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Sekulow - CNN Post Backfires Again, As SCOTUS Weighs Defamation Case

March 25, 2026 | 25:16

Jay Sekulow speaks about the protection of religious freedoms in America.

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Sekulow | Sekulow - CNN Post Backfires Again, As SCOTUS Weighs Defamation Case | March 25, 2026

(casual inspirational music)
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- welcome to "sekulow."
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I'm will haynes.
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I'm joined in studio by jordan sekulow.
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We'll be joined by senior managing counsel for the aclj,
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Christina compagnone, to tell us about a major victory
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The aclj got in federal court and the appeals court level.
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But today we're gonna start off with something
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That's, i guess, not surprising based off who the source is,
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But still shocking nonetheless.
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You remember over the weekend,
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There was a attempted terror attack
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Against people expressing their first amendment right,
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Protesting outside of gracie manchin in new york,
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The residence of the mayor,
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And two individuals ran forward, screamed, "allahu akbar,"
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And threw ieds into the crowd.
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It is very fortunate
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That these did not explode
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And cause mass injury and death.
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They have already been arraigned.
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They were, both of the individuals were caught.
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They were said to be inspired by isis.
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They lamented that the boston marathon bombings
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Only killed three people.
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These were not individuals that were all
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Of a sudden caught up in something.
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But yet, if you follow cnn on x,
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You may have seen this post:
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"two pennsylvania teenagers crossed into new york city
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Saturday morning for what could have been
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A normal day, enjoying the city,
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During abnormally warm weather.
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But in less than an hour,
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Their lives would drastically change,
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As the pair would be arrested for throwing homemade bombs
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During an anti-muslim protest outside
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Of mayor zohran mamdani's home.
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Here's what we know so far."
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The framing, it hearkens back to the fiery,
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But mostly peaceful, protests that happened
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Around the george floyd incident.
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It is cnn doing what cnn does.
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They have since taken that post down
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And updated it, saying that it doesn't reflect the gravity
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Of the incident
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And goes against their editorial standards.
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But jordan, this is cnn.
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This is what they do.
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And actually a major reason
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Why we are at the supreme court going against cnn right now.
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- that's right.
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Because even this, i mean,
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You start wondering who are they focusing on?
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The images they show around the event
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Will sometimes be the maga protestors.
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So were those the people
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That they're trying to indicate to you
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If you're just looking at the newspaper,
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These are the people that were the problem.
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But second, the idea that they were just kind
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Of normal guys going into the city and their life changed.
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No, they intentionally came into the city
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To cause people to die in the name of terrorism,
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Isis-inspired attack.
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They were not two guys who people just randomly came up
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To and said, "hey, will you throw these bombs,"
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Or put these bombs in strategic locations
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While there is a pro-con conservative rally going on
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Outside the mayor's office?
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No, these were sleeper cells likely,
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Or those lone wolves who were inspired by isis.
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They had no other task going into new york city
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On that beautiful spring day than to kill americans
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And others who are protesting against
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The mayor and supporting israel.
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- that's right.
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And when we come back,
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We have an update actually on that cert petition
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That we have before the supreme court taking on cnn.
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That we have before the supreme court taking on cnn.
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(casual inspirational music)
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Welcome back to sekulow.
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Will haynes here joined in studio
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By jordan sekulow.
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And we are talking about this statement from cnn
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That they put out in the wake
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Of the attempted terror attack in new york city
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Over the weekend,
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Where they said, "two pennsylvania teenagers crossed
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Into new york city saturday morning
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For what could have been a normal day enjoying
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The city during abnormally warm weather.
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But in less than an hour their lives
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Would drastically change as the pair would be arrested
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For throwing homemade bombs during an anti-muslim protest
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Outside mayor zohran mamdani's home.
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Here's what we know so far."
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Now, that post has been taken down.
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They have said that a post regarding
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The two individuals arrested
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For throwing homemade bombs outside new york city,
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Mayor zohran mamdani's home failed to reflect the gravity
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Of the incident and thereby breaching
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The editorial standards we require for all our reporting.
