Strict Scrutiny The Conservative Push to Weaken Our Democracy
30 snips
Mar 2, 2026 
Rebecca Ingber, international law scholar at Cardozo Law, explains legal limits on strikes and the UN Charter. Marc Elias, election-law attorney and Democracy Docket founder, breaks down coordinated attacks on voting rules and data. Chris Geidner, LawDork founder and journalist, walks through explosive legal news and court developments. They cover Iran strikes, redactions in high-profile files, Medicaid halts, and threats to voting systems.
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Use Public Pressure As Legal Enforcement Tool
- Do treat public and congressional reactions as enforcement tools: pressure Congress, courts, and international partners to respond to unlawful executive acts.
- Ingber urged civic engagement to avoid normalizing violations that erode the rules-based order.
Withholding Federal Funds Is Statutorily Illegal
- The administration's threatened Medicaid funding cut to Minnesota violates statutory procedures like the Impoundment Control Act and risks unconstitutional coercion of states under the 10th Amendment.
- Geidner noted such unilateral announcements invite litigation and will likely be stayed by courts.
Court Decisions Enabled Aggressive Immigration Patrols
- Federal immigration operations have led to deadly outcomes, and the Supreme Court's decisions have enabled aggressive roving patrols targeting people by race and ethnicity.
- Leah highlighted Nurul Amin Shah Alam's death after CBP dropped a nearly blind refugee far from home.
