Posts tagged Barb McQuade
Trademark Infringement Is A Drag

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Barb McQuade and Joyce Vance answer listener questions on prosecutor ethics, protest rights, trademark law, and more. They discuss whether state bars can discipline federal prosecutors who follow Trump over the rule of law, the difference between protected peaceful protest and actions that can lead to arrest, whether Patagonia has a strong trademark infringement case against drag performer Pattie Gonia, if Todd Blanche could face disbarment for unethical conduct after leaving the Trump administration, whether the Attorney General is legally required to be a lawyer, and classic legal fiction books.

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Joyce Vance and Jill Wine-Banks answer your questions on Trump’s controversial slush fund, crimes committed in prison, and more. They discuss why the president cannot legally use taxpayer money as a personal slush fund, ongoing lawsuits challenging the fund, creative ways Congress and citizens might push back, the best internships for aspiring law students, when the hosts first knew they wanted to become lawyers, how crimes in federal prisons are prosecuted compared to the outside world, and whether Trump could receive an automatic self-pardon for potential insider trading.

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Oh The Hypocrisy

Joyce Vance hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss John Bolton’s plea deal, compare it to the Petraeus case, explore its Biden-era origins, and contrast Bolton’s cooperation with Trump’s obstruction.  Then, the #Sisters dissect Trump’s controversial cabinet picks, particularly the unqualified loyalist Bill Pulte as acting DNI and Todd Blanche for AG, despite his handling of the Epstein files, the slush fund, and other red flags in his confirmation.  They also analyze the SCOTUS shadow docket reversal in Alabama’s Milligan case and the Calais ruling, warning of an open season on racial and political gerrymandering nationwide.

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Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Trump’s Slush Fund, But Were Afraid To Ask.

This episode was recorded prior to the news that the Trump Administration has suggested that it will follow court order and not use the Anti-Weaponization slush fund it created. We note that DOJ has not canceled the immunity it granted Trump from investigations and payment of past taxes that might be owed and has not said they will not find and fund an alternative method to pay those convicted of Jan6 crimes. Legal challenges remain ongoing and remain necessary.

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Joyce Vance and Jill Wine-Banks answer your questions on Trump’s controversial slush fund, crimes committed in prison, and more. They discuss why the president cannot legally use taxpayer money as a personal slush fund, ongoing lawsuits challenging the fund, creative ways Congress and citizens might push back, the best internships for aspiring law students, when the hosts first knew they wanted to become lawyers, how crimes in federal prisons are prosecuted compared to the outside world, and whether Trump could receive an automatic self-pardon for potential insider trading.

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Trump’s Revenge

Kimberly Atkins Stohr hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss the Trump administration's revenge prosecution of E. Jean Carroll, examining the motivations behind the investigation, the allegations against her, and the role of financial backers in her civil suit against the President.  Then, they expose the DOJ's prosecutorial misconduct in the Broadview Six case, review the vindictive prosecution of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and highlight the dangers of politicizing DOJ appointments.  They also explain the recent SCOTUS decision overturning the murder conviction of Terry Pitchford due to racial discrimination in the jury selection process, and the implications of Justice Kavanaugh’s opinion on future cases.

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The Return Of The Power Broker

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Barb McQuade and Kimberly Atkins Stohr answer your questions on everything from nationwide injunctions and the mifepristone ruling to the case against Luigi Mangione, and more. They discuss whether universal injunctions are still allowed after recent Supreme Court decisions, Congress’s limited power over state redistricting and apportionment under the Voting Rights Act, the suppression of evidence in the Luigi Mangione trial, Trump’s audit immunity, whether the statute of limitations is truly a “get out of jail free” card, how the Calais decision shifted Voting Rights Act claims from effect to intent, and if the current Supreme Court justices get along behind the scenes.

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Trump Slush Fund: Are You Kidding Me‽

Barb McQuade hosts #SistersinLaw to discuss the DOJ “anti-weaponization” slush fund that uses $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to pay Trump, his allies, and J6 rioters for alleged government “weaponization,” along with a lifetime IRS audit ban for Trump. Then, the #Sisters break down the DOJ Office of Legal Counsel’s memo declaring the Presidential Records Act unconstitutional, the federal court injunction blocking the White House from ignoring the law, and the danger to our system. They also examine the indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, the evidence against him, its questionable timing, and the possibility of military action.

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Golden Idol

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Barb McQuade and Jill Wine-Banks answer your questions on everything from impeaching Trump, Vance, and the cabinet all at once to AI-generated political ads, and more. They discuss whether Article II, Section 4 allows mass removal of the entire executive branch, Congress’s power to set mandatory minimum sentences, the legality of Trump’s picture on U.S. passports, quarantine powers during outbreaks like the Hantavirus, the rights of retired military officers like Pete Hegseth to freely talk on politics, and the legality of Spencer Pratt’s AI ad using the likeness of his political opponents.

