Boom! Lawyered
235 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★★ - 550 ratingsEvery week, Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy take you on a wild ride through the latest legal battles in the fight for reproductive justice. On everything from abortion rights to trans discrimination to racial justice, Boom! Lawyered will help you get smart, stay mad, have fun, and fight back.
Produced by Rewire News Group.
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Episodes
Neil Gorsuch Is a Snake—and We Almost Missed It
October 24, 2022 19:55 - 29 minutes - 27.7 MBImani and Jess are being upfront—and admitting they got something wrong. It’s about the 2020 Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, in which the justices held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects trans and gay employees at the workplace. Upon reflection, it turns out that the Bostock opinion is one giant goose egg—and Justice Neil Gorsuch is to blame. As Jess says in the episode, "He managed to write the decision and tailor it so narrowly that it left open room for ...
Abortion Gets Porked
October 17, 2022 19:55 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBJess and Imani are all over National Pork Producers Council v. Ross, the Supreme Court case about pork production and regulation in California—but really, it's low-key a case about abortion rights. Yes, pork rights are abortion rights. To understand the interconnectedness, you'll need to know about the commerce clause and the dormant commerce clause. This is a one meaty episode you won't want to miss. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is ...
Justice Jackson Obliterates Originalism in Voting Rights Case
October 10, 2022 20:02 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBIn a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, it's Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's first official week on the Supreme Court. And it was a big one! Jess and Imani get into the important voting rights case the justices heard and how Jackson is already making her mark on the bench. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating here. And sign up for The Fallout,...
What Fresh Hell Will the Supreme Court Bring This Term?
October 03, 2022 20:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBYour favorite legal journalists Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy bring you everything you need to know about the new Supreme Court term and how the cases on the docket will represent the biggest step forward for the white evangelical movement in modern history. As Imani says in the episode, by the end of summer 2023, we could be looking at a world where business owners can discriminate against LGBTQ folks, tribal sovereignty is destroyed, and Black and brown voters experience even more ...
Elie Mystal and Imani Gandy on the SCOTUS Dumpster Fire
July 25, 2022 19:55 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBHost Imani Gandy is flying solo and is joined by friend-of-the-pod Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation. They have a super-sized conversation about the dystopian, post-Roe world the Supreme Court justices have created. They dissect why some people are afraid to say the word abortion (we're looking at you, President Biden) as if it's a shameful thing, and how that connects to the failings of comprehensive sex ed in schools. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, wh...
Biden Finally Did Something About Abortion! Or Did He?
July 11, 2022 19:50 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBPresident Joe Biden took some baby steps—finally—to protect abortion in the country. But it's just not enough to get folks abortion care today. In a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy dig into Biden's broad-strokes executive order, which is delivers big on aspirations and little on actual direction and action points. As Jess says in the episode: “Waiting to respond, issuing a response that so clearly doesn’t meet the moment—we’re sending signals th...
SCOTUS Brings Prayer to Your Public School
June 28, 2022 19:04 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBIn a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy dive into the Court’s decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, which sided with the public high school football coach whose prayer circle turned into a community event. Everything about it takes us back to our worst colonial and imperialist days. Mentioned in this episode: Where Were You the Day 'Roe' Died? The End of 'Roe v. Wade' Rewire News Group is a nonprofit and the only independent, reliabl...
The Day 'Roe' Died
June 24, 2022 17:54 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBFor the first time in this country's history, an unelected majority of Supreme Court justices have taken away a fundamental constitutional right. In this rapid reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy try to process the Court's decision to overturn the right to abortion set by Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. For full coverage of the end of Roe v. Wade, see our special report. For continued breaking news coverage, be sure to follow us on...
SCOTUS Declares the Border a Constitution-Free Zone
June 13, 2022 19:55 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBDo you live in Sacramento? Houston? Literally the entire state of Florida? What about Maine? If so, the Supreme Court recently gave the green light for border patrol agents to enter your home without a warrant—and there’s nothing you can do about it. In a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down the stunning decision in Egbert v. Boule and what it means for your rights. Mentioned in this episode: Wisconsin GOP Blocks Effort to Overturn Anti-A...
The SCOTUS Leak Investigation Is Heating Up
June 06, 2022 20:15 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBSupreme Court clerks are being pressed to turn over their phones. Whispers of criminal statutes being invoked abound. Basically, whomever leaked the draft of Justice Samuel Alito's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization might be in a whole lot of trouble. But did they actually commit a crime? In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy discuss the latest drama in the investigation of "SCOTUSgate" ("Leakgate?"), the laws that may or may ...