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It has therefore been deleted.
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Jordan, i mean, you expected-
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- you laugh because i mean, you could be crying
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In the sense that this is how they're trying
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To mislead the american people.
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At a time when our fbi said
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The security is heightened,
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That we have to watch out for sleeper cells,
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They've picked up these kind of old school ways
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Of communicating with spies where they use certain words
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That they can then, that don't necessarily mean anything,
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That they can then use as a code book to decipher
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And put that into a message.
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And so they've picked that up.
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Yet, cnn tries
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To act like these are just two regular guys
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Who decided, what, within minutes
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That they were gonna build a bomb while they were
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In new york city
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And then go to a known protest of conservatives
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And throw it at them
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Or leave it at them to kill as many as possible.
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That's not a normal day in new york.
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And they didn't put those bombs together
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While they were deciding whether, oh, we should do this.
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We should commit an act of terror.
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They were isis-inspired.
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It was an intentional, they premeditated this attack,
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And that's what the new york times forgot.
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This was a premeditated attack, thankfully thwarted,
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On fellow americans because of their political
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Or religious views.
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- that's right.
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I mean even the fact that that cnn frames it
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As in less than an hour,
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Their lives would drastically change.
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Why?
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Because they got caught?
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No, their lives were consistent,
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It feels like, up to that point,
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From whenever they became radicalized
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And decided to commit an act of terror.
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I feel like that is when their life changed,
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Not when they were arrested
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And thankfully their plot was not carried out.
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Yes, the change for them was that they are no longer free
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To commit terror.
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But yet cnn has to frame it in the most absurd way.
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When you have brian stelter criticizing
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His own network about the framing of it,
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You know you've gone too far.
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Because that is the king of misframing things
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And spin at cnn,
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And he said the story itself was solid,
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But the tweet was outrageous.
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- well, and that's what they want.
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They need the clickbait.
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So they, the story itself more and more matters so little,
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Because people look and they retweet
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Before they even click on that link,
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Because they like the idea,
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They like the headline or they agree with it.
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And that can happen on both sides of the aisle.
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But we certainly see it more on the left, this clickbait,
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This idea that, oh, it's just these guys
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And their life changed forever.
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Well, thank god they will be behind bars hopefully
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For the rest of their life or for a very long time,
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Because they could have killed,
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Not just changed people's life, but killed people
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Because of the premeditated act of terror inspired by isis
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That they were committed to carrying out.
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And their attack, thankfully, was thwarted.
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These aren't two normal guys.
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These are two dangerous terrorists.
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- and once again, that is one of the reasons,
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Not this story specifically,
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But goes into why we are at the supreme court right now.
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Because cnn frames things
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That are outside of the truth.
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And we know that because in a case, dershowitz v. cnn,
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Of which we have a cert petition pending
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At the supreme court, cnn decided to take something
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That professor alan dershowitz said
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During the first trump impeachment trial,
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In the well of the senate,
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Something that was documented widely,
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Played in real time,
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And could have been fact-checked by cnn.
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They decided to take out the context of what he said
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And air the hypothetical that he said
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As if that was his point.
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And then continuously went with that
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And claimed it was something new called
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The dershowitz doctrine.
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The lower courts all said, listen,
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If it weren't for new york times v. sullivan,
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This precedent at the supreme court, he was defamed.
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By all definitions of the law,
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Professor dershowitz was defamed by cnn.
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However, we have a problem. what is that problem?
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Supreme court precedent.
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That is exactly
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What we are fighting at the supreme court right now.
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That precedent was something
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That professor dershowitz himself was a clerk in help
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Crafting the opinion that even he says is now no longer
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How things should be going
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Because of the nature of the world today.
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But here's the other catch, cnn tried
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To not have to respond.
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We filed our petition
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And they met at the deadline, filed a notice
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That they were waiving their right to respond
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To our cert petition.
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The supreme court said, not so fast.
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We want to hear from you, cnn.
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So cnn was then ordered to produce a response.
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Then cnn said, okay, well, we're not ready.
