Sometimes, These F*ckers Lose

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
Strict Scrutiny is brought to you by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
250 years into the American experiment, it's time for all of us to decide. What kind of country do we want to be?
The Founding Fathers got a lot of things wrong, but one thing they got right was knowing that church and state need to be kept separate. Christian nationalists are trying to destroy that history and take this country down a scary path. They're misusing government power to impose their beliefs, rewrite our history, and decide who belongs in America. We refuse to let that happen. Every single day, Americans United is fighting back and holding the line against Christian nationalism with everything we've got. AU has sued the Trump administration seven times in the last year alone, and 12 times since his second administration began. They've challenged government officials who use taxpayer resources to promote their religious beliefs. They're exposing abuses of power, defending public schools and holding the government accountable when it violates the Constitution. But filing lawsuits, changing policy, and community advocacy don't happen on their own. They happen because people like you decide to be part of the fight. If you're looking for an empowered community to join, take a look at what's going on with AU. Visit au.org/crooked to learn more and join the fight today.
Start your morning with the news that matters. Every day, NPR's Up First brings you the three biggest stories in under 15 minutes. They go into what happened and why it matters. It's short and thorough, fact-based and personable, with national and international news in one easy listen. Listen to Up First from NPR wherever you get your podcasts.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:38)
Mr. Chief Justice, please report. It's an old joke, but when an argument against two beautiful ladies like this, they're going to have the last word.

**SPEAKER_3** (1:51)
She spoke, not elegantly, but with unmistakable clarity. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.

**SPEAKER_1** (2:21)
Hello, and welcome back to Strict Scrutiny, your podcast about the Supreme Court and the legal culture that surrounds it. I'm Melissa Murray, and I will be your host for today.
And I am delighted to be joined by a very special guest host, someone you can always count on to bring the chaos. That is right, friend of the pod, Elie Mystal is here today. Welcome, Elie.

**SPEAKER_4** (2:45)
Thank you so much for having me. How was your summer been?

**SPEAKER_1** (2:48)
It's been pretty great. We've been taking turns on the podcast, so we've all gotten a little bit of a break. But it means that I've kind of missed being with the ladies, missed talking to the audience, and definitely missed hanging out with you, because I think the last time we hung out was at the live show in June, and it was pretty fun.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:08)
Well, my lexicon has really improved by leaps and bounds since then, because my kids are off of camp, and I have learned that I don't have enough aura to keep up with my kids. I'm too unk, for sure, and I'm basically just sheiks when it comes to understanding what my kids are doing. So that's been a huge education for me.

**SPEAKER_1** (3:31)
I understood aura. I know that you have to be aura farming all the time. I know why you're an unk. I don't know what sheiks means.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:38)
Too trash, I'm too trash, too sheiks.

**SPEAKER_1** (3:41)
Oh my, these kids are savage.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:44)
Yes, apparently also I'm now too old. The real thing is that I can't beat them in Smash Brothers anymore. Like, I just can't. Like trying my hardest, I cannot, and it is a problem.

**SPEAKER_1** (3:58)
Well, I don't even know what that is. I said words, that just sounded like a word salad to me. So anyway.
All right, listeners, we have a great show for you today. First, Elie and I will break down the breaking news from this week and be prepared. There is a lot of news. And then as always, we will wrap up by sharing our favorite things. But before we get into the show, we have some exciting news. If you are a lawyer who listens to Strict Scrutiny, and I know there are a lot of you, guess what? You can now get CLE credit for listening to the pod. What could be better? Something you already do can now satisfy your professional licensing requirements. I mean, hello, what better option is there? We just launched our first CLE course. It is our Scotus Term Recap episode that came out in the first week of July. And right now, it is approved for CLE credit in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington and Oregon. And we will keep you updated as more states are added. So this is something new that we're trying. And if enough people sign up, we will hopefully add more episodes in the future. So let us know how you like it. Head over to cricket.com/strictunderscorecle to learn more and to buy the course. And once you've purchased, head over to our partners at Lawline and accredited CLE provider who's responsible for CLE administration. And you can access the episode there for course credit. So happy continuing education, folks. This is going to be great.