Bonus: Crybabies With a Batphone to SCOTUS
Summary
Medea Benabou joins the Cigar Bar to recap the Supreme Court’s intervention in Missouri’s redistricting dispute, where the Court blocked a gerrymandered map to uphold voter petition rights. The discussion also covers the Fifth Circuit’s oral arguments in Louisiana v. FDA, where judges expressed skepticism toward state claims of standing regarding mail-order abortion access. Finally, the episode analyzes the First Circuit’s denial of a stay on mail-in ballot rules, highlighting the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s election interference efforts and the Supreme Court’s potent…
Topics discussed
Introduction and guest Medea Benyo
Recap of Missouri redistricting crisis
How the gerrymandered map was created and challenged
Supreme Court intervention and dual court orders
Resolution: Missouri uses old maps for election
Critique of voter confusion arguments
Implications for mail-in ballot cases and SCOTUS stance
Louisiana v. FDA: Oral arguments on med abortion
Background on FDA telehealth and mail prescription rules
Analysis of state standing and injury claims
Comparison to previous standing rulings and aesthetic harm
Big picture: Nationwide ban via access restrictions
5th Circuit skepticism and potential outcome
1st Circuit denies stay on mail-in ballot injunction
Outlook for Supreme Court review of mail-in ballots
Court legitimacy and the 'Stephen Hawking' problem
Closing remarks and credits
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