Loading summary
Narrator
You know that one friend who somehow knows everything about money? Yeah. Now imagine they live in your phone. Say hey to Experian, your big financial friend. It's the app that helps you check your FICO score, find ways to save, and basically feel like a financial genius. And guess what? It's totally free. So go on, download the Experian app. Trust me, having a BFF like this is a total game changer.
Fatherhood Advocate
What is Dadication?
Narrator
The thing that drives me every day as a dad is Dariona. We call him Dae Date for short. Every day he's hungry for something, whether it's attention, affection, knowledge. And there's this huge responsibility in making sure that when he's no longer under my wing that he's a good person. I want him to be able to sit back one day and go, we worked together. We did a good job.
Fatherhood Advocate
That's dedication. Find out more@fatherhood.gov brought to you by the U.S. department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council.
Mantis X Representative
Want to sharpen your aim, save money on ammo and train like the pros, all from the comfort of your home? Meet Mantis X, the cutting edge dry fire training system used by the Marine Corps, army and Special forces to build precision and confidence. 94% of shooters report improved accuracy in just 20 minutes and you could be next. With Mantis X, you train with your own firearm anytime, anywhere without wasting a single round in less than two weeks. The system pays for itself in ammo savings alone. As a proud gun owner, I believe in the second amendment. But rights come with responsibility. That means refining your accuracy, mastering your skills, and staying prepared every time you train. Whether you're a new shooter or an experienced marksman, Mantis X helps you train smarter, shoot better, and defend what matters most. Get yours today@mantisx.com that's mantisx.com Donald Trump.
Fatherhood Advocate
Is afraid of contempt and files mind boggling new motions in court in the Abrego Garcia case, in which I assure you Judge Zinnis is about to throw the book at them for not only violating her injunction, refusing to return on time Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, but then having the brass ones to look the court in the eye and said, we told you to pound sand. For several months, we refused to abide by the United States Supreme Court decision, we refused to abide by your orders, we refused to tell you anything about Abrego Garcia. But lo and behold, three weeks ago, we brought him back to stand against an indictment in Tennessee. So all better now, Judge. And why don't you dismiss the entire case that the Supreme Court told you you had jurisdiction over because of due process violations? Because we brought him back and he's sitting in Tennessee. How's that? Not great. Michael Popak, you're on Legal af. Let's get down to the new filing that we caught over on the Zinnis presided over case in Maryland over Abrego Garcia. Abrego Garcia, picked up in March by ice, has in his back pocket an order that says he can't be removed to El Salvador. They say, forget that, we don't care. Get into the van and they load him in, middle of the night, shackle them, dump them off to a supermax torture prison in El Salvador. Only because his wife caught him on the video being loaded in was she then able to bring a habeas corpus or a civil rights due process rights violation case before judge Zinnis by the 4th of April. She rules in favor of the family and orders that he be returned so that she can properly administer justice in her courtroom. They refuse. Not only do they refuse, they taunt her. They taunt the United States Supreme Court and effectively say, you'll never see a Brigo Garcia again. He's never coming back. We're not giving him due process. It's not happening ever. Not on our watch. You'll never see him again. They made fun of Senator Van Hollen from Maryland. They taunted him, you know, all that stuff. Then the supreme court ruled on 10th April and said, yeah, we're not comfortable with you illegally, as the Supreme Court recited, taking somebody with an order that says he can't be removed El Salvador and you dumping them off in El Salvador and then saying you have no way to bring him back. So they supported Judge Zitis's decision in her order to order that the Trump administration facilitate the release of of Abrego Garcia from El Salvador to bring him back to the United States. She then ordered pursuant to the Supreme Court's ruling and in which it told her to administer justice. They told her, she told the Trump administration, give me daily updates. Daily updates came and went and they were all make weight, basically, stuff. Newspapers, shoved them into a filing, didn't give the judge any response whatsoever. She got frustrated. She eventually opened up discovery and told the other side, that side representing Abrego Garcia take discovery depositions, sworn statements under oath, document exchange and prepare if you want to, a motion for sanctions. She eventually, a week or so ago, gave the Trump administration or two weeks ago, gave the, the Brago Garcia side the permission to bring a motion for sanctions against the Trump administration. There is a motion currently pending against the Trump administration for violating discovery in which the judge needs to rule as to whether she's going to make adverse inferences against the Trump administration in terms of the motion for sanctions. Is she going to find that they don't have a leg to stand on, that they have waived any objections and make all rulings against them? That's what, that's what's currently pending with the judge. Now we get the motion to dismiss as moot this new filing by the Trump administration because they've got big brass