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Inspiring Women

Jill Wine-Banks hosts #SistersInLaw to explain the D.C. Circuit arguments over Trump’s 2025 executive order punishing elite law firms for representing clients and causes he dislikes, the firms’ lower court wins, the government’s failed arguments, and the court’s skepticism. Then, the #Sisters examine the DOJ subpoena to the Wall Street Journal issued as part of a leak investigation, and discuss its threat to press freedom.  They also review Jamie Raskin’s anti-corruption bills that strengthen emoluments rules, ban pardon payments, and further other good-government reforms.

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Fire In The Hole

In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Jill Wine-Banks and Kimberly Atkins-Stor answer your questions on everything from the Secretary of Defense’s firing powers to conservatorships, and more. They discuss Pete Hegseth’s removal of the Secretary of the Navy, how the Posse Comitatus Act applies to JAG attorneys prosecuting civilian cases, whether substituting the United States as defendant in the E. Jean Carroll case could reopen presidential immunity, if the Roberts’ Court would have upheld the Voting Rights Act in 1965, using a dictionary definition of 86 to defeat Jim Comey’s indictment, and the process for initiating conservatorships.

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The Gerrymandering Wars

Joyce Vance hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss Chief Justice Roberts’ defense of the SCOTUS against partisanship accusations, the controversy over its Louisiana v. Callais ruling and the immediate implementation of the decision, and Justice Jackson’s pushback on the court.  Then, the #Sisters break down the escalating gerrymandering war, Trump’s pressure on Republicans to redraw maps mid-decade, and Democrats' possible responses. They also examine the FBI’s seizure of 2020 election records from Fulton County, Georgia, a federal judge’s refusal to return them, and suspicious FBI targeting of a Democratic state senator involved in Virginia redistricting.

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CSI: Seashells Division

In this episode of #SistersInLaw Sidebar, Joyce Vance and Barb McQuade answer your questions on everything from the powers of the judicial branch to pursuing a case in small claims court, and more.  They discuss whether the indictment of James Comey is a case of selective prosecution, what happens when a district is reconfigured by gerrymandering, how the assets of estates are allocated without a will, whether the judicial or legislative branch makes the ultimate determination on our laws, pursuing a case in small claims court, and the difference between a copyright and a trademark.

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SCOTUS 86s Voting Rights

Kimberly Atkins Stohr hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss the SCOTUS ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, looking at the history of district allocation, how it undermines the Voting Rights Act, the significance of Justice Kagan’s dissent, and what it could mean for the country going forward.  Then, the #Sisters explain the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, the legal definition of a true threat, and the protection the 1st Amendment affords political speech.  They also review the criminal charges against the attempted presidential assassin at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the ethics of using it as leverage for a White House ballroom.

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DOJ In Jeopardy: Live In Denver

In this special live episode of #SistersInLaw Sidebar, the #Sisters answer your questions in Denver on everything from the intersection of religion to reviving the reputation of the DOJ, and more.  They discuss Maureen Comey’s lawsuit over her firing, the dangers the reinterpretation of the FACE Act poses for reproductive care, the effect of the Tina Peters case on attempts to interfere with elections, exposure of the SCOTUS shadow docket process, how to fight back against encroachments on religious freedom in schools, and how to hold Pam Bondi accountable for her leadership of the DOJ and restore its reputation going forward.

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Kash Patel & The Liquor Cabinet: Live In Denver

#SistersInLaw LIVE show in Denver they kick off by discussing the allegations against Kash Patel that led him to file a defamation lawsuit, the legal standard for defamation, and the potential national security implications.  Then, they review the key SCOTUS cases of 2026, covering the dangers posed by dark money in political contributions and by birthright citizenship.  They also examine the Trump administration’s targeting of the Southern Poverty Law Center and highlight the vital role non-profit organizations have in the fight for justice and civil rights.

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Hold Their Feet To The Fire

In this episode of #SistersInLaw Sidebar, Jill Wine-Banks and Joyce Vance answer your questions on everything from war crimes to voter suppression and more. Together, they discuss how to hold unresponsive elected officials accountable, what constitutes a war crime under international and U.S. law, whether provisional ballots remain available if voting is suppressed, the Tina Peters’ 2020 voting records case, the likelihood of Trump getting another Supreme Court pick, and why NDAs are not considered a violation of free speech.

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ICE Has An $85 BILLION BUDGET - Find Out What Are They Doing With It

Ever wondered where your tax dollars are disappearing to and what it’s actually funding? Spoiler alert: It’s not just pens and paper! Join us as we unravel the jaw-dropping increase in ICE budgets, the shady inhumane detention centers, and the questionable police tactics that make you go “Wait, seriously?” This episode is a rollercoaster through federal enforcement’s wild ride and why you should care.

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