Wombs Are Not Meth Labs—but Some Prosecutors Treat Them the Same
May 31, 2022 19:55 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBIn this episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy discuss the surveillance state that conservative lawmakers are creating. It's real. It's not just the bounty hunter laws where neighbors are rewarded for snitching on each other. They're also getting nurses to snitch on patients. It's using the criminal justice system to police pregnancy—and it's going to get worse. Mentioned in this episode: A Gathering Storm Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organizati...
Jess Interviews Her Ex-Work Wife, Robin Marty
May 20, 2022 19:55 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBJess is joined by Robin Marty, operations director at Alabama West Women's Center, for a deeper look into the landscape of abortion in the South and how the clinic is preparing for a post-Roe world. Resources mentioned in the episode: If You Want to Protect Pregnant People From Arrest, Fund Red-State Clinics The New Handbook for a Post-Roe America Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by t...
Processing the Fallout of the Supreme Court Leak
May 09, 2022 19:55 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBCo-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down what’s happened since Politico published the leaked SCOTUS opinion, including which lawmakers have risen to the occasion, and which didn’t. They also chat about how the White House’s response measures up to the gravity of the moment. And they’ll hit on what comes next: which states are poised to defend access moving forward and what the decision will mean for lawmakers eager to roll back abortion rights even more. Rewire News Group is...
We Are in the Bad Place
May 03, 2022 16:13 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBThere's no sugarcoating it, folks: We're in the bad place. In this emergency episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy bring you everything you need to know after Politico published a draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organizationthat fully reverses Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. After the recording of this episode, Chief Justice John Roberts released a statement that verified the authenticity of the opinion. It's full ch...
Hey Lawmakers, Be Like Connecticut
May 02, 2022 19:55 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBBoom! Lawyered is approaching 1 million downloads, and Jess and Imani have something special planned for loyal subscribers and listeners like you! Keep tuning in this month and be sure you're following us on Twitter. Connecticut just passed the most progressive and pro-abortion law on the books right now—and it's a shining example of what states can do if they care about abortion access. In this new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy take a look into ...
The 'Dobbs' Crystal Ball
April 25, 2022 19:55 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBThe case has the potential to completely change the landscape of abortion access as we know it. And only one thing might be certain, as Jess puts it: There's no chance for a win here. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating here. And sign up for The Fallout, a weekly newsletter written by Jess that’s exclusively dedicated to covering every as...
What the Hell Happened to Lizelle Herrera?
April 18, 2022 19:55 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBThat's what happened in Texas after the indictment and arrest of Lizelle Herrera for a “self-induced” abortion. While Herrera’s charges were dropped, the case is a grim insight into the criminalization of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes—one that seems to be getting worse. In a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down a few key points about what happened: the importance of accuracy in reporting on these issues, the ever-present questions about ...
History Made—Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Confirmed
April 07, 2022 21:36 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBThe Senate voted 53-47 this afternoon to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court! "Aye" votes came from Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney to confirm Jackson, who's the first Black woman, and first public defender, to join the nation's highest court. In this rapid reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy celebrate this historic moment and look ahead to upcoming cases that Justice Jackson will hear next term. R...
Ginni the Insurrectionist
April 04, 2022 19:55 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBIn a new episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy ask the all-important question: Did we just move on from the fact that Ginni Thomas maybe probably definitely discussed the Big Lie with her husband—a sitting Supreme Court justice—while urging Trump administration officials to not accept the 2020 election results?! And will the Democrats do anything about it? Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made pos...
Ketanji Brown Jackson Hearing, Day Three—Celebrating Joy Amid the Nonsense
March 24, 2022 01:45 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBJoin co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy in a special reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered as they discuss the main takeaways from the day three of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation hearing: Republicans are willing to pander to the lowest of the lows, and they're coming for all of our rights. It's pretty dark. But Jess and Imani are following the lead of Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and celebrating joy in this historic nomination. This episode was recorded prior to more info ...
Ketanji Brown Jackson Hearing, Day Two—The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
March 23, 2022 02:15 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBIn this rapid reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down all the good (Mazie Hirono, Cory Booker), the bad (Lindsey Graham), and the ugly (John Cornyn, Josh Hawley) from a marathon day of questioning Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on day two of her confirmation hearing. Be sure to follow Rewire News Group on Twitter and Instagram as we continue to bring you expert analysis of this historic moment. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organiz...
