Strict Scrutiny

Even though the Supreme Court took a break from hearing oral arguments, there was still plenty of legal news breaking every day. Katie Phang joins Leah to recap that news, including Trump's threats against Iran, the overt Christian nationalist rhetoric coming from the Secretary of Defense, and a disturbing case that SCOTUS decided not to hear. Then, Emily Amick, joins Leah to talk all things 25th Amendment-- where it came from, why we probably won't see it invoked here and now, and why we should keep talking about it anyways.

<div> <p>Last week saw oral arguments in the birthright citizenship case, <em>Trump v. Barbara</em>, and listeners, it finally happened: a legal argument so outlandish from the Trump administration that even this Court will have to rule against him. Leah and Melissa break down the back-and-forth and explain why this case will give SCOTUS credibility it doesn’t deserve. They also cover the President’s firing of the blonde with the binders, Pamela Jo Bondi–pouring one out for her chaotic, destructive reign at the Department of Justice.</p><p>Favorite things:</p></div><ul> <li>Leah: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/opinion/birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-14th-amendment.html">The Birthright Con</a>, Jamelle Bouie (NYT); <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/wnba-players-had-an-ace-up-their-sleeve-in-pay-negotiations-a-nobel-laureate-c5040a28">WNBA Players Had an Ace Up Their Sleeve in Pay Negotiations: A Nobel Laureate</a>, Rachel Bachman &amp; Justin Lahart (WSJ)</li> <li>Melissa: <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6424678">Parents as Regulators</a> by Caitlin Millat, forthcoming in UCLA L. Rev.; <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/harlem-rhapsody-victoria-christopher-murray/07d780e424ef68a2?ean=9780593638484&amp;next=t">Harlem Rhapsody</a>, Victoria Christopher Murray; <a href="https://www.myboobuddies.com/">My Boo Buddies</a>; <a href="https://www.ms.now/the-beat-with-ari/watch/nasa-s-artemis-ii-launches-astronauts-on-historic-mission-around-the-moon-2494766659649">Artemis II<br></a><br></li> </ul><div> <p><a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/news-politics">Vote for us in the Webbys</a>! </p><p>Preorder Melissa’s book, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-constitution-annotated-for-the-contemporary-reader-melissa-murray/8e7f0dfa472fc3ca?ean=9781668221938&amp;next=t&amp;">The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader<br><br></a>Preorder a signed paperback of Leah’s book, Lawless, <a href="https://literatibookstore.com/book/signedlawless">here</a>.</p><p>Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/strictscrutinypodcast/?hl=en"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.threads.net/@strictscrutinypodcast"> Threads</a>, and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strictscrutiny.bsky.social"> Bluesky<br></a></p></div>

<div> <p>Today the Supreme Court issued its opinion in <em>Chiles</em> v. <em>Salazer</em>, the case involving a Colorado ban on conversion therapy. Leah is joined by Shannon Minter, Legal Director at the <a href="https://www.nclrights.org/">National Center for LGBTQ Rights</a>, to break it down.</p><p>Preorder Melissa’s book, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-constitution-annotated-for-the-contemporary-reader-melissa-murray/8e7f0dfa472fc3ca?ean=9781668221938&amp;next=t&amp;">The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader<br><br></a>Buy Leah's book,<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Lawless/Leah-Litman/9781668054628"> Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes<br><br></a>Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/strictscrutinypodcast/?hl=en"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.threads.net/@strictscrutinypodcast"> Threads</a>, and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strictscrutiny.bsky.social"> Bluesky</a></p></div>

<div> <p>Kate and guest co-host Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy kick off the show by covering the latest legal news, including developments at the Pentagon and Department of Justice, as well as Trump’s ominous threat to judges. Then, they recap the week’s opinions and oral arguments, focusing on <em>Watson v. RNC, </em>a case that could totally upend mail-in voting. Finally, Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, returns to the show to discuss the asylum case argued before the Court last week, the birthright citizenship case now on deck, and her work with detainees at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas.</p><p>Favorite things:</p></div><ul> <li>Kate: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/opinion/laguardia-crash-air-travel.html">This Is Why Flying Is So Awful</a>, Ganesh Sitaraman (NYT); <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-flying-is-miserable-and-how-to-fix-it-ganesh-sitaraman/7066a329310a8cc6?ean=9798987053584&amp;next=t">Why Flying Is Miserable and How to Fix It</a>, Ganesh Sitaraman; <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mixed-marriage-project-a-memoir-of-love-race-and-family-dorothy-roberts/d5922a6c45c20de3?ean=9781668068380&amp;next=t">The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family</a>, Dorothy Roberts; <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/law-on-trial-an-unlikely-insider-reckons-with-our-legal-system-shaun-ossei-owusu/f003d0915355d807?ean=9781324091264&amp;next=t">Law on Trial: An Unlikely Insider Reckons with Our Legal System</a>, Shaun Ossei-Owusu</li> <li>Ian: <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-world-of-yesterday-stefan-zweig/03bb2d6be38efb4a?ean=9780803226616&amp;next=t">The World of Yesterday</a>, Stefan Zweig; <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-lost-founder-james-wilson-and-the-forgotten-fight-for-a-people-s-constitution-jesse-wegman/908fb8618fdcd180?ean=9781250851079&amp;next=t">The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution</a>, Jesse Wegman; the band <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVm7tYTZONPLVujGX0rAJdw">Idles</a>, and their song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF_G-RF66M">Danny Nedelko</a> </li> <li><p>Elora: <a href="https://vecina.teachable.com/l/pdp/habeas-corpus-for-immigrant-detainees-a-practical-guide-to-filing-petitions1">Habeas Corpus for Immigrant Detainees: A Practical Guide to Filing Habeas Petitions</a> (Vecina)</p></li> </ul><div>Preorder Melissa’s book, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-constitution-annotated-for-the-contemporary-reader-melissa-murray/8e7f0dfa472fc3ca?ean=9781668221938&amp;next=t&amp;">The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader<br><br></a>Buy Leah's book,<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Lawless/Leah-Litman/9781668054628"> Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes<br><br></a>Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/strictscrutinypodcast/?hl=en"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.threads.net/@strictscrutinypodcast"> Threads</a>, and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strictscrutiny.bsky.social"> Bluesky</a> </div>

Leah, Kate, and Melissa preview this week’s arguments at the Court, including Watson v. Republican National Committee, a challenge over when election offices must receive absentee ballots in order for them to be counted.