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- [00:00]
Host 1
What do you think makes the perfect snack?
- [00:02]
Host 2
Hmm. It's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
- [00:06]
Host 1
Could you be more specific?
- [00:07]
Host 2
When it's cravinient.
- [00:08]
Michael Popak
Okay.
- [00:09]
Host 2
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a.
- [00:15]
Host 1
Second at a.m. p. M. I'm seeing a pattern here.
- [00:18]
Host 2
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
- [00:19]
Host 1
Crave, which is anything from AM PM.
- [00:21]
Host 2
What more could you want? Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM PM Too much. Good stuff.
- [00:31]
Host 1
A Mochi moment from Sadie who writes, I'm not crying, you're crying. This is what I said during my first appointment with my physician at Mochi because I didn't have to convince him I needed a GLP one. He understood and I felt supported, not judged. I came for the weight loss and stayed for the empathy. Thanks, Sadie. I'm Mayra Amit, founder of Mochi Health. To find your mochi moment, visit joinmochi.com Sadie is a Mochi member, compensated for her story?
- [01:01]
Michael Popak
Yes, there are still federal judges out there that are not afraid of the Trump administration, nor its Department of Justice, nor the Supreme Court, and just do the right thing for the American people because justice demands it. We have a new emergency order from Judge McConnell, the chief judge of Rhode island, which will hopefully finally compel the Trump administration on order of the court to start making those $8 billion worth of a SNAP food stamp payments to the most underprivileged, the most vulnerable in our society. For the month of November, the judge has taken a different act. There were two different judges who looked at this issue. One judge, Judge Talwani in Massachusetts, said, why don't you tell me today, on Monday, you know if there's going to be agency action and then I'll decide whether to enter a preliminary injunction or a temporary restraining order. No. Judge McConnell took what Donald Trump said on social media, trolled Donald Trump with it in addition to it took what the federal government Department of Justice wrote to him demanding a temporary restraining order be reduced to writing and used the words against them, did like a judicial jujitsu, and flipped it on Donald Trump. I cover it right here, the only way I know how, without blowing smoke or sunshine on the Midas Dutch network. And for legal AF, let's talk about how we got here. Two different groups of plaintiffs ran into two different courts. 23 Democratic states. You notice no Republican States care about people dying from hunger and starvation in their below the poverty states, you know, like the red states, blue states ran to the rescue and filed a case that landed in Boston, Massachusetts in front of Judge Telwani. Cities and public interest groups like Democracy Forward Files filed their own case on the same issue of whether Trump could terminate snap payments, food stamp payments to this group because, because of the shutdown. They got Judge McConnell. Chief Judge. Now, you may remember that Chief Judge McConnell has tangled with the Trump administration before. He was one of the judges who early on issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration stopping them from ripping the 14th amendment to birthright citizenship out of the Constitution by executive order, said, no babies born on our soil are American citizens. That was Judge McConnell. Now let's move to this case brought. The first party in the case is Rhode Island State Council of Churches vs. Brooke Rollins at the Department of Agriculture, which is the regulator for the program. Here's what, here's how we got here. First, we had a filing by the Trump administration an emergency motion to reduce the court's oral temporary restraining order to writing. By the way, there is, I'll tell you, as a federal practitioner, there is no requirement that a federal judge issue it in writing. He can or she can from the bench, give, and there's a transcript or oral recording can give all of the factors, all of the analysis, all of the findings and, and issue an injunction from the bench. Now, Trump administration has tried to argue, no, no, judges can only do it in writing. Untrue. They got caught in that problem with Judge Boasberg about the 200 human beings without due process that were sent in the middle of the night to El Salvador's torture jail. They had a whole fight about on the record, off the record, temporary restraining order, writing, not writing. So now they've given to filing this, but they wrote something as grounds, they said, and the judge used it, used it to toast their chestnuts, if you know what I mean. On page two of their motion, which they filed on on Halloween, defendants, the Trump administration are expeditiously attempting to comply with the court's order. No. In other words, recognizing that they had a temporary restraining order against them. They knew it, knowing they had to make the payments like today, but are considering whether any emergency relief is required given the operational difficulties. We want it in writing, effectively. Judge said, you know, I've done some reading myself. Here's how Judge McConnell started his order. This is at the very top. Post it now on Legal AF substack. Here we go. The defendants in Their emergency motion have stated that defendants are expeditiously