Ketanji Brown Jackson Hearing, Day One—The Stage Is Set
March 21, 2022 23:30 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIt's day one of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation hearing, yet conservatives aren't over the Brett Kavanaugh hearings—which occurred in 2018. We also got peek into all the bad-faith nonsense that they'll bring over the next two days of questioning (we're looking at you, Sens. Josh Hawley and Marsha Blackburn). Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered—especially emergency episodes like this one—is only made possible by the support of liste...
Conservatives Have a New Priority: Health-Care Travel Bans
March 14, 2022 19:45 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBConservative lawmakers in Idaho and Missouri are trying to advance bills that would make it a felony to help another person leave the state to get an abortion or gender affirming care. It’s a dangerous escalation in the attacks on reproductive health care, and Jess and Imani are here to walk you through it. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered—especially emergency episodes like this one—is only made possible by the support of listeners like y...
This Supreme Court Opinion Is a Trojan Horse for Fascism
March 07, 2022 20:55 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBIn this week's episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down the Court's decision to let Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron reanimate the fight to enforce a state law banning the most common form of later abortion. And while this case is about abortion on the surface, it's also about all that's lurking underneath—political power, ambition, and how conservative lawmakers use abortion as currency to spend in their own political careers—in the quest ...
It's Ketanji Brown Jackson!
February 25, 2022 19:15 - 34 minutes - 32 MBTo use a Biden-ism, "this is a big fucking deal!" President Joe Biden officially announced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court. Once confirmed, she'll be the first Black woman to sit on the highest court of the United States. Jackson would also be the first public defender on the Supreme Court, bringing a much-needed, long-overdue perspective to the bench. In this rapid reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason...
How Biden Could Make—or Break—His Legacy With Black Women
February 21, 2022 20:55 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBPresident Joe Biden has a chance to make good on his campaign promise to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court—and it should be happening fairly soon! In this week's episode of Boom! Lawyered, co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down the top names floating around to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the bench: D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger (Jess' pick!), and South Carolina District Judge J. Michelle Ch...
What the Hell Is a 'Closely Held Religious Belief'?
February 07, 2022 20:55 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBCo-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy explain how when it comes to the legal history of religious liberty in the United States, we've had a long and tumultuous past. And when it comes to religious freedom, it often means white, Christian supremacy. Fun! Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered—especially emergency episodes like this one—is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating...
Holy Crap, Justice Breyer Is Finally Retiring!
January 26, 2022 20:09 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBYou know that scene from The Office where Michael Scott is just shouting “It's happening, it's happening!” That's what's going on right now after news broke that Justice Stephen Breyer plans on retiring. Let’s say that again: Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring. In this emergency episode of Boom! Lawyered co-hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down what a Breyer retirement and vacancy on the bench means. With the Supreme Court scheduled to release opinions on Monday, Jess predi...
The Numpties Are Marching for "Life" Again
January 17, 2022 21:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBThis weekend we're approaching a big milestone for the abortion-loving community: the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. And with that comes an important question to consider: Will this be the last? Who’s to say! (We're not betting on it.) It also means anti-abortion groups are once again preparing to flood the streets of Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life. And this year’s theme is "Equality begins in the womb." Seriously. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, whi...
A Totally Off-the-Rails Look at SCOTUS Gone Rogue
December 20, 2021 20:55 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBIn the final 2021 episode of Boom! Lawyered, hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy go off the rails on a truly off-the-rails year at the Court. And they're joined by a special guest! The producer behind the mic—the man we would save in the man-rapture: Marc Faletti. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating at https://rewirenewsgroup.com/do...
Rapid Reaction—Why the Supreme Court's Texas Abortion Decisions Are Infuriating
December 10, 2021 19:19 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBOn Friday morning, the Supreme Court issued its decisions in United States v. Texas and Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson. In this special reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy break down the decisions and explain what they means for abortion access in Texas moving forward. TL;DR: It's a disaster. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can...
Prepping for the Abortion Fight of a Lifetime: An Interview With Repro Rights Attorney Jenny Ma
December 06, 2021 20:55 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBWhat was it like getting ready for the biggest abortion case in decades? Jenny Ma, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights who was at the Supreme Court joins hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy for a behind-the-scenes perspective on everything Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our te...