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So they asked for an extension, which is normal,
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And granted by the supreme court.
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Their answer is now due less than a month from today.
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April the third, cnn must respond
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To our cert petition about this entire case
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That we are asking the supreme court to take up.
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So this is where we are at,
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And we are going, i'm sorry, not the april 3rd, april 17th.
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So just over a month from today, we will see
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What cnn has to say for themselves in this,
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And then we get to file a reply by may 1st.
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- that's right.
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And will let me explain kind
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Of the legal strategy there by cnn.
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They don't reply initially
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Because they want to act like this is not a serious lawsuit,
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And they think the court will just never take this,
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Dismiss it,
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And doesn't even need their reasoning.
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So when the court came back, that is huge,
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Especially in a case
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That is challenging supreme court precedent, stare decisis,
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Something the courts and lower courts have relied on since
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The new york times v. sullivan case.
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So they are really thinking about at least four
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Of those justices about hearing the arguments,
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Both from our briefing, but now requiring cnn to brief it,
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And then potentially taking up the case
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To the us supreme court for oral argument.
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So, the fact that cnn was forced to reply is good news.
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It's not 100% that that case,
00:11:33.137 --> 00:11:34.939
There never is 100% that it's going
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To get all the way to a hearing at the us supreme court
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With a final decision.
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But in a case of this magnitude,
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Overturning a precedent which has become something
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That it was never intended to be,
00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:50.120
It was about elected officials.
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That was it.
00:11:52.223 --> 00:11:53.324
Basically people who were officers
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Of the government paid for by taxpayers,
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Not personal individuals who happen to have a high profile
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Because of their business position or their abilities,
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Or the fact that they appear on television news.
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This again, folks would be likely
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When you move aside, maybe the overturning
00:12:12.576 --> 00:12:15.179
Of roe v. wade, are cases establishing
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Religious liberty as speech that you can't discriminate,
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Which we're fighting all the time.
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So the cases on life, the national security.
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But when you come to overturning a precedent
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Like new york times v. sullivan,
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That is gigantic in legal history.
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- john, i'm sorry we had a lot to get to,
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But thank you so much for holding on.
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You're on "sekulow," go ahead.
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- [john] thanks for taking our call, guys.
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I tell you what of all,
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American justice department doesn't start pursuing
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These so-called journalists,
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And many in our democratic party more aggressively
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For giving aid and comfort to the enemy,
00:12:53.183 --> 00:12:55.753
Then we're pretty much doomed and through as a nation.
00:12:55.753 --> 00:12:58.055
I'm telling you, they're they're more
00:12:58.055 --> 00:12:59.156
Of a threat us than iran!
00:12:59.156 --> 00:13:00.691
- so john, i hear what you're saying,
00:13:00.691 --> 00:13:03.160
And obviously it's easy to get fired up about this.
00:13:03.160 --> 00:13:05.462
Because you read the absurdity.
00:13:05.462 --> 00:13:07.998
Now, one, we are robust defenders
00:13:07.998 --> 00:13:12.236
And advocates for the first amendment,
00:13:12.236 --> 00:13:13.938
For the freedom of speech,
00:13:13.938 --> 00:13:15.172
Freedom of religion, freedom of press.
00:13:15.172 --> 00:13:16.507
- helps expose bad ideas.
00:13:16.507 --> 00:13:18.575
- right, right. exactly.
00:13:18.575 --> 00:13:19.944
Kind of the old adage is
00:13:19.944 --> 00:13:21.679
The way you fight bad speech is not with taking it away.
00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:27.017
It's by giving more speech, being able to combat that.
00:13:28.118 --> 00:13:30.087
Now, i agree with you, it's absurd what you're seeing.
00:13:30.087 --> 00:13:33.290
The fact that they would frame two individuals
00:13:33.290 --> 00:13:35.693
That were trying to kill americans based off an ideology,
00:13:35.693 --> 00:13:38.963
A true terrorist attack,
00:13:38.963 --> 00:13:41.131
An ideology we have been fighting an isis.
