Best Jake Claus Podcasts (2025)

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Trump’s Long Game and Miles Taylor’s Warning 31:46

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34m ago31:46

31:46

Mike revisits an old worry: Trump’s policies are built for payoffs far beyond his term—and that’s a problem for a man who won’t share credit. From tariffs to civil service purges, the risks linger. To set the stage, we go back to a 2018 interview with Miles Taylor, once “Anonymous,” whose warnings still resonate as he returns with his new book Blow…

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The Working Class Party with the Post-Graduate Jargon 54:12

9m ago54:12

54:12

McKenzie Wilson of Blue Rose Research joins to dissect Democrats’ branding failures, from alienating language to ignoring cost-of-living pain. She explains why Gen Z may be drifting rightward, why “when we all vote we win” no longer holds, Plus: Trump’s doomed “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center, shut down not for human-rights abuses but for thre…

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Not Even Mad: Rikki Schlott and Isaac Saul 1:01:13

16h ago1:01:13

1:01:13

New York Post columnist Rikki Schlott and Tangle founder Isaac Saul join Mike to discuss policing Washington, D.C.—who's in charge, who gets blamed, and why federal takeover is more problem multiplier than solution. Then: scalpel or a chainsaw on the syllabus for higher ed. Plus, using the concept of toxic empathy to explain both a recidivist subwa…

1
CryptoDad’s Pirate Clause: Reviving Letters of Marque 32:47

1d ago32:47

32:47

Christopher Giancarlo—former CFTC chair and known as “CryptoDad”—joins to explain why the U.S. should build a crypto reserve, just like oil or gold. He recalls a White House summit that treated digital assets with the pomp of a state visit—and unveils a swashbuckling plan to revive the Constitution’s old letters of marque to hunt today’s digital pi…

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Rent-Stabilized and City-Run: Mamdani Rises as Rivals Flail 42:34

3d ago42:34

42:34

Harry Siegel joins to break down the chaotic New York mayoral race, where Zohran Mamdani looks like the presumptive next mayor but hasn’t been fully tested. Siegel warns that old tweets, rent-stabilized housing, and city-run grocery promises could become liabilities once federal pressure mounts. Plus, Trump’s trade war bets on an eight-to-eleven-ye…

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PCM 137 | Mat Rogers of Lizard Marketing 54:13

3d ago54:13

54:13

Mat Rogers is the COO of Lizard Marketing (https://lizardmarketing.co/). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizard.marketing/ The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry. For business coaching and mentorship, visit pestcontrolmill…

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Katja Hoyer on Germany’s AFD and the Limits of Calling Someone a Nazi 28:59

4d ago28:59

28:59

Today on The Gist, the Texas Democrats’ walk-out, a dramatic gesture that ultimately did little because they never had the leverage to win. From there he zooms out to Europe, where far-right parties are suddenly topping polls in France, the UK, and now Germany. Historian Katja Hoyer joins to explain what’s behind the AFD’s rise and why calling them…

1
The Spiel Saturday Show 23:53

6d ago23:53

23:53

Today on The Gist we air two spiels from earlier in the week. One about the CDC shooting in Atlanta and then one about Matt Taibbi's murder stat takedown of D.C backfires. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠htt…

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The Cheesecake Factory Model of Freedom 34:32

7d ago34:32

34:32

In The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life, Sophia Rosenfeld traces how choice evolved from secret ballots and dance cards to consumer overload and political battlegrounds. She also dissects ihow the pro-choice movement’s framing was both a strength and a vulnerability. Also, Trump’s murder-rate comparison between D.C., Bogotá, and M…

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When the Train to Hell Runs on Time 40:26

8d ago40:26

40:26

Aziz Huq, author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, explains how liability insurers shape policing in small towns, why “rights versus rights” conflicts—from same-sex marriage to police brutality—often hinge on public trust, and how Chicago’s low murder clearance rate reflects deep distrust of law enforcement. He analyzes the Supreme Court’…

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Rights You Can’t Use 36:41

8d ago36:41

36:41

Aziz Huq, University of Chicago law professor and author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, lays out how federal courts have gutted the mechanisms for enforcing constitutional rights—blocking individuals harmed by police while greenlighting speculative corporate attacks on regulation. Also, Donald Trump crowns himself de facto CEO of the U…

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The Case for Good Anger 39:11

10d ago39:11

39:11

Samuel Parker, author of Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives, argues that suppressing anger fuels anxiety and that society’s overcorrection toward placidity has blunted a vital emotion. He traces its demotion from the Stoics to corporate HR, separates it from violence, and shows how to channel it into productive action. Plus, Donal…

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PCM 136 | Cassie Krejci of Rentokil 51:51

