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Serious Trouble: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Josh Barro and Ken White
An irreverent podcast about the law from Josh Barro and Ken White.
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- 2 days ago29 min
Very Special Prosecutors
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showA former Cornell University student has filed a Jane Doe lawsuit accusing seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity of sexual misconduct, including rape, in an incident that occurred in October 2024. We discuss this case, and the actions and conclusions of the local district attorney, who Governor Kathy Hochul has replaced with a special prosecutor (Letitia James, the attorney general).We also discuss the continued unraveling of President Trump’s pet “grand conspiracy” investigation in south Florida, Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s lawsuit over the review of her phone records, and a lawyer who came at Andrew Weissmann and missed.That’s for all listeners. For paying subscribers this week, we also cover:* The very unfair judge who is thwarting President Trump’s heroic efforts to prosecute that Olympic canoeist who wantonly destroyed the lining of his favorite reflecting pool. (Sad!)* Sheri Mecklenburg’s self-serving, but also partially convincing, resignation letter, saying she’s been made into the fall-woman for failures by US Attorney Andrew Boutros in Chicago in the botched “Broadview Six” prosecution related to anti-ICE protests.* A DC Circuit loss for Anthropic.* A new defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens.* A bribery mistrial for DC Councilman Trayon White, and* An update in the Kyrsten Sinema alienation-of-affection case.Upgrade your subscription at www.serioustrouble.show.
- 1 weeks ago23 min
Public Disclosure of Privates Facts
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showDonald Trump tried to ban CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House and, as Trump himself predicted, he was almost immediately ordered by a federal court to let those outlets back in. The judge was unimpressed with the government’s claims that the outlets were ejected on national security grounds, partly because that contradicts the president’s own public statements. But it’s an argument he loves to make in court — he says his planned triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery serves a national security purpose, as does his ballroom and his efforts to block wind turbine projects. Courts traditionally give the president a wide berth on national security, but these increasingly implausible claims are leading courts to impose more scrutiny.Those conversations (plus a look at how aesthetic standing may matter again in litigation over that arch) are for all listeners. Paying subscribers also get our conversations about:* That ProPublica story about a federal investigation that looked at Susan Collins but did not lead to indictments of her or anyone in her direct orbit.* A prosecution for online threats against ICE in Tennessee.* Elizabeth Holmes’ impending move to a halfway house.* Clavicular’s indictment for rape in Massachusetts.* And an ignominious end to Matt Kalil’s lawsuit against his ex-wife, who wantonly told the whole world about his enormous penis.If you’re not a paying subscriber and you want to hear about all that, go to www.serioustrouble.show.
- 2 weeks ago40 min
Kennedy, Centered
Remember Joseph DiGenova? He was a Trump defender from the first administration brought back to help with the investigation into the investigators that DOJ is running down in south Florida. Well, he’s gone again. He seems to have had some disputes with the Attorney General about the conduct of that investigation — “if you want indictments where there’s no evidence, you have an ethical problem,” he told the New York Post. Plus: Donald Trump continues to be stymied in his efforts to rename the Kennedy Center after himself — his latest threat is that he’ll tear down the building if he doesn’t get his way. Former immigration judge Chloe Dillon sues over her firing, Mahmoud Khalil sues,Columbia University, injunctions against ICE and legal victories for people who were fired for saying not-nice things about Charlie Kirk, a lawsuit against Lufthansa, whose employee outed a gay couple in Saudi Arabia — does that create a claim in the United States, where they were flying to? And finally: Kash Patel and bizarrely relaxed hiring metrics at the FBI and a right-wing media figure who resolved defamation litigation with an apology for lying about Patel’s girlfriend. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.serioustrouble.show/subscribe
- 3 weeks ago22 min
Mistrial
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThis week: the Lindsay Clancy murder trial jury hung 11-1, ending in a mistrial. We discuss how judges press juries to agree, and why they maybe shouldn’t. And the Tate brothers — one of whom has possessed a fake Mexican passport in the name of “Vladimir Scorpius” — unsurprisingly failed to convince a judge to give them bail pending extradition. We also discuss UEFA, the European soccer body, seeking help from American courts with a criminal investigation of FIFA’s effort to sell an equity stake in world soccer to a group led by Jared Kushner’s brother, Josh Kushner.Free listeners get our discussion of those cases. Upgrade your subscription to hear about:* Indiana prosecutors have decided the woman who falsely accused Pete Buttigieg of being a risk to his children is too insane to face criminal charges.* Former ICE agent Christian Castro wasn’t extradited to face criminal charges in Minnesota, but somewhat surprisingly, he’s now under a federal indictment.* Trump won’t get to revive his birthright citizenship restrictions, but he can proceed with building his ballroom, as Ken and I discuss who has the least plausible theory of aesthetic standing.* Marco Rubio faces a blow to his efforts to deport non-citizen left-wing student activists.* The alienation of affection lawsuit against former senator Kyrsten Sinema will proceed in a North Carolina federal court, to the apparent annoyance of the judge who will have to preside over it, and* Lebohang Morake, the guy who wrote and performed the Zulu chant at the start of The Lion King, owes legal fees because of a dumb lawsuit he filed against a comedian who offered an incorrect story of what the lyrics mean. Don’t sue over jokes, people.
