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What Roman Mars Can Learn About Con Law

What Roman Mars Can Learn About Con Law

Roman Mars

Government

4.8 • 4.1K Ratings

Overview

Professor Elizabeth Joh teaches Intro to Constitutional Law and most of the time this is a pretty straight forward job. But when Trump came into office, everything changed. During the four years of the Trump presidency, Professor Joh would check Twitter five minutes before each class to find out what the 45th President had said and how it jibes with 200 years of the judicial branch interpreting and ruling on the Constitution. Acclaimed podcaster Roman Mars (99% Invisible) was so anxious about all the norms and laws being tested in the Trump era that he asked his neighbor, Elizabeth, to explain what was going on in the world from a Constitutional law perspective. Even after Trump left office, there is still so much for Roman to learn. What Roman Mars Can Learn About Con Law is a weekly, fun, casual Con Law 101 class that uses the tumultuous activities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to teach us all about the US Constitution. All music for the show comes from Doomtree, an independent hip-hop collective and record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

168 Episodes

Election Lawsuits

No matter what happens on Election Day, Trump and his allies have already put legal challenges in motion. Here’s what a nerdy agency, hanging chads, and zombie lawsuits can tell us about how all this could play out.

Transcribed - Published: 4 November 2024

Enemy Aliens

Falsely claiming there is a wave of violence perpetrated by migrants, Trump has threatened mass deportations under the broad and terrifying powers of the Alien Enemies Act.

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2024

Faithless Electors and Wrong Winners

The United States has a strange way of electing presidents.

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

Deepfakes and Lying Liars

Election deepfakes have the potential to change people's opinions about a presidential election in ways that can be harmful to democracy and the truth itself. But what does the Constitution say about regulating these manipulated images? One place to look: Hustler Magazine.

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2024

Whose Speech, Whose Campus

As students go back to school, colleges and universities across the country are preparing for the continuation of protests against the Israel-Hamas war—and claims by other students that the protests are violating their own civil rights. Institutions and courts are now weighing the question: whose free speech matters more?

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2024

Fishy Deep State

What’s the connection between former President Donald Trump's attacks on the so-called “Deep State" and a tiny silvery fish? The Supreme Court, of course.

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2024

Preview: Not Built For This

Preview: Not Built For This from 99% Invisible

Transcribed - Published: 14 August 2024

Cruel and Unusual

What does it mean for punishment to be cruel and unusual?

Transcribed - Published: 14 August 2024

Farfetched Arguments

After an unprecedented several weeks in politics, some on the right are advancing far-fetched arguments to challenge Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, and a federal judge in Florida threw out the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. Neither of these are based on established constitutional precedent.

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2024

Law-Free Zone

The concept of presidential immunity is not explicitly stated anywhere in the Constitution. That hasn’t stopped the Supreme Court from essentially creating a law-free zone around the President.

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

78- The Disqualification Clause

Does the 14th Amendment's Disqualification Clause apply to Trump?

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2023

The Disqualification Clause

Does the 14th Amendment's Disqualification Clause apply to Trump?

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2023

77- Gag

Why do courts issue gag orders and when do they conflict with the First Amendment?

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2023

Gag

Why do courts issue gag orders and when do they conflict with the First Amendment?

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2023

76- Margarine, Meadows, and Removal

What’s the connection between Trump, margarine, and Mark Meadows?

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2023

Margarine, Meadows, and Removal

What’s the connection between Trump, margarine, and Mark Meadows?

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2023

75- Comstock Zombies

19th century "zombie" laws are shambling into the abortion debate

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2023

Comstock Zombies

19th century "zombie" laws are shambling into the abortion debate

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2023

74- On the Eve of Trump's Arraignment

The presumed criminal charges against former President Trump and role of the New York Grand Jury

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2023

On the Eve of Trump's Arraignment

The presumed criminal charges against former President Trump and role of the New York Grand Jury

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2023

Lies, George Santos, and the 1st Amendment

What does the Constitution say about lies, punishing lies, and punishing someone who lies to get elected?

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2023

73- Lies, George Santos, and the 1st Amendment

What does the Constitution say about lies, punishing lies, and punishing someone who lies to get elected?

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2023

Weddings, Websites, and Forced Speech

What if a business owner asserts that serving a gay customer violates their first amendment rights?

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2023

72-Weddings, Websites, and Forced Speech

What if a business owner asserts that serving a gay customer violates their first amendment rights?

