P. Andrew Torrez
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andrewtorrez.bsky.social
P. Andrew Torrez
@andrewtorrez.bsky.social
12K followers 1.7K following 2.6K posts
HLS '97, ex-BigLaw

Practicing lawyer and cohost of the @lawandchaospod.bsky.social podcast with @lizdye.bsky.social

READ MY STUFF! lawandchaospod.com
LISTEN TO MY STUFF! patreon.com/lawandchaospod

he/him
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
kelseyann91.bsky.social
I am very ready for @lawandchaospod.bsky.social to return from holiday break 🥲 this Canadian needs @lizdye.bsky.social and @andrewtorrez.bsky.social to explain this all to me.
And, of course, I hope they had a great break 😅
January 3, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
bcfinucane.bsky.social
Expect someone in the administration may have dusted off this 1989 OLC opinion.

www.justice.gov/olc/opinion/...
Authority of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Override International Law in Extraterritorial Law Enforcement Activities
www.justice.gov
January 3, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
annabower.bsky.social
Here's the newly released superseding indictment against Maduro and his wife:

www.justice.gov/opa/media/14...
For over 25 years, leaders of Venezuela have abused their positions of public trust and corrupted once-legitimate institutions to import tons of cocaine into the United States. NICOLÁS MADURO MOROS, the defendant, is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States. Since his early days in Venezuelan government, MADURO MOROS has tarnished every public office he has held. As a member of Venezuela's National Assembly, MADURO MOROS moved loads of cocaine under the protection of Venezuelan law enforcement. As Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs, MADURO MOROS provided Venezuelan diplomatic passports to drug traffickers and facilitated diplomatic cover for planes used by money launderers to repatriate drug proceeds from Mexico to Venezuela. As Venezuela's President and now-de facto ruler, MADURO MOROS
January 3, 2026 at 3:27 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
LOL @60minutes.bsky.social’s hard-hitting lead story this week is… a deep dive into the history of bourbon barrels.

Thanks, Bari Weiss!
December 28, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
atrupar.com
"If you squinted hard, you could see they were the true, classical liberals. *Except they weren’t.* And all their work dismantling the social safety net and regulatory state served only to concentrate power in a demented demagogue and his chattering coterie of clout farmers." — @lizdye.bsky.social
Heritage Foundation killed by MAGA
Antisemitism in the GOP? The devil you say!
www.publicnotice.co
December 24, 2025 at 4:21 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
It’s here! Our final (?) show of 2025, with all your Epstein Files explainer needs & the return of AI lawyering!

With @lizdye.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
Law and Chaos
Government Podcast · Updated Weekly · Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That's true for a traffic stop, and it's true if you want to participate in whatever's left of American democracy. If the event...
podcasts.apple.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
lizdye.bsky.social
It's important to have goals. I for one think we should applaud Lindsey Halligan for her resolve!

www.lawandchaospod.com/p/lindsey-ha...
Lindsey Halligan Resolves To Embarrass Herself At SCOTUS In 2026
After failing to re-indict Comey and James, DOJ says it will appeal her disqualification.
www.lawandchaospod.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
caitesq.bsky.social
It may well be worse now than in the past, but this is extremely typical. I’ve had clients detained by ICE, and it’s like they fall into a black hole. Getting in touch with people in state or federal prison, or even county jail, is easier by an order of magnitude.
thetnholler.bsky.social The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 16d
They are disappearing people. Listen to this. Nightmare. (And the longer they stay the more money core civic makes)
December 19, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
lizdye.bsky.social
Thanks to @klasfeldreports.com for coming on to talk to us about reporting on the law in the age of Trump. He really managed to sound a note of hope in this ugly moment!

with @andrewtorrez.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Ep 191 — Legal Journalism in the Age of Trump
Podcast Episode · Law and Chaos · 12/19/2025 · 1h 4m
podcasts.apple.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
stevevladeck.bsky.social
Over no public dissents, #SCOTUS *denies* Trump administration's application for a stay in the immigration judges case (about whether the dispute should be in a district court or before the Merit Systems Protection Board).

It's the Trump administration's first real loss at #SCOTUS since April.
Image of Supreme Court Order that reads: The application for stay presented to The Chief Justice and by him referred to the Court is denied. At this stage, the Government has not demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm without a stay. This denial is without prejudice to a reapplication if the District Court commences discovery proceedings before the disposition of the Government’s forthcoming petition for a writ of certiorari. Cf. Cheney v. United States Dist. Court for D.C., 542 U. S. 367, 385 (2004). The order heretofore entered by The Chief Justice is vacated.
December 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
We welcome @klasfeldreports.com to the show to talk the Dugan trial & larger issues about journalism in the age of Trump and what we can do about it.

