over workers. Elizabeth Binczik speaks with Professor Charlotte Garden about the resulting impact on labor law and whether the decision will deter some unions from exercising the right to strike.   Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Today's   Host: Elizabeth Binczik,...

The U.S. Supreme Court struck a devastating blow to the Clean Water Act in its recent decision in  Sackett v. EPA .  Elizabeth  Binczik  speaks with  Patrice Simms and Sam Sankar from EarthJustice about the  nonsensical  decision and its potentially catastrophic impact on environmental protection going forward. Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today:   ACSLaw.org Today's   Host: Elizabeth...

Recorded live at our 2023 ACS National Convention, Jeanne Hruska speaks first with TN State Rep. Justin J. Pearson about his and Rep. Justin Jones' expulsion from the TN state legislature and how we mobilize to advance the promise of democracy. She then speaks with Donald Sherman (CREW) and Mark Joseph Stern (Slate) about the biggest legal developments thus far in 2023 and what to expect in t...