00:13:41.131 --> 00:13:45.169
It's absurd. yes.
00:13:45.602 --> 00:13:47.104
They shouldn't get away with it.
00:13:47.104 --> 00:13:48.005
However, that in
00:13:48.005 --> 00:13:49.673
And of itself does not violate the first amendment
00:13:49.673 --> 00:13:52.242
Or even the freedom of press.
00:13:52.242 --> 00:13:53.344
It's disgusting, yes.
00:13:53.344 --> 00:13:55.412
But there are ways that we can go
00:13:55.412 --> 00:13:57.948
After those that do take it too far, such as cnn,
00:13:57.948 --> 00:14:02.186
And that is exactly
00:14:02.186 --> 00:14:03.454
What we're doing at the supreme court right now.
00:14:03.454 --> 00:14:04.989
And once again, this wasn't the only thing that cnn had
00:14:04.989 --> 00:14:09.393
To apologize for around this story
00:14:09.393 --> 00:14:12.930
Within the last 24 hours.
00:14:12.930 --> 00:14:14.965
This is bite one.
00:14:14.965 --> 00:14:16.233
This is abby philip, how she opened her show,
00:14:16.233 --> 00:14:19.870
And how she framed this attempted terror attack.
00:14:19.870 --> 00:14:24.341
Let's go ahead and play bite one.
00:14:24.341 --> 00:14:27.211
- two republicans say muslims don't belong here
00:14:27.211 --> 00:14:30.180
After an attempted terror attack against
00:14:30.180 --> 00:14:32.149
New york's mayor zohran mamdani,
00:14:32.149 --> 00:14:34.852
And the house speaker mike johnson says nothing,
00:14:34.852 --> 00:14:37.921
Really, to condemn those comments.
00:14:37.921 --> 00:14:39.690
And another special guest is gonna be with us at the table.
00:14:39.690 --> 00:14:42.226
- once again, abby philip, they are trying so hard
00:14:42.226 --> 00:14:45.629
To make this about racist conservatives.
00:14:45.629 --> 00:14:48.599
That is their goal.
00:14:48.599 --> 00:14:49.867
They wanna make this another racism play
00:14:49.867 --> 00:14:52.970
Against conservatives.
00:14:52.970 --> 00:14:54.438
She said, "two republicans say that muslims
00:14:54.438 --> 00:14:57.608
Don't belong here
00:14:57.608 --> 00:14:58.876
After an attempted terror attack against
00:14:58.876 --> 00:15:01.345
New york mayor zohran mamdani."
00:15:01.345 --> 00:15:03.680
Wait, what? that's who the target of this terror attack was?
00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:08.352
Well, she got called out for it,
00:15:08.352 --> 00:15:11.221
And this morning, not on her show,
00:15:11.221 --> 00:15:12.956
We'll see if maybe she does this live
00:15:12.956 --> 00:15:14.792
Once she gets back live today.
00:15:14.792 --> 00:15:16.827
But said on x,
00:15:16.827 --> 00:15:18.662
Put this up, about three hours ago
00:15:18.662 --> 00:15:20.264
From when i am speaking to you now,
00:15:20.264 --> 00:15:23.434
"i wanna correct something i said last night.
00:15:23.434 --> 00:15:25.769
The bombs thrown in new york city over the weekend
00:15:25.769 --> 00:15:28.072
By isis inspired attackers was thrown
00:15:28.072 --> 00:15:31.175
Into a crowd of anti-muslim protestors,
00:15:31.175 --> 00:15:34.478
And not specifically targeted at mayor mamdani.
00:15:34.478 --> 00:15:38.482
The wording was inaccurate
00:15:38.482 --> 00:15:39.850
And i didn't catch it ahead of time.
00:15:39.850 --> 00:15:41.585
I apologize for the error."
00:15:41.585 --> 00:15:44.021
They are just stacking up factual inaccuracies
00:15:44.021 --> 00:15:48.492
These days at cnn.
00:15:48.492 --> 00:15:50.094
They are trying so desperately to frame a narrative.
00:15:50.094 --> 00:15:53.964
They're not reporting.