Rapid Reaction—Roe’s Last Stand at the Supreme Court
December 01, 2021 19:54 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBIt happened—the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the biggest abortion case in decades, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which could be the end of Roe v. Wade as we know it. In this rapid reaction episode of Boom! Lawyered, hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy bring you all the legal analysis on the most important and surprising insights from the day. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the sup...
It's Here! The First Direct Challenge to 'Roe v. Wade'
November 22, 2021 20:45 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBWhat’s the opposite of an advent calendar? Like, instead of opening a little gift every day leading up to a holiday, you get more bad abortion news while you anxiously wait for the Supreme Court to hear the first direct challenge to Roe v. Wade since the decision was passed down in 1973? That’s where we’re at, folks. And as we close in on oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on December 1, you can join hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy to feel all your fee...
Neil Gorsuch's Big, Dirty Abortion Game
November 08, 2021 20:20 - 30 minutes - 28 MBIt’s been a while since we’ve talked about what a bad dude Justice Neil Gorsuch is, and if you'd forgotten, the abortion double feature at the Supreme Court a week ago was a good reminder. Last Monday's two challenges to Texas SB 8 had some surprises and some predictable takes from the justices—Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were obviously not having it, and Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh surprisingly seemed a little itchy at the idea that SB 8's bounty provision could be used to li...
Texas Abortion Ban at the Supreme Court: What Happened
November 01, 2021 20:15 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBRewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that Boom! Lawyered is only made possible by the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating at https://rewirenewsgroup.com/donate/. The Supreme Court today heard arguments in two cases challenging Texas SB 8, the unconstitutional near-total abortion ban: Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson, brought by Texas clinics, providers, and abortion funds, and United States v. Texas, brought by the Biden adm...
The Supreme Court Could Annihilate 'Roe v. Wade' Next Week
October 25, 2021 17:30 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBHere’s a fun thing that wasn't on our 2021 bingo card: multiple abortion rights challenges at the Supreme Court. But that happened thanks to Texas! The Supreme Court decided on Friday to hear two challenges to Texas SB 8, which restricts most abortions in the state after six weeks and puts a bounty in place for anyone who reports someone who helps someone else get an abortion. And they’re hearing the case on November 1—a week from today—like some "gut abortion" telethon. Hosts Jessica Maso...
WTF Is Going on With the Texas Abortion Ban?
October 14, 2021 10:10 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBBuckle up—we're taking you to Texas this week. Hosts Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy unpack the current state of abortion access in Texas (we’re using the word “access” loosely here.) They break down what the courts have done over the last few months as cases challenging the law have ping-ponged between the federal district and circuit courts and the Supreme Court. The TL;DR: It's not great! Mentioned in the episode: Rewire News Group's virtual, subscriber-only event hosted by Jes...
Here Comes the Supreme Court Train Wreck
October 07, 2021 10:10 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBGet comfy—grab your law-nerd hats and a pillow to rage scream into, and join us for the season premiere episode of Boom! Lawyered. Jess and Imani return to the mics for: The latest in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization What’s next with Texas SB 8, the near-total abortion ban that went into effect in September via the Court’s shadow docket ruling Some special shoutouts to the advocates on the ground doing the work. (More on this with Jess at a special Zoom event on Tuesday! Art...
Abortion Rights Are in Chaos. What Now?
September 02, 2021 20:46 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBLast night, the Supreme Court made it official: the brutal, blatantly unconstitutional Texas abortion ban is hunky-dory. Roe v. Wade? Not so much. Is there any chance of the Texas ban still being overturned? Will other states pass copycat laws? Is there any hope of a federal bill enshrining abortion rights? On the latest episode of Boom! Lawyered, Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy end an alarming week by peering into our very messy future. Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organiza...
The Supreme Court Ghosts Roe v. Wade
September 01, 2021 17:18 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBThe Supreme Court just let a blatantly unconstitutional abortion ban take effect in Texas. They made this unprecedented and radical move on the “shadow docket,” which is a fancy way of saying they avoided any hearings or scrutiny of any kind. They haven’t even had to explain their reasoning. Now, maybe they will eventually fix this. But maybe they won't. At best, this is a major warning shot at Roe v. Wade. At worst, it's a complete dismantlement of 50 years of abortion rights precedent vi...