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2023

The War Between the States

How the Dormant Commerce Clause tries to stop states from passing laws that put an undue burden on interstate commerce. Plus, what's going on with student debt relief: who filed a lawsuit against it and why.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2022

71- The War Between the States

How the Dormant Commerce Clause tries to stop states from passing laws that put an undue burden on interstate commerce. Plus, what's going on with student debt relief: who filed a lawsuit against it and why.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2022

Trump's Bet on Cannon

When the FBI executed a search warrant on his home, Trump and his lawyers filed their complaints in a district where they thought they’d get sympathetic treatment from Judge Aileen Cannon, who Trump appointed. The assignment of a particular judge is not up to Trump, but in this case, he got lucky, and Cannon was assigned. How did Trump’s gamble on getting his case in front of Judge Cannon work out? Let’s find out.

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2022

70- Trump's Bet on Cannon

When the FBI executed a search warrant on his home, Trump and his lawyers filed their complaints in a district where they thought they’d get sympathetic treatment from Judge Aileen Cannon, who Trump appointed. The assignment of a particular judge is not up to Trump, but in this case, he got lucky, and Cannon was assigned. How did Trump’s gamble on getting his case in front of Judge Cannon work out? Let’s find out.

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2022

The Mar-a-Lago Warrant

Elizabeth teaches Roman about which crimes the Justice Department is interested in as described in the Mar-a-Lago search warrant

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2022

69- The Mar-a-Lago Warrant

Elizabeth teaches Roman about which crimes the Justice Department is interested in as described in the Mar-a-Lago search warrant

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2022

The Longest Week

We go through the other Supreme Court decisions that were released the same week Roe was overturned.

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2022

68- The Longest Week

We go through the other Supreme Court decisions that were released the same week Roe was overturned.

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2022

Jan 6 and the Evidence Against Trump

What have we learned from the January 6th Committee hearings and what does is mean for a potential Justice Department investigation of Trump?

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2022

67- Jan 6 and the Evidence Against Trump

What have we learned from the January 6th Committee hearings and what does is mean for a potential Justice Department investigation of Trump?

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2022

66- After Dobbs

The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision has overturned Roe v. Wade and revoked the right to abortion, a Constitutionally guaranteed right we have had for about 50 years. What happens now?

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2022

After Dobbs

The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision has overturned Roe v. Wade and revoked the right to abortion, a Constitutionally guaranteed right we have had for about 50 years. What happens now?

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2022

65- The Second Amendment

The recent mass shootings and a New York gun carrying permit case calls for an examination of the current interpretation of the Second Amendment.

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2022

The Second Amendment

The recent mass shootings and a New York gun carrying permit case calls for an examination of the current interpretation of the Second Amendment.

Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2022

64- Ethics and Masks

What happens when a case in front of the Supreme Court involves the spouse of one of the justices?

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2022

Ethics and Masks

What happens when a case in front of the Supreme Court involves the spouse of one of the justices?

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2022

63- The Leaked Draft

The leaked draft majority opinion that threatens to strike down the constitutional right to abortion and potentially many other rights

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2022

The Leaked Draft

The leaked draft majority opinion that threatens to strike down the constitutional right to abortion and potentially many other rights

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2022

62- On the Other End of the Line

Trump's improper dealing with Ukraine was what led to his first impeachment. While most of us were focused on the domestic political implications of Trump's action, the country of Ukraine was put into jeopardy in a way that many didn't fully realize until the recent Russian invasion.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2022

On the Other End of the Line

Trump's improper dealing with Ukraine was what led to his first impeachment. While most of us were focused on the domestic political implications of Trump's action, the country of Ukraine was put into jeopardy in a way that many didn't fully realize until the recent Russian invasion.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2022

61- Book Banning and the Constitution

What can the government do about the school library and the classroom and what does the Constitution say about it?

Transcribed - Published: 2 March 2022

Book Banning and the Constitution

What can the government do about the school library and the classroom and what does the Constitution say about it?

Transcribed - Published: 2 March 2022

60- The Administrative State

What two SCOTUS rulings about COVID vaccine mandates tell us about the future of the Administrative State

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2022

The Administrative State

What two SCOTUS rulings about COVID vaccine mandates tell us about the future of the Administrative State

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2022

A Jurisprudence of Doubt

What are the current precedents when it comes to abortion rights and how solid do they feel right now?

Transcribed - Published: 17 December 2021

59- A Jurisprudence of Doubt

What are the current precedents when it comes to abortion rights and how solid do they feel right now?

Transcribed - Published: 17 December 2021

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