00:15:53.964 --> 00:15:55.532
This is not reporting.
00:15:55.532 --> 00:15:57.534
This is trying to sell a narrative
00:15:57.534 --> 00:16:00.003
To the american people, and it's not working.
00:16:00.003 --> 00:16:03.640
And we will call them out when this happens.
00:16:04.575 --> 00:16:07.144
And if necessary, we will take it
00:16:07.144 --> 00:16:09.980
To court like we are doing currently
00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:12.049
With a cert petition at the supreme court.
00:16:12.049 --> 00:16:16.010
With a cert petition at the supreme court.
00:16:16.010 --> 00:16:16.946
(casual uplifting music)
00:16:17.446 --> 00:16:20.183
Welcome back to "sekulow."
00:16:20.183 --> 00:16:22.351
And we are joined now by
00:16:22.351 --> 00:16:24.086
Senior managing council christina compagnone
00:16:24.086 --> 00:16:27.089
To tell us about a major victory out
00:16:27.089 --> 00:16:30.159
Of the fifth circuit court of appeals.
00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.261
This is a case that you've heard us talk about
00:16:32.261 --> 00:16:34.797
For quite some time now
00:16:34.797 --> 00:16:36.299
As these legal battles many times are not quick.
00:16:36.299 --> 00:16:39.502
But this involves a teacher in texas
00:16:39.502 --> 00:16:42.805
That was told originally,
00:16:42.805 --> 00:16:45.474
"you cannot pray anywhere you can be seen by a student."
00:16:45.474 --> 00:16:50.580
And we took that to court,
00:16:51.147 --> 00:16:52.381
And it has gone now, part of this case
00:16:52.381 --> 00:16:55.351
To the fifth circuit court of appeals.
00:16:55.351 --> 00:16:57.453
Christie, first give us some back story
00:16:57.453 --> 00:17:00.256
On what we were taking to the court of appeals
00:17:00.256 --> 00:17:03.993
And then also what we are now seeing.
00:17:03.993 --> 00:17:07.630
- of course.
00:17:07.964 --> 00:17:09.398
So when we were in the district court in texas,
00:17:09.398 --> 00:17:12.201
We had gone ahead and filed our complaint,
00:17:12.201 --> 00:17:14.804
And then there was something called a motion
00:17:14.804 --> 00:17:16.272
To dismiss on that complaint.
00:17:16.272 --> 00:17:17.807
And essentially what that was, it says that none
00:17:17.807 --> 00:17:19.842
Of these facts, if you take them all to be true,
00:17:19.842 --> 00:17:22.979
Are going to support a victory or a win in court.
00:17:22.979 --> 00:17:26.582
And one of the biggest reasons that they argued
00:17:26.582 --> 00:17:28.918
That we could not win
00:17:28.918 --> 00:17:30.586
Is because the principal who is the one who told our client,
00:17:30.586 --> 00:17:35.258
Stacey barber, that she could not pray in front of students
00:17:35.258 --> 00:17:38.094
And she could not pray at the poll,
00:17:38.094 --> 00:17:40.229
That he had qualified immunity, which means
00:17:40.229 --> 00:17:43.499
As a government official, he can't be sued for the things
00:17:43.499 --> 00:17:46.802
That he says as a government official.
00:17:46.802 --> 00:17:49.338
And of course, we argued that
00:17:49.338 --> 00:17:52.041
And our district court judge said that, yes,
00:17:52.041 --> 00:17:55.077
That he can be found liable even though
00:17:55.077 --> 00:17:58.447
He's a government official with qualified immunity.
00:17:58.447 --> 00:18:00.449
So we breached qualified immunity
00:18:00.449 --> 00:18:02.551
Because this was a clearly established law
00:18:02.551 --> 00:18:05.388
As we found at the supreme court in the kennedy case.
00:18:05.388 --> 00:18:08.357
- [host] that's right.