ones and they're going to look the judge in the eye in this motion and say you ordered us to facilitate, we facilitated, consistent with your order. Judge that's a lie. Let me remind you, we don't lie here. We're on the Midas Dutch Network and I'm Michael Popak. Let's get into it. The Rather than comply with the Supreme Court rulings, the Zenith rulings, the motions for preliminary injunctions, the threats of sanctions they instead concocted over the period of three weeks at indictment against Abrego Garcia in Tennessee, filed an indictment on 28 April, which we caught and then used it to get Abrego Garcia out of jail in El Salvador. After telling the world, including Judge Zinnis and the Supreme Court, that they have no control over him, they can't get him back. It's the sovereignty of El Salvador and it's out of their control except when they wanted it to be in their control. The fact that they were able to bring him back for their own indictment purposes and a sham manufactured indictment proves the point. It doesn't solve the contempt, it proves the contempt. Feeling a little stalled out in the bedroom? Through hims you can get some gas back in the tank with personalized ED treatment options that are accessible without ever stepping foot into a doctor's office. HIMSS is changing men's health care by providing you with access to affordable sexual health treatments from the comfort of your couch. HIMSS provides access to a range of doctor trusted ED treatments like chewable tablets, Viagra and Cialis and their generics for up to 95% less. The process is 100% online, so there's no need for uncomfortable doctor's visits. Just fill out an intake form on their site and a medical provider will determine the right treatment option. If prescribed, your medication ships directly to you for free. No insurance is needed and one low price covers everything from treatments to ongoing care, which with hundreds of thousands of trusted subscribers. HIMSS can help you find the ED option that works for you. Start your free online Visit today@hisss.com LegalAF that's H I M S.com Legal AF for your personalized ED treatment options. Hiss.com Legal A F now they come to court and say won't you need to dismiss the entire case because you no longer have subject matter jurisdiction. You don't have jurisdiction over this case judge anymore. Cuz we brought him back. They actually had the balls to say that they've taken the extraordinary steps and facilitated and indeed effectuated your word. Judge Abrago Garcia's return to the United States. Everything's moot, nothing to see here. And then they go off and say that you as an Article 3 judge, which is true, you need to have jurisdiction and that everything is moot. It's not moot. Even if the current matter of his return has been resolved, he's still not in the jurisdiction of the judge who's in Maryland. And it hasn't solved the prior civil rights and due process violations and the prior violations of the court's orders which are the subject of the pending discovery sanction motion and the future motion for sanctions in the entire case. Let me put it simply. The judge, Judge Zinnis, retains jurisdiction over past bad acts of the Trump administration and this does not fix it because they finally brought him back in order to stand trial in Tennessee. There's going to be a briefing schedule on this. It's going to go very quickly. I assure you. Judge Zinnis is going to deny the motion. She's going to ultimately grant the motion for sanctions related to discovery. I think she's going to make adverse inferences against Donald Trump and the Trump administration. She's going to allow the other side, the Abrego Garcia side, to, to enter to file a motion for sanctions and she's going to grant it. Now they can go run the Trump side to the D.C. court of Appeals again. And you know, it's about 50, 50 there. I've been surprised at some of the orders coming out of the D.C. circuit lately and staying orders that I thought were completely in properly analyzed and properly issued. But we'll see what happens at the D.C. court of Appeals and then whoever's the loser there will take the case up to the United States Supreme Court either on an emergency application. Why not? We've had 20 of them. You know, we've had more emergency applications by this United States Supreme Court in this president than the last two presidents combined. Or it'll go on the normal docket, what we call a writ of of certiorari docket for the beginning of the term, which starts the first Monday in October. But we'll follow it all right here. You're on the Midas Touch Network. Take a moment, help them get to 5 million. Come over to Legal AF, the YouTube channel. Help us get to 700,000. We're going to do it, I think over the weekend with your help. Then I got a new podcast. It's on Tuesdays on the Midas Touch Network and then on all audio podcast platforms. It's called the Intersection with Michael Popak. I could use some help on the audio download side and on the review side. I think I got 60 reviews in two weeks. Five star. I think we can do better than that. I hope we can. So and join the show the Intersection with Michael Popak. So till my next report, I am Michael Popak. Can't get your fill of Legal af. Me neither. That's why we formed the Legal AF substack. Every time we mention something in a hot take, whether it's a court filing or a oral argument, come over to the substack. You'll find the court filing in the oral moral argument there, including a daily roundup that I do called Wait for it Morning af. What else? All the other contributors from Liga Layoff are there as well. We got some new reporting, we got interviews, we got ad free versions of the podcast and hot takes where Legal AF on Substack. Come over now to free subscribe.
