Best New Civil Liberties Alliance Podcasts (2025)

1
Fired Up—Can the President Slash the Federal Workforce? 14:04

1d ago14:04

14:04

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione dive into a dramatic legal battle over the president's power to reduce the federal workforce. A federal district judge recently blocked President Trump’s sweeping Reduction in Force (RIF), claiming it undermines Congress’s intent for certain agencies to function properly. So…

1
The Waiver Wars—Congress, California, and the Fight Over Emissions Rules 19:31

5d ago19:31

19:31

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione explore a major development in Congress involving the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The Senate is preparing to vote on whether to overturn California’s EPA waiver, which allows the state to impose stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government. Mark and J…

1
Can One Judge Halt a Law? Inside the Supreme Court Fight Over Nationwide Injunctions 30:22

13d ago30:22

30:22

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione unpack the recent Supreme Court oral argument in a high-stakes case involving nationwide injunctions—and a controversial executive order on birthright citizenship. John reports from inside the courtroom, where justices wrestled with the limits of judicial power, class action…

1
This Isn’t a Trade Court Case—It’s a Constitutional One 17:28

15d ago17:28

17:28

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s John Vecchione and attorney Andy Morris break down the latest developments in Simplified v. United States, NCLA’s lawsuit challenging the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Andy explains why these so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs are constitutionally suspect, how…

1
State Department Censorship—Daily Wire, Disinfo Files, and the Fight for Free Speech 19:30

22d ago19:30

19:30

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione are joined by attorney Margot Cleveland to expose the State Department’s role in funding and promoting censorship technologies. They discuss NCLA’s case The Daily Wire v. State Department, including how federal dollars helped target and suppress domestic speech through outfi…

1
Who Judges the Judges? NCLA Defends Judge Pauline Newman 26:53

26d ago26:53

26:53

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione sit down with NCLA’s Greg Dolin to unpack his recent oral argument before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in Newman v. Moore. At 97 years old, Judge Newman has been sidelined from the bench for over two years without impeachment or medical…

1
COVID-19 Mandates and Constitutional Limits—The Stewart v. Walz Case 13:54

29d ago13:54

13:54

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by NCLA attorney Jenin Younes to discuss her latest case challenging Minnesota’s COVID-era vaccine mandate. The case, Stewart v. Walz, centers on a public college professor who was fired for refusing the vaccine and later punished…

1
Declared Emergency, Hidden Tax: The Case Against Trump’s Tariffs 24:57

1M ago24:57

24:57

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by attorney Andy Morris to discuss NCLA’s latest lawsuit: Simplified v. Trump. The case challenges tariffs on China imposed under a dubious “national emergency” declaration. Can a president sidestep Congress and unilaterally raise…

1
Trump’s Tariffs, Emergency Powers, and the Lawsuit No One Else Filed 22:08

2M ago22:08

22:08

Is it legal for a president to impose tariffs under emergency powers? In this episode of Unwritten Law, Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione break down NCLA’s latest lawsuit—Simplified v. Trump—challenging new tariffs imposed without congressional approval. Filed on behalf of small business owner Emily Ley, this is the first and only case taking on Pr…

1
Monarch Madness—Inside NCLA’s 2025 King George III Prize 16:23

2M ago16:23

16:23

In this special episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by NCLA’s Director of Engagement, Karen Harned, for a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 King George III Prize. They reveal the “Egregious Eight” still in the running for the prize no one wants to win—awarded annually to t…

1
Injunctions Everywhere—How Courts Are Handling Executive Orders 18:16

2M ago18:16

18:16

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth sits down with Margot Cleveland, Of Counsel at NCLA and Senior Legal Correspondent for The Federalist, to unpack the wave of injunctions stemming from legal challenges to President Trump’s executive orders. Why are federal judges suddenly handing out preliminary injunctions in cases wh…

1
Taxation Without Legislation? The FCC’s $10 Billion Question 22:49

2M ago22:49

22:49

Can a federal agency raise billions in fees without Congress ever approving the tax? In this episode of Unwritten Law, host Mark Chenoweth is joined by NCLA’s General Counsel Zhonette Brown to unpack Consumers’ Research v. FCC, a Supreme Court case challenging the constitutionality of the FCC’s Universal Service Fund. What began as a program to hel…

1
Injunctions, Mootness, and the Legal Tricks That Shut Down Civil Liberties Lawsuits 24:58

2M ago24:58

24:58

Can you really “win” a lawsuit if the court never rules on your case? In this episode of Unwritten Law, Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione break down two recent developments that make it even harder to hold the government accountable in court. First, they tackle the Supreme Court’s decision in Lackey v. Stinnie, which denied attorney’s fees to plain…