10d ago51:51

51:51

Cassie Krejci is the head of science and innovation of Rentokil Initial in North America. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassiethebugdoc?lang=es Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiethebugdoc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cschoenthal Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CassieTheBugDoc/featured Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassie…

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Rebecca Lemov and the Instability of Truth 39:54

11d ago39:54

39:54

Harvard historian of science Rebecca Lemov joins to talk about her book The Instability of Truth, which dives deep into the history of mind control, from Cold War POW camps and MKUltra to the quieter persuasion of social media. They get into what really works (and doesn’t) when it comes to changing someone’s beliefs, why we’re all more suggestible …

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Sarah Ruhl on Lessons from the Teachers Who Shaped Her 35:48

13d ago35:48

35:48

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has collected wisdom from her mentors, from Pulitzer winners to driving instructors, in her new book Lessons from My Teachers. She joins Mike to talk about the art of learning, the balance between control and letting go, writing obliquely about grief (sometimes through a dog’s eyes), and why you should thank the people who tau…

1
Peter Moskos on NYC’s Historic Crime Drop and the Lessons for Today 39:22

14d ago39:22

39:22

Homicides are down 14% from pre-pandemic levels and other major crimes have followed suit. But what can today’s drop teach us about the last great decline, the one that transformed New York in the 1990s? Mike talks with Peter Moskos, former Baltimore cop turned John Jay College professor, about his new book Back from the Brink, an oral history of t…

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Steven Hahn Unmasks the Myth of Liberal America 37:10

15d ago37:10

37:10

Diplomacy via tweet rarely ends well, but US ambassadors are now flailing into their way through international tensions with sarcasm, memes, and zero restraint. Plus Steven Hahn, NYU historian and author of Illiberal America: A History, joins to unpack how liberalism has always shared the stage with its illiberal twin. From eugenics to temperance t…

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Not Her Type: E. Jean Carroll vs. The President 41:06

16d ago41:06

41:06

E. Jean Carroll joins to talk about the lawsuit she won, the president she sued, and the dressing room encounter that changed everything. The author of Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President opens up about the attack by Donald Trump, how she fought to be heard, and what it took—mentally and emotionally to face him in court. They talk trial prep, me…

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High Stakes, Low Standards: America's Gambling Gamble 38:12

17d ago38:12

38:12

Jonathan D. Cohen, author of Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling, joins to explain why our national rush into online sports betting might be a bigger mess than we realize. They talk sketchy app rollouts, bad state deals, and how betting lines went from shady corners to college campus. Plus, why Malaysian women’s doubles badminton …

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PCM 135 | Kevin Reif of Reif Environmental 53:46

17d ago53:46

53:46

Kevin Reif is the owner and CEO of Reif Environmental (https://www.reifenvironmental.com/). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reifenvironmental/ The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry. For business coaching and mentorship, v…

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Pay to Play: The NCAA’s Big Payout Era Begins 35:29

18d ago35:29

35:29

The NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement doesn’t just change the rules—it rewrites the entire playbook. Mike talks with Gabe Feldman, director of Tulane’s Sports Law Program, about what happens now that schools can pay athletes directly. They get into how the money will be split, why Olympic sports are suddenly on the chopping block, and whether this new…

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Puzzling The Puzzle Master on The Puzzler 38:59

20d ago38:59

38:59

Today on The Gist we air Mikes appearence on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.co…

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The NIH vs. The New Grievance Politics 37:41

21d ago37:41

37:41

Former NIH director Elias Zerhouni reflects on the agency’s triumphs and shortcomings in light of his new memoir, Disease Knows No Politics. He defends the NIH’s legacy while addressing critiques from figures like current NIH head Jay Bhattacharya, and warns that proposed funding cuts could severely undermine scientific progress. Also: the decline …

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Airborne Assumptions and Subventilated Science 45:38

22d ago45:38

45:38

Carl Zimmer joins to discuss Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, a book that excavates the forgotten science of airborne disease transmission—from Louis Pasteur’s broth experiments to why COVID’s airborne nature was dismissed by health authorities. Also : praise for the New York Times’ recent front-page study that honestly asses th…

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How to Make Crime Feel Weird 36:08

23d ago36:08

36:08

Criminologist Nick Cowen joins to explore how drunk driving transformed from a tolerated norm to a societal taboo, and how deterrence works best when paired with norm-shaping—catching people before tragedy and using lighter sanctions to nudge behavior. He argues that even violent crime clusters could be tackled through community-level norm shifts. …

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The Algorithm Is Hollywood’s New God 32:52