00:18:08.357 --> 00:18:09.525
- so then-
00:18:09.525 --> 00:18:10.359
- i'll let you go,
00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:11.560
But just for everyone
00:18:11.560 --> 00:18:12.862
To get, the principal here was trying to argue
00:18:12.862 --> 00:18:16.465
That because i am a government official,
00:18:16.465 --> 00:18:19.368
It's essentially you can't do anything about me
00:18:19.368 --> 00:18:22.438
Violating someone's constitutional right.
00:18:22.438 --> 00:18:25.041
Even if there's supreme court precedent that says
00:18:25.041 --> 00:18:27.443
That i can't do this, i can still get away with this,
00:18:27.443 --> 00:18:30.079
Because i work for a government place.
00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.215
This is a public school, you can't do anything here.
00:18:33.215 --> 00:18:36.952
But go ahead, i'll let you continue.
00:18:36.952 --> 00:18:39.989
- so the district court held for us,
00:18:40.756 --> 00:18:42.425
Which is a really great victory,
00:18:42.425 --> 00:18:44.060
But then the defendants went ahead
00:18:44.060 --> 00:18:45.995
And appealed that to the fifth circuit.
00:18:45.995 --> 00:18:47.496
And so we had to go back into court
00:18:47.496 --> 00:18:49.198
And fight, this time with a oral argument,
00:18:49.198 --> 00:18:51.567
In front of a three panels of judges.
00:18:51.567 --> 00:18:53.436
And we argued again there that no, kennedy rules here.
00:18:53.436 --> 00:18:57.406
That principle should have known at the time
00:18:57.406 --> 00:19:00.042
He was telling her she can't pray,
00:19:00.042 --> 00:19:01.711
That he was violating her rights,
00:19:01.711 --> 00:19:03.412
Clearly established rights
00:19:03.412 --> 00:19:04.947
That the supreme court has upheld
00:19:04.947 --> 00:19:06.649
Only in the past four years.
00:19:06.649 --> 00:19:08.984
- so we take this to the fifth circuit, this is something
00:19:08.984 --> 00:19:12.588
That once you even leave district court,
00:19:12.588 --> 00:19:15.458
It's a much broader base of judges, like you said,
00:19:15.458 --> 00:19:20.396
Three-judge panel.
00:19:20.396 --> 00:19:22.198
Also more questions arise whether you will succeed on this.
00:19:22.198 --> 00:19:26.335
This is still, once again folks, we are still in the middle
00:19:26.335 --> 00:19:29.004
Of this case, but yet we take this to the fifth circuit.
00:19:29.004 --> 00:19:32.274
The, sorry, the principal appealed the lower court decision
00:19:32.274 --> 00:19:35.611
Saying, "hey, i don't think
00:19:35.611 --> 00:19:37.680
That the district court got this right."
00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:40.683
We argue, no, the supreme court under kennedy
00:19:40.683 --> 00:19:45.020
Shows that this should be known,
00:19:45.654 --> 00:19:47.790
And what happens next at the fifth circuit
00:19:47.790 --> 00:19:50.059
As we fight this appeal and what kind of victory
00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:54.597
And outcome have we gotten now?
00:19:54.597 --> 00:19:56.966
- it's very exciting because the fifth circuit
00:19:57.933 --> 00:20:00.236
Went ahead and held that, yes,
00:20:00.236 --> 00:20:01.937
The principal did violate a clearly established law
00:20:01.937 --> 00:20:05.241
As found in kennedy.
00:20:05.241 --> 00:20:06.509
And that if you take our complaint as truth,
00:20:06.509 --> 00:20:09.745
We will be successful in our lawsuit.
00:20:09.745 --> 00:20:12.181
So this is really wonderful news for us.
00:20:12.181 --> 00:20:15.384
- and jordan's joining me as well.
00:20:15.384 --> 00:20:16.852
Christie, he's got a question to pass along as well.
00:20:16.852 --> 00:20:19.021
- yeah, what what's interesting to me, christie,
00:20:19.021 --> 00:20:20.623
Is they're using taxpayer dollars to continue to fight this,
00:20:20.623 --> 00:20:23.325
To continue to appeal.
