The Intersection with Michael Popok Full Episode - 8/12/2025

The leading weekly law and politics podcast -- LegalAF -- produced by MeidasTouch and hosted by MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, is back for another hard-hitting, thought-provoking look at this week’s most compelling developments at the intersection of law and politics, aka Episode 17. The hosts first bring their healthy-brand of skepticism to the $10mm “wrongful death” suit to be filed by the family of January 6th insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt. Next, Ben and Popok bring the LAF listeners fully up to speed on the trials and tribulations of New York’s “Love Governor” Andrew Cuomo accused by 11 (!) former (and current) female employees of sexual misconduct. Then, the hosts explore SCOTUS’ recent attack on the CDC’s nationwide residential eviction ban, and the Garland DOJ’s intervention to oppose the Realtors’ efforts to overturn a limited CDC eviction moratorium based on rising Delta data. Talking about the Delta variant, Ben and Michael first examine the legality of Florida Governor DeSantis’ ban of vaccine passports and its impact on the cruise industry, and his ban on mandatory masks for school children even in the face of rising infection and death rates among children in his state. The Analysis Friends then drill down on Texas’ Governor Abbott’s attempts to interfere with the federal government’s “supreme” power to regulate immigration and transport (and detain) immigrants by claiming some feigned concern with the spread of COVID by immigrants, while simultaneously banning face masks and undermining vaccination in his state. Episode 17 ends with a sobering discussion about the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (“JASTA”) federal case filed this past week in New York by 115 “Gold Star” families against major global banks for allegedly profiting from terrorist organizations and governments banking with them, and thereby helping to fund attacks on Americans. Special Easter Egg and Programming Note: Ben gives Popok and the listeners the good news that “Legal AF” is leaving the “MeidasTouch Podcast” nest and moving to its own Medias-produced podcast channel starting with next Sunday’s episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Aug 20211h 26min

The leading law and politics podcast — MeidasTouch’s Legal AF — is back and coming in hot with special guest attorney Sam Yebri (samforLA.com). On its Sweet 16 episode, MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok interview Sam, who’s running a #MeidasMighty-style, progressive, grassroots campaign to represent LA’s 5th District on its City Council. Sam, Ben and Popok discuss his campaign and approach to addressing and solving LA’s homeless crisis. After a brief interlude where Ben welcomes Popok back with open arms from his summer holiday, the hosts get back to their brand of hard-hitting analysis Legal AF listeners have come to expect. First up, Ben and Michael examine how various federal courts are addressing COVID-19 policies, from Florida’s sinking the CDC mandates for the cruise ship industry with the help of a flip-flopping 11th Circuit, to a Trump-appointee Indiana federal judge upholding a university’s decision to mandate vaccination for its students. Then, the hosts do a deep dive into Attorney General Merrick Garland’s recent decisions to: (a) deny Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks request to have the United States substitute in as the defendant in the case brought against him for inciting the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and (b) issue new DOJ policy supporting the First Amendment and preventing prosecutors from seizing journalists records except in extraordinary circumstances. Ben and Popok round out the episode with a look at yet another Former 45 courtroom loss. This week, the Second Circuit soundly rejected the Trumps’ attempt to force into private arbitration a class action suit brought against Former 45, Eric and Ivanka for endorsing a "multi-level marketing" "get rich quick scheme" run by ACN, allegedly causing tens of millions in losses. Ben and Popok scratch their heads over Trump et al.’s wacky decision to argue, in effect, that the Trumps were so close to ACN (and its alleged fraud scheme) that the Trumps should get the benefit of the arbitration agreement between ACN and its customers. Easter Egg Alert: Ben bans Popok from any future days off! Subscribe to the MeidasTouch Podcast for more episodes and remember to give the show a 5-star review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Aug 20211h 12min

On this very special 4th of July episode (No. 15) of Legal AF, MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok examine Chief Justice Roberts continued assault on fairness in the election funding and voting process. First, Ben—podcasting from "outer space"—and a very terrestrial Popok explore the Supreme Court’s right-wing majority and Justice Alito’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the 15th Amendment, in finding that Arizona’s new voter suppression laws making mail in voting harder, and disenfranchising accidental wrong precinct voting, are constitutional. Ben also observes that Alito’s "five factor" analysis to be used in future VRA cases addressing the time, method and means of voting, is not only "made up," but will be used to kill what’s left of the law the next time around. Popok gives Ben a “Pop” quiz on which chief justice from 200+ years ago set the course for how the Supreme Court operates today. Next, the LAF co-hosts dissect Chief Justice Roberts’ majority decision finding that California’s attempts to regulate charity fraud through disclosure of major donors is overbroad and violative of the First Amendment and its freedom of association clause, allowing even more dark money to flood into our electoral system. The co-hosts round out the Supreme Court review with a look at decisions this term that address social rather than political and electoral issues, including a decision to leave in place a lower court’s ruling that discriminating against transgender people by forcing them to not use the bathroom that aligns with their identity violates the 14th Amendment and Title IX. SCOTUS' inconsistent approach to social and religious issues this term is also discussed. Next up, a topic of the LAF law school students have been waiting for: Cosby and the 5th Amendment, where Ben and Michael respectfully disagree on what Cosby was promised by prosecutors before he sat for a civil deposition, and debate whether the 5th Amendment is more important than any one celebrity defendant, no matter his crimes. And of course, no LAF podcast would be complete without a hard look at NY’s indictment of the Trump Organization and its long-time CFO on 15 counts of tax fraud, the existence of a Trump “second set of books,” and what it may mean for the Former 45 and family in the near term. Easter Egg Alert: Back by popular demand, more Popok Paper Crumpling! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Juli 20211h 24min

