Strict Scrutiny

How do we restore public trust in the Supreme Court amid this monumental blue wave? Leah, Kate, and Melissa are joined by Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund; Jamelle Bouie, New York Times columnist; and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) for a CrookedCon panel on Reforming the Supreme Court!. They dig into a range of proposed reforms, including a gift ban, changes to the shadow docket, SCOTUS term limits, and revisiting presidential immunity. They also discuss the growing constitutional crisis, the current makeup of the Court, and what it would take to restore public trust in the institution.
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For a transcript of an episode of Strict Scrutiny please email transcripts@crooked.com

Post-blue wave and on the eve of Crooked Con, Kate, Melissa, and Leah break down what went right on election night, and how the Supreme Court did its very best to prevent it by disenfranchising voters and enabling Trump’s lawlessness. Then, some executive branch news both welcome (see ya, Harmeet Dhillon) and horrifying (the ascension of Stephen Miller to chief of staff), before a breakdown of the biggest case SCOTUS heard last week. Is there a constitutional right to use public funds to discriminate against gay and trans people? Brett Kavanaugh seems to think so! Finally, Sherrilyn Ifill, founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy at Howard University, joins to talk about one of the most important tasks for Democrats ahead: Court reform.
Favorite things:

Leah: Barrett Adair’s Election Night Instagram content; Stacey Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, Debbie Dingell, & Mallory McMorrowtelling Haley Stevens to go pound sand and dragging her for filth; Governor elect Amy Acton not picking up the phone when Vivek called to concede and adding that she doesn’t plan to speak to him.

Melissa: American Hagwon, Min Jin Lee

Kate: The Most Dangerous Way to Misread the Midterm Results, M. Gessen

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New Strict merch available here.
You can now listen to Strict Scrutiny for CLE credits in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon! More info at crooked.com/strict_cle

Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE on November 6th in Washington, DC: Crookedcon.com

Buy Melissa’s book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader

Buy Leah’s book, Lawless, now out in paperback
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For a transcript of an episode of Strict Scrutiny please email transcripts@crooked.com

Election Day is upon us, and President Trump is already trying to sow doubt in the results – with the help of the courts. But first, Leah, Kate, and Melissa preview the cases the Supreme Court will be hearing this week, including St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a Colorado case that puts anti-LGBT discrimination back in the spotlight. Then, it’s time to get into the DOJ’s failed attempt to segregate ballots in California, and its lawsuit against Alaska for allowing more than one candidate named Dan Sullivan to run for Senate. Plus, some fun reenactments of a bonkers hearing on the D.C. golf course Trump wants to renovate.
Favorite Things:

Leah: Jon Lovett and Tim Miller on supporting Abdul El-Sayed | The Cheesecake Factory discourse

Kate: Former President Barack Obama's response to The Cheesecake Factory discourse | The Osborne Association’s annual benefit

Melissa: Supporting Kate at the Osborne Association’s annual benefit | Obama’s shade about The Cheesecake Factory | Leah’s supercut of President Trump talking about Republican Senator Jon Husted’s butt | Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Take the Strict Scrutiny survey.
New Strict merch available here.
You can now listen to Strict Scrutiny for CLE credits in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon! More info at crooked.com/strict_cle

Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE on November 6th in Washington, DC: Crookedcon.com

Buy Melissa’s book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader

Buy Leah’s book, Lawless, now out in paperback
Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky

For a transcript of an episode of Strict Scrutiny please email transcripts@crooked.com

Leah and Melissa break down the administration’s latest lawsuits, from the DOJ’s fight over Alaska’s Senate candidacy, to its efforts to force California to turn over voter information, to Trump’s golf course fiasco. They also recap the latest developments at the Supreme Court, including a lower court ruling on New Hampshire’s election guidance for student IDs and the Court’s decision not to hear a significant copyright dispute out of the Fifth Circuit. Plus, they unpack the administration’s seemingly endless legal corruption, from Alina Habba to Vivek Ramaswamy’s disgusting Ohio campaign ads targeting his opponent, Amy Acton. Then, Kate talks with Rachel Shelden about her new book, The Political Supreme Court: A Forgotten History.
Favorite Things:

Leah: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell | Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa Kleypas | Talarico x The Chicks | You Can See Everything | Pablo Torre on Vivek | Lily Allen celebrating the one-year anniversary of West End Girl with a sex toy launch

Melissa: Happy Anniversary Mr. Melissa Murry! | The Diplomat

Take the Strict Scrutiny survey.
New Strict merch available here.
You can now listen to Strict Scrutiny for CLE credits in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon! More info at crooked.com/strict_cle

Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE on November 6th in Washington, DC: Crookedcon.com

Buy Melissa’s book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader

Buy Leah’s book, Lawless, now out in paperback
Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky

For a transcript of an episode of Strict Scrutiny please email transcripts@crooked.com

The nation is on a fast-paced slide toward full-on fascism, but what else is new? Leah, Kate, and Melissa recap Matt Gaetz’s sex trafficking civil suit, Katie Zacharia’s first—and last—week as White House Press Secretary, and the disturbing raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s home. Then, they dive into this week’s blockbuster Supreme Court arguments, including Suncor Energy Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County, Beaird v. United States, and Salazar v. Paramount Global. They break down the fight over climate accountability, the role of federal sentencing guidelines, and whether a decades-old privacy law can keep up with modern streaming services. Plus, they discover just how out of touch some of the justices are when conversation keeps circling back to Blockbuster. Finally, Leah talks with journalist and author Alice Ollstein about her new book, Side Effects: How Abortion Bans Impact Everyone’s Health.
Favorite Things:

Leah: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth | Book Lovers by Emily Henry | Kate Manne on Call Her Daddy | Side Effects by Alice Ollstein | The Duke by Anna Cowan | The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath

Kate: Blockers by Michael Lewis

Melissa: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans | The 14th | The Diplomat 

Take the Strict Scrutiny survey.
New Strict merch available here.
You can now listen to Strict Scrutiny for CLE credits in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon! More info at crooked.com/strict_cle

Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE on November 6th in Washington, DC: Crookedcon.com

Buy Melissa’s book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader

Buy Leah’s book, Lawless, now out in paperback
Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky

For a transcript of an episode of Strict Scrutiny please email transcripts@crooked.com