00:20:23.325 --> 00:20:25.060
I mean, could you see this school district trying
00:20:25.060 --> 00:20:28.097
To take this all the way to the supreme court if necessary?
00:20:28.097 --> 00:20:31.700
I don't know that the court would hear the case,
00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:33.936
Because i think it's pretty settled law,
00:20:33.936 --> 00:20:35.938
But it seems like they are ready
00:20:35.938 --> 00:20:37.706
To use the taxpayer's coffers
00:20:37.706 --> 00:20:39.642
And all the money they pay in to fight
00:20:39.642 --> 00:20:42.511
Because a teacher had the audacity to pray,
00:20:42.511 --> 00:20:45.781
And even though they've lost all the way up.
00:20:45.781 --> 00:20:50.419
- i have to tell you, jordan,
00:20:51.053 --> 00:20:52.621
It really does seem like this is maybe the kind of defense
00:20:52.621 --> 00:20:55.324
That they're gonna play, this long game.
00:20:55.324 --> 00:20:57.393
We've actually said there's a very real possibility
00:20:57.393 --> 00:20:59.562
That they will be trying a cert appeal at the supreme court.
00:20:59.562 --> 00:21:02.331
As you said, it obviously is not gonna be successful
00:21:02.331 --> 00:21:04.767
And is just wasting time and dollars.
00:21:04.767 --> 00:21:07.503
But if they were smart, they would come back
00:21:07.503 --> 00:21:09.171
To the table now at the district court
00:21:09.171 --> 00:21:10.940
And maybe admit that there was something wrong here.
00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:14.009
- yeah, i mean, one thing that could be interesting
00:21:14.009 --> 00:21:15.544
If they did take it to the us supreme court
00:21:15.544 --> 00:21:17.046
Is maybe it gives the supreme court
00:21:17.046 --> 00:21:18.447
Yet another opportunity to make it clear
00:21:18.447 --> 00:21:21.016
To all these government agencies, including schools,
00:21:21.016 --> 00:21:23.819
That, hey, look at the kennedy opinion, where we went there.
00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:27.790
When you're trying to do this to a teacher,
00:21:27.790 --> 00:21:29.492
And just because someone might see them.
00:21:29.492 --> 00:21:31.794
Again, this wasn't with students,
00:21:31.794 --> 00:21:33.496
This wasn't trying to be with students,
00:21:33.496 --> 00:21:35.865
But basically there's nowhere safe on campus for you
00:21:35.865 --> 00:21:38.567
To pray if possibly a student could see you doing
00:21:38.567 --> 00:21:42.037
That prayer is not welcome at this school.
00:21:42.037 --> 00:21:45.174
And you would think after getting hit by, you know,
00:21:45.174 --> 00:21:47.543
Loss after loss, that they would say, you know what,
00:21:47.543 --> 00:21:50.112
We're gonna stop using the taxpayers' money,
00:21:50.112 --> 00:21:52.448
Hundreds of thousands of dollars,
00:21:52.448 --> 00:21:53.849
If not more, to fight a teacher
00:21:53.849 --> 00:21:56.018
Who wants to pray privately because
00:21:56.018 --> 00:21:57.720
Someone might drive by
00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:59.355
And see her pray.
00:21:59.355 --> 00:22:00.890
Can't you, i mean, how do they not know she's meditating
00:22:00.890 --> 00:22:02.992
Or taking a moment of silence for herself,
00:22:02.992 --> 00:22:05.294
That, the culture's totally acceptable of that.
00:22:05.294 --> 00:22:07.830
Once they find out those, christie,
00:22:07.830 --> 00:22:09.765
It's a christian prayer, they're willing
00:22:09.765 --> 00:22:12.034
To use those taxpayer dollars to fight prayer
00:22:12.034 --> 00:22:15.638
Even in private situations,
00:22:15.638 --> 00:22:18.274
Not trying to engage with students,
00:22:18.274 --> 00:22:20.209
But her own private prayer,
00:22:20.209 --> 00:22:22.912
Because it happens to be possible that someone sees
00:22:22.912 --> 00:22:26.882
That she has got her eyes closed, i guess.