On Episode 14 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, joined by special guest and sports law commentator, litigator and all-around savant, Dan Lust, "tackle" (pun intended) SCOTUS' antitrust attack on the NCAA and its illegal price-fixing and restraint of trade, and why the NCAA should be very worried by Kavanaugh’s dissent more than the majority opinion. Continuing the sports theme, Ben and Popok “bounce” ideas around with @SportsLawLust about SCOTUS and the "off campus" First Amendment rights of students, including the former cheerleader plaintiff. The hosts also wonder aloud if Chief Justice Roberts is trying to "hold" the center and uphold fundamental democratic values. Talking about the First Amendment, Ben and Popok next use their AF powers to "school" Governor DeSantis about his new "viewpoint diversity" laws for colleges and universities and discuss whether they are constitutional. Next up, Ben tosses a "softball" to Michael in discussing just why New York took the extraordinary step to immediately suspending Rudy Giuliani's bar license for fraud and false statements until it can consider more permanent sanctions. Then, the expanded "Analytic Friends" take a "deep dive" into Popok’s bold prediction that the Trump Organization (and maybe more) will be indicted next week by the Manhattan DA’s office, and he is forced to remind everyone what AF really stands for. To round out the segment, the co-hosts talk through what a contract "morals clause" is, and how it has led to New York cancelling all of its contracts with the Trump Organization. "Switching gears," the #LAF co-hosts take a look at the DOJ's first lawsuit filed to protect voting rights, this time against Georgia arguing that its new voter integrity (= voting suppression) laws aimed at making absentee ballots harder to "cast" is a not so veiled unconstitutional attack on Black voters and violates the Voting Rights Act. The leading case of Burger King v. McDonald’s French Fries is also briefly discussed. Finally, Ben and Michael "grapple" with the Chauvin sentencing. Easter egg alert: Ben creates a new “Popok-ian” movement leading Dan to chuckle and wonder aloud about whether squirrels are bi-partisan. (Not kidding). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Juni 20211h 37min

On a “Baker’s Dozen” Episode of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, first explore the House Judiciary's decision to open an investigation into the Former’s misuse of subpoena power against the media, Apple, and Democratic leaders. Next up, the Legal AF analysts drill down on 3 new SCOTUS decisions: (1) 9-0, affecting LGBTQ+ foster parent rights, (2) 8-1, addressing child slavery lawsuits against Nestlé under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789 (ATS); and (3) a 7-2 decision crafted by Justice Breyer confirming the constitutionality of Obamacare once and for all. Speaking of Breyer, Ben and Michael give their views on the growing #RetireBreyer movement seeking to have him step down before the midterms to given Biden a guaranteed SCOTUS pick. Walrus-alert: Ben and Popok discuss the DOJ’s decision to end both the criminal and civil cases against former National Security Advisor John Bolton for publishing a memoir which the Former did not like. Easter egg alert: Popok slips in a Hamilton: The Musical reference. Rounding out the podcast, the Analysis Friends discuss Biden’s decision to protect transgender and gay students under Title IX from discrimination and retaliation in higher education in response to 20 states attempting to ban transgender students from competing in sport. And no #LAF pod would be complete without Ben and Popok discussing some gun-toting political candidate, in this case the white St. Louis Republican attorneys who brandished guns and AR-15s when peaceful #BLM protestors marched past their wealthy enclave, and the husband’s decision to now run for the US Senate. Finally, and for added fun, Ben, perhaps listening too intently to a “supersonic dog siren,” forgets momentarily just which legal podcast he is actually hosting, prompting Popok to ask if Ben’s law partner (and host of another legal podcast) is renting space in Ben’s head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Juni 20211h 18min

On Episode 12 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, explore the Garland Department of Justice (DOJ) three-ways, first tackling the recent revelations that Sessions and Barr, doing former 45’s bidding, created an enemies list and subpoenaed not only journalists’ phone, text and email records, but also targeted some of the highest ranking members of the US Congress, like Rep. Adam Schiff. Then, Ben and Popok analyze the DOJ’s return to muscular enforcement of the Voting Rights Act to prevent voter intimidation and minority discrimination against the 14 states that have recently passed voter suppression laws under the guise of “election integrity.” To round out the DOJ segment, the co-hosts discuss why on occasion the current DOJ feels compelled to continue to support some positions taken in court by Former’s DOJ, like the one seeking the dismissal of a defamation case brought against him arising out of a sexual assault. Next up, the “Analysis Friends,” take a deep dive into all things SCOTUS as this term comes to an end, including the eyebrow-raising 9-0 decision to deny a path to citizenship for the almost 500K people in the United States here under Temporary Protected Status program. SCOTUS’s decision to hear two (2) separate cases based on the government’s use of the “state secrets” defense also leads Ben and Michael to handicap the odds of the Court using the cases to weaken the defense (unlikely). After a brief tutorial on crypto currency like Bitcoin and why it's loved by the criminal underworld, and the power of the federal government to seek asset forfeiture of bitcoins used in ransomware attacks, the podcast brings this action-packed episode to a roaring conclusion by discussing whether MeidasTouch should go after Fox for refusing to air its January 6th insurrection ad on television, Popok challenges MeidasTouch’s “PAC-hood,” and Ben fires back! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Juni 20211h 36min