With @lizdye.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
Law and Chaos
Government Podcast · Updated Weekly · Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That's true for a traffic stop, and it's true if you want to participate in whatever's left of American democracy. If the event...
podcasts.apple.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
klasfeldreports.com
Dugan deliberations: the jury has a note.

We’ll see what it says. www.allrisenews.com/p/dugan-summ...
'An unprecedented trial': Dugan's lawyer urges jury to reject judge's 'unjust prosecution'
To "rubber stamp" Dugan's conviction would create a "chilling effect" on access to justice in the U.S., a jury heard as the historic trial ended.
www.allrisenews.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
Klasfeld points out on multiple occasions that, from his vantage point, the Dugan jurors are paying close attention to defense counsel's closing argument.

Anyone who's ever tried a case before a jury knows their attention waxes and wanes. This is an important observation & a strong sign for Dugan.
klasfeldreports.com Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 16d
Quick note: The mic went bad for a second and a juror asked the lawyer to repeat himself. He did.

They're listening.
December 18, 2025 at 7:42 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
I love @theguardian.com, but why exactly would you interview a Trump loyalist, founder of Newsmax, and NOT A LAWYER on whether the BBC should agree to a nonsense extortion settlement with Donald Trump?

This lawsuit will not cost $100 million to defend. Maybe $0.

www.theguardian.com/media/2025/d...
Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of the Trump-supporting US network Newsmax, said he thought the BBC should “figure out a quick and easy settlement”. “I don’t think it’s good for the BBC for this to go forward,” Ruddy said, adding: “The purpose here for the president is not to get $5bn, it’s to demonstrate a point – and maybe also get some money.” He predicted the case would ultimately settle for $10m (£7.5m) and said the cost of the litigation for the BBC would be between $50m and $100m. “Just having the case go on, probably the BBC would lose in the sense of public perception,” Ruddy told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. “When an American case like this goes forward the court usually gives the plaintiff – in this case the president – very significant powers of discovery. “They’ll get emails and conversations, and private things that were said by BBC executives about him, about his campaign that may not be very flattering and may have shown an intent to harm him in the production of this … Rather than go through that the defendant, in this case the BBC, would likely offer a settlement.”
December 18, 2025 at 7:27 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
Check out @klasfeldreports.com live-blogging of the closing arguments in the trial of Wisconsin state judge Hannah Dugan, who's accused of obstruction of justice in directing a defendant out of her courtroom when ICE came to pick him up on an admin warrant.
klasfeldreports.com Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 16d
Closing arguments are about to begin in the trial of Judge Hannah Dugan. I'm reporting live from the courtroom.

Catch up with my coverage of the defense case on All Rise News.

Follow along here buff.ly/yddYCRo
Dugan's defense case wraps with testimony by ex-Milwaukee mayor
The lightning-fast defense case featured three fact witnesses: two judges and a defense lawyer. Ex-Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett attested to Dugan's character.
www.allrisenews.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
newyorkstateag.bsky.social
To all the young people in New York and across our country who count on gender-affirming care:

I won't let this administration come for you, your doctors, or your lifesaving health care. 

Your health care is still legal and protected. 

I'll always fight for you.
December 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
Can Trump sue the BBC in Florida for (yes, seriously) $10 billion for tortiously NOT airing a documentary in Florida?

Well, yes, but the question is really, "will he get sanctioned AGAIN for this nonsense?"

with @lizdye.bsky.social

www.lawandchaospod.com/p/trump-sues...
Trump Sues BBC For MONEY, PLEASE!
Sod off, wanker!
www.lawandchaospod.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:38 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
Check out the latest @lizdye.bsky.social for Public Notice!
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17d
New in PN: Trump gets bored issuing real pardons, tries a fake one

"Tmrw is the anniversary of Trump’s infamous tweet: 'Big protest in DC on J6. Be there, will be wild!' We know what happened next. All of which is to say his fake pardon of a grifting weirdo is very funny. And also…not funny at all"
Trump gets bored issuing real pardons, tries a fake one
It's hilarious ... right up until his supporters storm the jail.
www.publicnotice.co
December 18, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
sarahburris.bsky.social
Brendan, dude,.... wtf are you thinking
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17d
LUHAN: Is the FCC an independent agency?