The Supreme Court Ends Its Term, Possibly Democracy
July 07, 2021 10:10 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MBLast week, the Supreme Court completed its business for this term. And by "its business" we mean "gutting the meager remaining protections for voting rights in the United States." Other highlights of their closing act include the Affordable Cart Act living to fight another day, some subtle groundwork being laid for legal religious discrimination, and a disappointing number of justices (ZERO) announcing their retirement. On the last Boom! Lawyered before our own summer break, Jess and Imani ...
Supreme Court Protects the ACA but Not Same-Sex Couples
June 17, 2021 18:59 - 32 minutes - 30 MBThe Supreme Court handed down two big decisions today. First, the Court rejected an attempt by conservative attorneys general to declare the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional. But don't get too comfortable, law nerds. There's more to this decision than meets the eye. Then the Court declared that the city of Philadelphia must contract with a foster care agency that refuses to certify same-sex couples. What's even more shocking is that Justice Elena Kagan signed on. And so did Justice S...
This City Wants Your Racist Uncle to Enforce Their Abortion Ban
June 10, 2021 10:10 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBHeads up! If you can help us reach our fundraising goal at https://rewirenewsgroup.com/donate/, Jess and Imani will film the wildest and smashiest live event in Rewire News Group history next week! Check out that donate page for more info. *** Lubbock, Texas, passed a “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance, a so-called heartbeat ban that would ban abortion at around six weeks. The ban would allow anyone to sue to enforce the ban—and not just anyone in Lubbock or Texas. Anyone in the cou...
Here’s What You Need to Know About the Plan to End Roe
May 27, 2021 10:10 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBThis direct challenge to Roe v. Wade didn't reach the Supreme Court by accident. It was the culmination of a detailed plan that was hiding in plain sight. Actually, that doesn't do it justice—the deep-pocketed anti-choice movement was begging everyone years ago to listen to exactly how it planned to obliterate abortion rights: by passing a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi and defending it all the way to a revamped Supreme Court. On this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Jess and Imani take us ...
Emergency Pod: The Supreme Court Just Fired a Major Warning Shot at Roe
May 17, 2021 18:33 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBThe Supreme Court announced today it would be taking up a case that could completely upend abortion rights. Back in 2018, Mississippi passed a law that banned abortion at 15 weeks. It was struck down at the district level. Then the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, a notoriously conservative appeals court, struck it down, citing the clear precedent of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. And if the Supreme Court agreed that this was obviously unconstitutional, they could have easily j...
Meet the Republican AGs Driving Their Party Off a Cliff
May 13, 2021 10:10 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBRAGA is the Republican Attorneys General Association. It's essentially what it sounds like—a bunch of Republican attorneys general whose goal is to get other Republican attorneys general elected to office. Seems (relatively) normal, right? Well, it would be, except the group has gone completely off the deep end. On top of a lot of their members fighting to overturn the 2020 election, there are disturbing connections between RAGA and the insurrection at the Capitol in January. On this episo...
The Unconstitutional Case the Supreme Court Can't Stop Talking About
May 06, 2021 10:10 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBFact #1: Everyone agrees—Mississippi’s lawyers included—that no fetus is viable at 15 weeks. Fact #2: Mississippi passed an abortion ban that takes effect at 15 weeks. Fact #3: Pre-viability abortion bans have been ruled unconstitutional. Combined, these three facts mean that courts should have no trouble striking down Mississippi's ban. And yet! Arguments over that ban have made it all the way to the Supreme Court, where justices have conferenced on whether to hear the case almost twenty...
The Case of the Cursing Cheerleader Reaches the Supreme Court
April 29, 2021 10:10 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBOn Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case involving a former high school student who posted a photo of herself and a friend on Snapchat with their middle fingers raised. The caption read, “fuck school fuck softball fuck cheer fuck everything.” Have you fainted in outrage yet? Brandi Levy was a freshman at a Pennsylvania high school when she tried out for the varsity cheerleading team. She didn’t make it, and ended up on the JV squad. She probably wasn't happy about that and ...
Texas Is Trying to Take Trans Kids From Loving Parents
April 15, 2021 10:10 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBJust when you thought lawmakers couldn't stoop any lower to attack trans kids, Texas state senators took it to a new level with the introduction of a bill that would prohibit parents from "administering or supplying, or consenting to or assisting in the administering or supplying of puberty suppression prescription drug or cross-sex hormone to a child, other than an intersex child, for the purpose of gender transitioning or gender reassignment." And if parents don't comply, the state could t...