On Episode 11 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, provide a sobering analysis of a California federal judge’s decision to overturn California’s 30-year old ban on assault weapons citing the overriding considerations of the Second Amendment (while comparing AR-15s to swiss army knives and Ford pickup trucks) and predict what the Supreme Court will likely do about it in a future term. Speaking of 30-year precedent going out the window, next the Legal Analysis Friends look at Coney Barrett’s first majority opinion scrapping the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act criminalizing most database breaches and why the composition of which justices joined together to make up the 6-3 majority is so bizarre. And on the topic of here today, possibly gone tomorrow, the Legal AF duo discuss the likely decision this week by SCOTUS to revisit next term (and possibly overturn) the use of affirmative action in higher education to create diverse student bodies. Next up, Ben and Popok take a hard look at former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and why his recent statements made at the Q-Anon convention (?!?) calling for the violent overthrow of the US government is not only a federal crime, but should lead to his court-martial and loss of his military pension to boot. No #LAF episode would be complete without a look at Former 45’s current legal troubles, this time his being sued along with Don Jr., Rudy and Rep. Mo Brooks by members of Congress, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, for violation of the KKK Act for inciting the January 6th insurrection. Ben and Michael also don’t pull any punches and share their jaundiced view of Trump’s efforts to argue that he enjoys “absolute immunity” from a civil suit since “it happened” while he was President. While they're at it, the #LAF hosts scratch their collective heads as to why on earth Rep. Mo Brooks would try to dodge the process server trying to serve him with the suit, as if that’s a good thing to do. To round out this hard-hitting, action-packed episode, Ben and Michael discuss if Matt Gaetz will also be hit with obstruction of justice charges for interfering with the federal investigation into his having sex with minors, and whether before he assumed the post, Postmaster General DeJoy committed federal election law crimes by illegally funneling money through his then employees to political candidates. And in a special “crossover” segment, the MeidasTouch Brothers visit #LegalAF and interview Matthew Modine running for the president of the labor union representing over 160,000 actors, artists, influencers, models and other media professionals, along with his running mate Joely Fisher, running for secretary treasurer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Juni 20211h 45min

On Episode 10 of LegalAF (#LAF), MeidasTouch’s Sunday morning law and politics podcast, hosts MT founder and civil rights lawyer, Ben Meiselas and national trial lawyer and strategist, Michael Popok, examine why in Ben’s world the “scales of justice” (?) move so slowly (inside joke alert) while discussing the looming criminal indictment of the Trump Organization, Trump and his family by a New York state special grand jury based on Trump tax records obtained through a divided, 5-4 Supreme Court ruling. While Ben and Michael are at it, they discuss in detail the special qualities of the grand jury process in the American legal system. Of course, no #LAF podcast would be complete without a deep dive into Rudy Giuliani and his 18 cellphones and laptops about to be closely reviewed by a special master to be appointed by a federal judge to determine if any of the materials are protected by the attorney-client privilege from disclosure to the prosecutors investigating him for his role in the firing of the US Ukrainian ambassador. The “Legal Analysis Friends” next discuss former Ambassador Sondland’s attempts to have former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Federal government pay the $1.8 million in legal fees he racked up testifying to the House Intelligence Committee that Trump illegally withheld millions of dollars in US aid to Ukraine in order to force them to open an investigation into Joe Biden’s son Hunter during the Presidential election campaign, that later led to Trump firing the Ambassador. Hooded Justice and Velvet Hammer then turn their attention back to, where else, Florida, and explain why Governor DeSantis has the First Amendment and its protections exactly backward with his new law prohibiting social media companies, like Twitter, from banning (i.e. deplatforming) users for bad behavior like Trump. Ben then takes the #LAF listeners through the law of Presidential pardons leading to the SDNY prosecutors and judge having no choice but to drop Steve Bannon’s criminal prosecution arising out of his fraudulent “build the wall” charity. Finally, and ending on a “politics makes strange bedfellows” note, Ben and Popok discuss why the current Department of Justice is arguing in federal court that that even though Trump’s forcibly removing protestors from Lafayette Park to allow him to have a “clean” photo op on his way to a nearby church holding an (upside down) bible was a bad thing, a court should not interfere with decisions by the Executive Branch around how to provide security and protection to a sitting US president. Easter egg alert: Ben drops a little “Federalist Papers” knowledge on Popok, and Popok reminds Ben that scales of justice don’t move forward and back, wheels do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Maj 20211h 23min