attempting to comply with the court's order. Okay. Also, they, he, you know, he also knows what Trump truths out, I think. Is that what they're calling instead of tweeted out truths out. The President of the United States stated Friday evening. Right. Which is also. This is all Halloween, you know, back to back Halloween. I do not want Americans to go hungry. I asked the court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible if we are given the appropriate legal direction by the court. It will be my honor, all in caps, to provide the funding. The judge wrote. The court greatly appreciates the president's quick and definitive response to this court's order and his desire to provide the necessary SNAP funding. I'm not quite sure that's what Trump was trying to do, but that's how the job. The judge interpreted it as almost a confession that he needed to comply with an existing temporary restraining order. Good job, Trump. Now the judge. The holdup in both courts, Judge Talwani's court and Judge McConnell was over full funding or partial funding to pay out all of the 40 million Americans that wait for this. Think about that. 40 million Americans are waiting on snap payments. We're talking about the disabled, children, babies, the elderly. I mean, it's like the most vulnerable group in our population. And all they want to do is not die from malnutrition or starvation. And it's an $8 billion a month program. So what the judge said is, well, you have an emergency contingency fund set up by Congress of 6 billion. You can either do three quarter payments. I mean, listen, I know basic fractions. You can either do three quarter payments. That's not hard. Just go through whatever the payment was going to be and take a quarter off and then make it up later when the, when the shutdown is over. Or go find additional funds like customs receipts for. There's just money that comes in regularly that you can go grab. Go grab that. Make it a full $8 billion payment. And the judge said in his order. I'll read it to you in a moment. Judge McConnell said, and I want to know what you're doing. You're either gonna make full payments on Monday or by Wednesday, you're gonna give me the plan you're gonna use in order to make partial payments.
- [07:56]
Ben Meiselas
Hey, everybody, Ben Meiselas here from the Midas Touch Network. I wanted to let you know about my podcast partner Michael Popak's new law firm. It's called the Popoc firm. Michael Popak's pursuing his dream of starting his own law firm. Really based on the popular demand by all the Midas mighty and legal A effers who are approaching Michael Popak with their cases and saying can you help us? And at that time Popak was not able to. So he went out on his own. He started the Popoc firm where he is now handling catastrophic injury cases like car accident cases, trucking cases, malpractice cases, big negligence cases where wrongful death cases. So if you or someone you know have a case like this, the consultation with Popo's firm is free. Give him a call. See if you have a case. It's the popoc firm.com thepopoc firm.com or you can call 877-popock-af p o p o k a f so 1 877, p o p o k a f give Michael Popak a call and I'm really proud of you Popak. Thanks for all the hard work you're putting in.
- [09:09]
Michael Popak
And then he ordered as follows, here's this is the judge. He goes through how SNAP got passed, the entitlement aspect of it, that people are entitled to it. He reminds Trump that in his first administration when there was a shutdown, he made SNAP payments. So here's his order. If the government does not want to use this is on page five. If the government does not want to use its discretion to use funds available to make a full payment for November that it must expeditiously resolve the administrative and clerical burdens it described in its papers. But under no circumstances shall the partial payments be made later than Wednesday and by and by today, noon on Monday, the government must report to the court on what it will do to comply with the court's order. When that comes in, I will update my reporting here on Midas touch on Legal AF substack on a live and on Legal AF substack. So don't worry, I won't leave the in the lurch. I won't leave a cliffhanger when it comes to people suffering. I will give you the update on that. Here's how the judge summarizes it. So there's no so there's no dispute, no ambiguity. Paragraph 8. In summary, the government must make the full SNAP payment benefits by Monday. If they choose to use their discretion and not use other funds in addition to the contingency funds to make a full payment, then they must make a partial payment of the total amount of the contingency funds. And they must do this by Wednesday, November 5, 2027. The court grants the government's motion for a written order. There's a little troll. You wanted a written order. You like apples? How them apples? And then it's so ordered. John J. McConnell, Jr. Chief Judge, United States District Court in Rhode Island. What's gonna happen next? Well, they got Scott Besant, the Treasury Secretary, after the judge issued that order. I just read to you. He went on with Jake Tapper on cnn, and either he's lying to the American people, which is certainly, it's certainly possible and likely, or he wasn't briefed properly to go on with Jake Tapper because he acts like he's still waiting on a written order. And the written order came out a day before he went on this show. Let me show you the clip.