Episode Title: Federal Judge Smokes Out Trump Plan to Avoid Contempt
Release Date: June 21, 2025
Hosts: Ben Meiselas, Michael Popok, Karen Friedman Agnifilo
Executive Producer: Meidas Media Network
In this episode of Legal AF by MeidasTouch, host Michael Popok delves deep into the contentious legal maneuvers surrounding the Abrego Garcia case. The discussion centers on how a federal judge is countering attempts by the Trump administration to sidestep contempt charges related to court orders and Supreme Court decisions. Popok provides a comprehensive analysis of the case, highlighting the strategic filings, judicial responses, and potential implications for the administration.
The episode revisits the Abrego Garcia case, highlighting its origins and the legal battles that have unfolded. Abrego Garcia was apprehended by ICE in March and was supposed to be returned to El Salvador under specific court orders ensuring his due process rights.
Michael Popok criticizes the Trump administration's actions, emphasizing their blatant disregard for judicial orders:
"For several months, we refused to abide by the United States Supreme Court decision, we refused to abide by your orders, we refused to tell you anything about Abrego Garcia."
[04:30] Michael Popok
The administration is accused of violating injunctions by illegally transporting Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, despite explicit court directives preventing such actions.
Judge Zinnis has been unwavering in her commitment to upholding the law, leading to a series of legal confrontations with the Trump administration:
"She got frustrated. She eventually opened up discovery and told the other side... prepare a motion for sanctions."
[09:15] Michael Popok
Judge Zinnis has not only enforced the Supreme Court's rulings but has also initiated motions for sanctions against the administration for non-compliance and contempt of court.
The legal battle is intensifying, with motions currently pending that could have significant consequences for the Trump administration:
"There is a motion currently pending against the Trump administration for violating discovery in which the judge needs to rule as to whether she's going to make adverse inferences against the Trump administration in terms of the motion for sanctions."
[12:45] Michael Popok
Popok anticipates that Judge Zinnis will likely deny the administration's motions to dismiss the case, leading to potential adverse inferences and sanctions. The case may escalate to the D.C. Court of Appeals and, subsequently, to the United States Supreme Court if unresolved.
Michael Popok:
"Judge Zinnis retains jurisdiction over past bad acts of the Trump administration and this does not fix it because they finally brought him back in order to stand trial in Tennessee."
[14:50]
Michael Popok:
"The fact that they were able to bring him back for their own indictment purposes and a sham manufactured indictment proves the point. It doesn't solve the contempt, it proves the contempt."
[10:20]
Michael Popok underscores the significance of Judge Zinnis's steadfastness in the face of administrative pressure. The ongoing legal struggle not only highlights issues of judicial independence but also sets precedents for how contempt and non-compliance with court orders are addressed. Popok anticipates a rigorous legal showdown that could potentially reach the highest levels of the judiciary, reflecting the broader tensions between political power and the rule of law.
For listeners seeking an in-depth analysis and ongoing updates on the Abrego Garcia case and other legal-political intersections, Legal AF offers a Substack newsletter and the Intersection with Michael Popak podcast. Subscribers can access exclusive content, court filings, and daily legal roundups to stay informed.
Subscribe to Legal AF: [Substack Link]
Listen to The Intersection with Michael Popak: [Podcast Link]
This summary provides an overview of the key discussions and insights shared in the episode. For the full conversation and additional context, listeners are encouraged to tune into the episode on YouTube or their preferred podcast platform.