1
Who Watches the Watchdogs? The Unchecked Power of CIGIE 14:04

2M ago14:04

14:04

In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione unpack John’s recent Wall Street Journal op-ed calling for the abolition of CIGIE—the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. This obscure-sounding bureaucracy wields outsized power, launching secretive investigations that can derail careers with zero p…

1
Can the President Fire Who He Wants? The Fight Over Executive Power 18:50

2M ago18:50

18:50

Who really controls the executive branch? In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione break down a high-stakes legal battle over presidential power—Trump’s firing of Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel. The case sparked a fierce debate over whether the president can remove executive officials at …

1
Vaccine Mandates, the Ninth Circuit, and the Battle Over Bodily Autonomy 18:57

3M ago18:57

18:57

Are vaccine mandates constitutional? In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione sit down with NCLA’s Jenin Younes to discuss Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Carvalho, a critical case before the Ninth Circuit challenging Los Angeles Unified School District’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The lawsuit questions whether govern…

1
Crypto, the IRS, and the Fight for Financial Privacy 23:00

3M ago23:00

23:00

Does the IRS have the right to seize your financial records—without a warrant, without suspicion, and without you even knowing? In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione sit down with NCLA’s Sheng Li to discuss Harper v. IRS, a Supreme Court petition challenging the government’s warrantless search of cryptocurrency u…

1
From Cliffs to Courtrooms: Base Jumpers Take on the Administrative State 12:30

3M ago12:30

12:30

Is it a crime to jump off a cliff in a national park? The National Park Service seems to think so. In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione sit down with NCLA’s Casey Norman to discuss NCLA’s 100th case—a legal challenge to the Park Service’s unconstitutional ban on base jumping. The lawsuit exposes a bigger issue: …

1
The Sixth Amendment Showdown: Who Deserves a Jury Trial? 20:30

3M ago20:30

20:30

Should the government be able to deny you a jury trial for a criminal charge? Unwritten Law hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione sit down with NCLA’s Jenin Younes to discuss Lesh v. United States, a case that could force the Supreme Court to reconsider its long-standing “petty offense” exception to the Sixth Amendment’s jury trial guarantee. Jen…

1
Chevron’s Demise and the Future of Administrative Power 15:17

3M ago15:17

15:17

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Unwritten Law, the New Civil Liberties Alliance’s podcast exposing unlawful administrative power. Hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione kick off the series by breaking down the Supreme Court’s landmark Loper Bright and Relentless rulings, which dismantled Chevron deference. What happens next in the fight agains…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

New Civil Liberties Alliance Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Unwritten Law

New Civil Liberties Alliance

1
Fired Up—Can the President Slash the Federal Workforce? 14:04

1
The Waiver Wars—Congress, California, and the Fight Over Emissions Rules 19:31

1
Can One Judge Halt a Law? Inside the Supreme Court Fight Over Nationwide Injunctions 30:22

1
This Isn’t a Trade Court Case—It’s a Constitutional One 17:28

1
State Department Censorship—Daily Wire, Disinfo Files, and the Fight for Free Speech 19:30

1
Who Judges the Judges? NCLA Defends Judge Pauline Newman 26:53

1
COVID-19 Mandates and Constitutional Limits—The Stewart v. Walz Case 13:54

1
Declared Emergency, Hidden Tax: The Case Against Trump’s Tariffs 24:57

1
Trump’s Tariffs, Emergency Powers, and the Lawsuit No One Else Filed 22:08

1
Monarch Madness—Inside NCLA’s 2025 King George III Prize 16:23

1
Injunctions Everywhere—How Courts Are Handling Executive Orders 18:16

1
Taxation Without Legislation? The FCC’s $10 Billion Question 22:49

1
Injunctions, Mootness, and the Legal Tricks That Shut Down Civil Liberties Lawsuits 24:58

1
Who Watches the Watchdogs? The Unchecked Power of CIGIE 14:04

1
Can the President Fire Who He Wants? The Fight Over Executive Power 18:50

1
Vaccine Mandates, the Ninth Circuit, and the Battle Over Bodily Autonomy 18:57

1
Crypto, the IRS, and the Fight for Financial Privacy 23:00

1
From Cliffs to Courtrooms: Base Jumpers Take on the Administrative State 12:30

1
The Sixth Amendment Showdown: Who Deserves a Jury Trial? 20:30

1
Chevron’s Demise and the Future of Administrative Power 15:17

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