- Aug 27, 202627 min
If You Can’t Trust Michael Cohen, Who Can You Trust?
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showMost federal prosecutors win almost all the time, in part because they are careful about the cases they bring and in part because they’re good at their jobs. Lately, Jeanine Pirro’s US Attorney’s office in Washington D.C. has only been winning about half the time. This week, we discuss what’s likely driving the substantial number of acquittals and mistrials. We also look at Ghislaine Maxwell’s unsuccessful pro se appeal, and about whether it matters that Michael Cohen recanted (sort of) his testimony that helped convict Donald Trump in the Manhattan DA’s falsification of business records case.That’s for all listeners this week. Paying subscribers also hear about:* A partial victory for Alex Jones on appeal of the defamation judgment against him in Texas* A win on appeal for James O’Keefe that causes us to revisit the Food Lion case.* A defamation loss for The New York Times.* A terse Supreme Court order on the White House ballroom, with more likely to come, and* Trump’s latest Kennedy Center litigation gambit: Threatening to tear down the building.Upgrade your subscription to hear the whole episode at serioustrouble.show.
- Aug 20, 202621 min
The Happiest Place on Earth (a Courtroom)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showLike some of the big law firms, Disney hoped to buy peace with the Trump administration through a bogus settlement. It didn’t work. Disney is now suing the FCC, saying the commission’s move to review its broadcast licenses early is unconstitutional retaliation for its speech — namely, ABC broadcasts the president doesn’t like. Our discussion of the ABC litigation is for all listeners this week.For paying subscribers, Ken and Josh discuss Luigi Mangione’s choice to plead guilty in federal court with no plea deal; another rejected Trump administration gambit to install US attorneys without the Senate’s approval; a victory for Harvard in litigation with the Trump administration; expert witness AI shenanigans; and the mailbox-rifling congressman.To hear the full episode and every full episode of Serious Trouble, subscribe here.
- Aug 14, 202622 min
Because I Got Highly Likely to Lose an Anti-SLAPP Motion
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThe Tate brothers want bail pending their extradition proceedings to the United Kingdom, which is a long shot, not just because their social media is full of statements about how they are flight risks. “You can’t ban me from driving, I have nine drivers licenses. You can’t freeze my passport, I have four.”Also this week: trouble for Rep. Max Miller, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s new special grand jury, opposition to President Trump’s new effort to restrict birthright citizenship, and at the latest action in the litigation over the White House ballroom!Paying subscribers also hear about:* Trump’s new effort to fire Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook.* Long-suffering federal Judge Emmett Sullivan’s ongoing dissatisfaction with Todd Blanche’s handling of Epstein file redaction, including Blanche’s claim they can’t redact handwritten documents.* More legal trouble for the SPLC: the indictment of its former CFO and a failed motion to dismiss charges on the grounds of vindictive prosecution.* Trump’s ongoing effort to avoid disclosing financial information in his defamation case against the BBC, and* A new and unwise Afroman lawsuit against one of the cops who raided his home. You gotta quit while you’re ahead, Afroman.Ugrade your subscription now at www.serioustrouble.show.
- Aug 6, 202624 min
Who's to Judge Jeanine?
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.serioustrouble.showThis week: Jeanine Pirro would like everyone to know this embarrassing turn in the reflecting pool case is all Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s fault. We talk about her remarkable and remarkably detailed filing seeking to dismiss charges against David Hearn related to the pool, plus Anthony Fauci refusing to testify before a Senate hearing, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.Those discussions are for all listeners, along with a look at what Todd Blanche’s letters to the Senate say and don’t say. Paying subscribers also hear about:* A lesson from Rep. Chuck Edwards, on how being creepy can constitute sexual harassment even if you never explicitly ask for sex.* Paramount’s litigation strategy choices.* Capital One’s arguments that it didn’t violate the president’s civil rights.* Judge Amit Mehta reluctantly vacating the case against Stewart Rhodes.* More problems with posting through it at DOJ.* And Kash Patel being deprived of a default judgment in a bullshit defamation case for the court’s lack of personal jurisdiction over the defaulted defendant.Upgrade your subscription now at serioustrouble.show.
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An irreverent podcast about the law from Josh Barro and Ken White.
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