24d ago32:52

32:52

Filmmaker Justine Bateman argues that Hollywood’s creative spark has been smothered by fear, corporate consolidation, and algorithmic decision-making. In her view, true artistry requires fearlessness—and God, or something like it—but today’s studios follow data, not inspiration. Also in the episode: Trump’s presidential library fund keeps growing t…

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PCM 134 | Michael Keith of Cal Coast Pest Management 52:02

24d ago52:02

52:02

Michael Keith is the owner of Cal Coast Pest Management (https://www.calcoastpestmanagement.com/). Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Calcoastin/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@calcoastpestmgmt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calcoastpest/ The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and p…

1
When Hulk Turned Heel 32:35

25d ago32:35

32:35

Marc Raimondi discusses Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Professional Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America, his new book on Hulk Hogan’s heel turn and how WCW’s edgy branding reflected a broader cultural shift. We learn how steroid scandals, media savvy, and black t-shirts reshaped wrestling—and maybe U.S. politics. In the Spiel, Russell Vough…

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Mike Pesca talks NPR Funding on The 21st Show 28:01

27d ago28:01

28:01

Today on The Gist. We play back Mikes appearance on the 21st Show where they discuss NPR and its funding. It originally aired on Monday July 28th. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.c…

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Phil Gramm Hearts Capitalism, From Dickens To The New Deal 37:51

28d ago37:51

37:51

Former Senator Phil Gramm joins to defend capitalism’s record, arguing that the Industrial Revolution improved lives, the New Deal prolonged the Depression, and modern welfare undermines work. He supports Keynesian stimulus in theory—but only if governments also run surpluses, which he says they never do. Plus, Gaza aid failures, Macron’s recogniti…

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Not Even Mad - Zee Cohen-Sanchez and Jesse Adams 54:14

29d ago54:14

54:14

Unf**k America Tour founder Z Cohen-Sanchez and Washington Examiner contributor Jesse Adams join for a tour through Trump’s waning immigration support, the public broadcasting defunding that will hurt the next generation of Jesse Adamses, and why even Epstein truthers may be losing the thread. They debate whether GOP border hawks want actual deport…

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Ben Smith On Truth At A Lower Resolution 45:21

30d ago45:21

45:21

Editor-in-Chief, co-founder of Semafor, and host of the Mixed Signals podcast Ben Smith assesses how the media lost its footing during the Trump years—not through lies, but through disproportion. He critiques the rise of “disinformation” as a catch-all beat and notes that Substack surprised him by housing everything from bug-eating conspiracies to …

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The Bliss Gene And The Burden Of Mood 32:45

1M ago32:45

32:45

Psychiatrist Richard A. Friedman explains how a rare genetic mutation affecting the enzyme FAAH, and a ubiquitous neurotransmitter called Anandamide may account for unusually low anxiety, reduced drug cravings, and an innate buoyancy, the type of which you might find in a daily podcast host. Plus, Louisville reverses its immigration detainer policy…

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PCM 133 | Jonathan Anderson of Green Home Pest Control 37:38

1M ago37:38

37:38

Jonathan Anderson is the owner of Green Home Pest Control (https://www.greenhomepest.com/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenHomePestControl/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenhomepest/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@greenhomepestcontrolphoeni5667 The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale…

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RFK Jr.: Sophist, Saboteur, Snake Oil Secretary 32:23

1M ago32:23

32:23

Historian Daniel Immerwahr eviscerates RFK Jr. as a master of glib misinformation—“profoundly informed,” yet wielding that knowledge in bad faith to undermine truth and public trust. Kennedy is the conductor of an orchestra of error. Also discussed: how science became political dogma during COVID, how Fauci’s certainty helped fuel backlash, and why…

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Live From America with Mike Pesca 28:16

1M ago28:16

28:16

On this Saturday we play some of Mikes conversation on the podcast Live From America Hatem Gabr, one of the cohosts talks to Mike about NPR and the media landscape. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ad…

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Funny You Should Mention: Trae Crowder 1:18:28

1M ago1:18:28

1:18:28

The self-proclaimed “Trash Daddy” riffs on meat-in-a-can cuisine, possum PR, and how his accent disarms blue-state crowds, Plus: white supremacist losers, Fruit Loop vape rights, and how cheap heat works in comedy and pro wrestling. Trae takes us through his upbringing, in Celina Tennessee, and discusses his travails with child support bureaucracy …

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Jake Tapper: Original Sin, Ongoing Fracturing 55:04

1M ago55:04

55:04

Jake Tapper returns to dissect his book Original Sin and the failures of mainstream media to report on Joe Biden’s decline. He traces how social pressures, cultural taboos, and partisan incentive structures are ongoing threats to the type of journalism he practices and associates with the best forms of truth-telling. Tapper says CNN still strives t…

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The Great Lantern Fly Freakout: Is That BS? 37:29