CARR: I think th---

L: Yes or no

C: There's a test for this in the la---

L: It's yes or no, Brendan! On your website, it simply says, man, 'the FCC is independent.' This isn't a trick question

C: The FCC is not

L: So is your website lying?

C: Possibly
December 17, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
lizdye.bsky.social
Team Halligan: We can't give the Richman docs to the court to hold because they'll screw up chain of custody.

Judge: Okay, tell me how you've preserved chain of custody so far?

TH: Disappearing shoebox in the cloud, lol

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
contained on the storage media in question that the present investigative team has not reviewed. Further, it is also possible that a segregated version existed at one time that is no longer accessible. Search warrants directed at these materials were issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. These warrants included language for following a filter process for attorney-client privileged information. As to the iCloud account and backup files for the iPad 4 and iPhone 5S, these materials were combined and provided to Richman and his counsel for filtering. The filtered version was then provided back to the government for review. Correspondence reviewed by the present investigative team indicates that the primary case agent then committed to reviewing the filtered version through an e-discovery program. Between 2020 and 2025, the Department of Justice stopped using this e-discovery program and a loss of data occurred. The government has attempted to restore this data but has not been successful. The government has contacted the primary case agent. The primary case agent stated that he always followed and complied with the terms of a search warrant, and that his behavior in this case would have been no different. However, due to the passage of time , the primary case agent could not specifically describe the process followed in 2019 and 2020. Finally, as to the materials described in this section, the government respectfully requests that the Court allow a filter FBI agent and a filter AUSA to review only the previously filtered versions, which, according to FBI records, are contained on the relevant storage devices. The purpose of this limited review would be to determine whether any sort of segregated version of responsive material exists on the storage devices.
December 17, 2025 at 4:37 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
Another Kilmar Abrego Garcia video??

Turns out he’s kind of a big deal. And you know that if it’s @lizdye.bsky.social for @legaleagle.tv it’s going to be good!

youtu.be/YgDFn4TukZo?...
He Fought the Government and Won
YouTube video by LegalEagle
youtu.be
December 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
What do the NLRB, Lindsey Halligan, and… Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni all have in common?

Listen and find out!

With @lizdye.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
Law and Chaos
Government Podcast · Updated Weekly · Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That's true for a traffic stop, and it's true if you want to participate in whatever's left of American democracy. If the event...
podcasts.apple.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
abovethelaw.com

Lindsey Halligan Humiliated In Court. Again.
https://abovethelaw.com/2025/12/lindsey-halligan-humiliated-in-court-again/

Lindsey Halligan Humiliated In Court. Again.
Competence is woke!
abovethelaw.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by P. Andrew Torrez
lizdye.bsky.social
Kind of darkly funny that the government's defense of the well thought out plan for Trump's bigly beautiful ballroom looks like this

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. BACKGROUND ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. I. Factual Background ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined. II. Procedural History .................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. STANDARD OF REVIEW...........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. ARGUMENT.................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. I. Plaintiff Cannot Demonstrate a Likelihood of Success on the Merits...........Error! Bookmark not defined. A. Plaintiff Lack Standing to Sue. ..................Error! Bookmark not defined. B. The Court Cannot Enjoin the President for Official Conduct............Error! Bookmark not defined. C. The President and the Park Service Have Statutory Authorization to Modify the White House............................Error! Bookmark not defined. D. Plaintiff’s NCPC and CFA Claims are Unripe or, Alternatively, Meritless. ....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. E. NPS Complied with NEPA.......................Error! Bookmark not defined. F. Plaintiff Cannot Obtain Relief Against the GSA and Acting Administrator Rigas. .........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. II. Plaintiff Will not Suffer Imminent Irreparable Harm Absent Entry of a Temporary Restraining Order. ...............................Error! Bookmark not defined. III. The balance of harms and the public interest weigh against injunctive relief. ......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. IV. If an injunction is granted, Plaintiff should be required to post a bond.........Error! Bookmark not defined. CONCLUSION..................…
December 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
andrewtorrez.bsky.social
The two hackiest Trump appointees on the DC Circuit just blocked a district court's investigation into the Trump administration's defiance of that court's order and subsequent lying and cover-up to that court.

No dissent from Judge Childs who previously dissented from the admin stay granted Friday.
kyledcheney.bsky.social Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 19d
Judges Rao/Katsas have iced Judge Boasberg's contempt hearings until at least the New Year. And they want to know whether he has the power to investigate contempt at all or must refer it to DOJ. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 15, 2025 at 6:42 PM