Sisters In Law Analyze Trump's Legal Losses and Texas Abortion Law

Trump's Courtroom Setbacks and Rule of Law Wins

• ⚖️ A federal judge ruled that Trump's deployment of the military to Los Angeles was unlawful, finding no emergency justifying the action and that the troops engaged in ordinary law enforcement activities.
• 🏛️ Another significant loss for Trump involved a Boston judge ruling that the administration's attempt to withhold over $2 billion in funding from Harvard was unconstitutional, protecting academic freedom.
• 📈 A federal circuit court held that some tariffs imposed by Donald Trump exceeded his statutory authority under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, with potential implications for refunds.
• 🚫 The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's injunction blocking Secretary Mayorkas's effort to terminate Temporary Protected Status for over 600,000 Venezuelan migrants, citing lack of authority.
• 🧒 A judge in Washington D.C. issued a temporary restraining order at 2 a.m. on Labor Day weekend, preventing the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Venezuelan children without due process hearings.
• ⚖️ A conservative federal appellate court ruled that the Alien Enemies Act did not authorize the deportation of migrants based on alleged gang affiliation, highlighting potential misuse of wartime laws.

Texas's New Anti-Abortion Law

• 🤰 Texas lawmakers passed a new law targeting blue states that make medical abortion drugs available by mail, aiming to serve as a model for other red states.
• 💊 This law allows for civil action against individuals who mail or facilitate the delivery of abortion medications into Texas, even if legal in the recipient's state.
• 🎯 The law is seen as an attempt to circumvent abortion shield laws in other states and an impediment to abortion access, despite claims of protecting women.
• 🏥 The discussion highlighted that medicated abortions, often via telehealth, constitute a significant portion of abortions performed in the US, making this law a serious concern.

Federal Reserve and Mortgage Fraud Allegations

• 🏦 The DOJ has opened a criminal investigation into Lisa Cook, a governor on the Federal Reserve board, concerning allegations of false statements on mortgage documents.
• 📰 The publicizing of this investigation, particularly by Bill Barr's agency, is noted as unusual and a breach of long-standing DOJ policy.
• 🔍 Ed Martin, who organized the Stop the Steal rally and represented January 6th rioters, has been appointed to investigate mortgage fraud among public officials, raising concerns about potential weaponization of the DOJ.
• 📉 Data shows a low number of mortgage fraud prosecutions nationally, suggesting the current investigations may be retaliatory or politically motivated.
• 🏛️ Lisa Cook has filed a lawsuit challenging her removal from the Federal Reserve board, with her chances of success potentially depending on the Supreme Court's stance.

International Law and Policy Questions

• 🇺🇸 The US is not a party to international bodies like the International Criminal Court, meaning accountability for human rights violations would rely on American voters.
• 🚢 An incident involving the alleged blowing up of a drug boat in international waters is discussed as a potential violation of human rights and international law, with questions raised about evidence and justification.
• 🛡️ The renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War by Trump is discussed, requiring an act of Congress and sending a dangerous message of aggression.