1M ago37:29

37:29

Sadie Dingfelder returns to assess the national stomp-fest against lantern flies and asks: did it do anything, or was it all buggage and bluster? Then, a deep dive into the Supreme Court’s CASA ruling on nationwide injunctions, and how a seemingly dramatic limitation on judicial power proved to be less than world-shifting in practice. Finally, Trum…

1
The War After the War: Hamas and Israel 59:13

1M ago59:13

59:13

Times of Israel analyst Haviv Rettig Gur discusses the next phase of the war in Gaza and Israel's many enemies. Also discussed are the ideological roots of Hamas’s mission to destroy Israel, settler violence in the West Bank, and the difficulty of safely getting food to the citizens of Gaza. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan…

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PCM 132 | Chester Buczynski of Big Lakes Lawncare 36:45

1M ago36:45

36:45

Chester Buczynski is the president of Big Lakes Lawncare (https://biglakeslawncare.com/). He’s also the managing partner of Green Industry Masterminds (https://greenindustrymasterminds.com/). Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biglakeslawncare Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biglakeslawncare/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biglakeslawncare Yo…

1
Chris and Paul Weitz say Murderbot Doesn’t Want to Be a Real Boy 45:00

1M ago45:00

45:00

Murderbot showrunners Chris and Paul Weitz join to discuss their sci-fi series’ blend of chamber thriller, workplace satire, and reluctant hero tale—all orbiting a security unit who just wants to be left alone to binge it's stories. They talk robot servitude, world-building exhaustion (“every chair must be a space chair”), and how Alexander Skarsgå…

1
Checking Bags and Attitudes 19:53

1M ago19:53

19:53

The TSA is finally starting to phase out its decades-old shoe removal policy. We take a look back at the post-9/11 panic that made bare feet in airport security lines a national ritual—and wonder how we went from hypervigilant to oddly indifferent about terrorism. Plus, from the vaults: A classic Spiel from July 17, 2017, revisits Ann Coulter vs. D…

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Poker Face Goes To Interesting Places 40:06

1M ago40:06

40:06

Tony Tost, now showrunning Poker Face, reflects on the show's expertly woven mysteries, genre roots, and why women who don’t want to pick up a gun keep finding themselves forced to fire. Tost, an expert in poetry and Johnny Cash, brings a reverence for populist storytelling to a format that straddles the procedural and the mythic. He also discusses…

1
NEM: Carine Hajjar and Jeffrey Maurer 56:12

1M ago56:12

56:12

Boston Globe columnist Carine Hajjar and five-time Emmy-winning comedy writer and proprietor of the I Might Be Wrong Substack, Jeff Maurer, join to discuss the flood of ICE agents and President Trump’s growing suspicion that Putin isn't on the up-and-up. Plus, in Goat Grinders: teeny-tiny air conditioning in New York, misinterpreting the cane toad,…

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The Loyalty Trap: Inside the 2024 Biden-Harris Collapse 37:06

1M ago37:06

37:06

Josh Dawsey joins to discuss 2024: How Donald Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, digging into Kamala Harris’s campaign missteps, Biden’s loyalty hangups, and Hunter’s oversized influence. In the Spiel, a statistical deep dive tests whether so-called “100-year floods” are actually happening more often as seems to be the cas…

1
Iranian Would-Be Assassins and Shoe Would-Be Bombers 36:08

1M ago36:08

36:08

An interview with Wall Street Journal reporter Josh Dawsey, co-author of 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, covers Biden’s decline, Trump’s courtroom rage, and the political strategy behind legal delays. Also , how potent are Iranian-directed assassination crews? And, as the TSA begins phasing out its decades-old…

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PCM 131 | Dan Antonelli of KickCharge Creative 56:38

2M ago56:38

56:38

Dan Antonelli is the President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative (https://www.kickcharge.com/). Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KickChargeCreative/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickchargecreative/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxw1y49YxCo7TadTRion8A TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kickchargecreative The Pest …

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Goldey v. Field (Bivens / Excessive Force) 5:31

2M ago5:31

5:31

Send us a text Goldey v. Fields PER CURIAM. In Bivens v. Six Unknown Fed. Narcotics Agents, 403 U. S. 388 (1971), this Court recognized an implied cause of action for damages against federal officers for certain alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment. The Court subsequently recognized two additional contexts where implied Bivens causes of actio…

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Trump v. CASA, Inc. (Universal Injunction / Birthright Citizenship) 14:21

2M ago14:21

14:21

Send us a text Trump v. CASA, Inc. Held: Universal injunctions likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has given to federal courts. The Court grants the Government’s applications for a partial stay of the injunctions entered below, but only to the extent that the injunctions are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each …