- [11:23]
CNN Reporter
Two federal judges ruled Friday night the White House must tap into the contingency funds to partially cover SNAP benefits that expired this weekend due to the shutdown. Yesterday, the court clarified that at least a partial payment needs to be made by Wednesday. When can we expect the Trump administration to make these payments?
- [11:37]
Scott Besant
Well, President Trump just truthed out that he needs to hear from the courts how this is going to be done. And Jake, as you know, the best way for SNAP benefits to get paid is, is for Democrats, five Democrats to cross the aisle and reopen the government. Right.
- [11:52]
CNN Reporter
But there is this contingency fund. And as recently as September 30, the Agricultural Department had a memo saying that these funds, the contingency funds, I think it's about five or six billion dollars, could be used to pay these benefits. Now, it'd only be two or three weeks, but that's a lot for people who need the, who need the food.
- [12:08]
Scott Besant
Well, President Trump, just as I said, President Trump just truthed out that he's very anxious to get this done. And it's got to go through the courts. The courts keep jamming up. Things different. Democrats are in the middle of a civil war and they should just open the government. That is the easiest way to do this.
- [12:23]
CNN Reporter
Is the administration going to appeal the ruling by the judge? Is that what you mean by the courts need to weigh in? Because the courts have weighed in?
- [12:29]
Scott Besant
No, but there's a process that has to be followed. So we got to figure out what the process is. President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefits.
- [12:38]
CNN Reporter
So it could be done by Wednesday.
- [12:40]
Scott Besant
Could be okay. Could be. And five Democratic senators could cross the aisle and open the government by Wednesday.
- [12:46]
Michael Popak
Now you see what he did there? We're just waiting on a judge to give us A written order that we can follow it. Okay, there's the written order came out the day before. It's only five pages, six pages. You couldn't read it before you got on Jake Tapper?
- [12:59]
Scott Besant
No.
- [12:59]
Michael Popak
You don't want to prepare. That's. They don't, they purposely don't prepare senior government officials and Department of Justice lawyers to answer questions because they can go, I don't know. I know. And our audience now knows. And then I think what I heard in there is that they're not going to appeal. The government is not going to appeal this order. They're going to make the effing payments. We'll continue to follow it. Fast moving story. So many Americans are at risk right now. And that's why, whether it's the states and the state's attorneys general or it's the public interest groups like Democracy Forward, they are saving our democracy, our constitutional public and our, and our. And Americans. Simply put, that the Trump administration is killing Americans. There's no other way about it. I'm going to have the pleasure and the honor to interview about 11 Democratic attorneys general later in the month during a conference in Phoenix. We're going to be, we're going to be bringing all those interviews to you here Midas and on Legal af. We're going to host it, have that national conversation that we, that we need and talk about the 50 or more lawsuits and the hundreds of billions of dollars of funding that they have saved by filing these lawsuits. Until my next report. Take a moment, come over to Legal AF YouTube, hit the subscribe button. Legal AF substack where you can read all these filings for yourself. Until my next report. I'm Michael Popak.
- [14:26]
Legal AF Contributor
Can't get your fill of Legal af.
- [14:28]
Michael Popak
Me neither.
- [14:28]
Legal AF Contributor
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 OR argument there, including a daily roundup that I do called wait for it Morning af. What else? All the other contributors from Legal AO.
- [14:47]
Michael Popak
For there as well.
- [14:48]
Legal AF Contributor
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.
- [15:03]
T-Mobile Rep 1
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- [15:05]
T-Mobile Rep 2
Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?
- [15:08]
T-Mobile Rep 1
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- [15:15]
T-Mobile Rep 2
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- [15:27]
T-Mobile Rep 1
Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.
- [15:34]
Michael Popak
Nice.
- [15:35]
T-Mobile Rep 2
Jeffrey, you heard them.
- [15:36]
Michael Popak
T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition.
- [15:43]
T-Mobile Rep 1
So what are we having for launch?
- [15:45]
T-Mobile Rep 2
Dude, my work here is done with.
- [15:47]
T-Mobile Legal/Disclaimer Voice
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