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Opening Arguments

OA71: Free Speech Left and Right (featuring the Grand Canyon)

Opening Arguments

Opening Arguments Media LLC

Law, Opinion, Politics, News, Liberal, Legal, Supremecourt, Harvard, Atheist

4.33.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 May 2017

⏱️ 67 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode, the guys address whether the political left or the political right is the biggest threat to freedom of speech in the United States.  Their answer probably won't surprise you, but it will give you some ammunition during your next twitter fight with some dude with a Pepe the Frog icon. To tee up this subject, the guys examine the case of journalist Dan Heyman, who was just arrested (!) for trying to ask a question about the AHCA to a rather reluctant Tom Price, the guy who's Secretary of Health and Human Services and who's job description includes answering these kinds of questions. In the main segment, the guys compare the real threat to free speech with the latest complaint filed by our friends over at the Alliance Defending Freedom.  This particular lawsuit was filed on behalf of creationist lunatic Andrew Snelling, who wants to steal rocks from the Grand Canyon so he can prove something something Jesus moon lasers something and therefore, the earth is only 6,000 years old.  What you won't expect:  Andrew actually praises this Complaint!  Multiple times! After that, Andrew tackles a question from listener Thomas McCormick who -- perhaps somewhat tongue-in-cheek? -- wonders why churches are tax-exempt at all.  In (not) answering the question, Andrew also points out some special benefits churches get under the tax code. Finally, we end with the answer to Thomas Takes the Bar Exam question #24 about double hearsay.  We'll release a new #TTTBE question this Friday, and, as always, answer that question the following Tuesday.  Don't forget to play along by following our Twitter feed (@Openargs) and/or our Facebook Page and quoting the Tweet or Facebook Post that announces this episode along with your guess and reason(s), and don't forget that patrons who support us at any level get early access to the answers (and usually a fun post analyzing the question in more detail). Recent Appearances: None, but you should check out Thomas's other show, Serious Inquiries Only, and in particular episode #41 featuring Michael Shermer backpedaling on his the-left-is-killing-free-speech tweets and articles. Show Notes & Links
  1. Mediaite has the video and some contemporaneous tweets of the Heyman arrest.
  2. This is a copy of the Complaint the ADF filed on behalf of Andrew Snelling.
  3. Finally, two of the special statutes that benefit churches (and only churches) cited by Andrew in the "C" segment are 26 U.S.C. § 508(c) and 26 U.S.C. § 7611.
Support us on Patreon at:  patreon.com/law Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ And email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm just a caveman.

0:19.8

Due to habeas corpus, you and Miss Bonifante had a common law marriage.

0:31.0

So you don't work on a contingency basis?

0:33.0

No, money down! Oops, shouldn't have this bar association logo here either.

0:45.0

Would you please point at that robot over there?

0:51.0

No further questions?

0:55.0

Welcome to Opening Arguments, the podcast that pairs an inquisitive interviewer with a real-life lawyer.

1:00.0

This podcast is sponsored by the Law Offices of P. Andrew Torres, LLC for entertainment purposes,

1:05.0

is not intended as legal advice and does not form an attorney-client relationship.

1:09.0

Don't take legal advice from a podcast.

1:17.0

Hello and welcome to Opening Arguments, this is episode number 71.

1:21.0

I'm your host Thomas Smith, that over there is Andrew Torres. How are you doing Andrew?

1:25.0

I am fantastic Thomas, how are you?

1:28.0

I'm doing great, I feel so much more informed because last Friday's opening arguments was so current and relevant and we all benefited.

1:36.0

I agree. I agree. I really think that the new format is going to work well.

1:42.0

And again, you know, that is just you being willing to take on the burden of recording an episode and editing and getting it all out in the same day.

1:52.0

It's more work for you. It's a little bit more work for me.

1:56.0

It's not like it's no work for you, you got to be you got to bone up on whatever relevant case law there is for whatever Trump crime Trump committed that day.

2:05.0

It's more work for both of us, but we're not complaining. I think it's great.

2:09.0

I think it's such a positive thing and I can't wait to see just how how much it makes our show even more relevant for people.

2:17.0

That's my hope.

2:19.0

Coming off with that positivity here. Let's talk about the coming weeks here.

...

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