00:22:26.882 --> 00:22:29.351
Because again, you could be doing that for a lot
00:22:29.351 --> 00:22:31.554
Of different reasons, and it doesn't have to be faith-based.
00:22:31.554 --> 00:22:36.392
- you're exactly right.
00:22:36.892 --> 00:22:38.294
I mean, our client even went as far as to say, "well,
00:22:38.294 --> 00:22:40.896
Do you want me to move to the parking lot?"
00:22:40.896 --> 00:22:43.232
And the principal said, "oh no,
00:22:43.232 --> 00:22:44.867
There's gonna be more students walking back
00:22:44.867 --> 00:22:46.502
And forth than from the cars.
00:22:46.502 --> 00:22:47.770
You can't even move to the parking lot."
00:22:47.770 --> 00:22:49.338
- yeah, i mean this is, that's the absurdity i want people
00:22:49.338 --> 00:22:51.340
To understand here, that this school district is worth,
00:22:51.340 --> 00:22:54.510
Is still continuing to fight, that there is nowhere to go.
00:22:54.510 --> 00:22:58.647
You can't go to your car where people do to, you know,
00:22:58.647 --> 00:23:01.750
If they wanna take a personal phone call,
00:23:01.750 --> 00:23:03.686
Something like that,
00:23:03.686 --> 00:23:04.954
That they need privacy, can't pray in your car.
00:23:04.954 --> 00:23:07.256
I guess you can't then take a moment to meditate either,
00:23:07.256 --> 00:23:10.225
Christie, because teachers, wouldn't they assume,
00:23:10.225 --> 00:23:13.162
That they could assume, the other students could assume
00:23:14.296 --> 00:23:16.632
That they are somehow engaged in a religious act,
00:23:16.632 --> 00:23:19.101
And the school doesn't want them to see that
00:23:19.101 --> 00:23:20.536
Because they have this misunderstanding of the law.
00:23:20.536 --> 00:23:22.805
I mean, going and taking a break in your car,
00:23:22.805 --> 00:23:24.873
Kind of deep breaths, closing your eyes, breathing.
00:23:24.873 --> 00:23:27.910
I mean, that's something that's encouraged
00:23:27.910 --> 00:23:29.612
In our whole wellness industries
00:23:29.612 --> 00:23:31.647
That are popping up everywhere, in the self-care industries.
00:23:31.647 --> 00:23:34.650
And yet this teacher has nowhere to go to eat,
00:23:34.650 --> 00:23:37.019
And all the other teachers have nowhere to go
00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:39.054
To take a moment for themselves and breathe,
00:23:39.054 --> 00:23:40.823
And maybe close their eyes in a private setting
00:23:40.823 --> 00:23:43.525
In their own car, behind closed doors,
00:23:43.525 --> 00:23:45.828
Because a student might see it as religious.
00:23:45.828 --> 00:23:51.300
- it is absolutely absurd.
00:23:51.867 --> 00:23:53.035
But this is why it's so important
00:23:53.035 --> 00:23:54.570
That we are fighting on the ground here,
00:23:54.570 --> 00:23:56.505
Because this is gonna reach out further than just texas.
00:23:56.505 --> 00:23:59.808
This is hitting all of the sixth circuit.
00:23:59.808 --> 00:24:01.810
And any teacher who wants to be able
00:24:01.810 --> 00:24:03.712
To pray in the lunchroom, in their own classroom.
00:24:03.712 --> 00:24:06.415
If a teacher, another teacher could walk in
00:24:06.415 --> 00:24:08.651
Or a student could walk in
00:24:08.651 --> 00:24:09.752
And there could be an issue there,
00:24:09.752 --> 00:24:11.286
This is gonna protect you.
00:24:11.286 --> 00:24:12.788
So this goes far more reaching
00:24:12.788 --> 00:24:14.590
Than just this one client that we have.
00:24:14.590 --> 00:24:17.026
And it's really important we finish this fight strong.
00:24:17.026 --> 00:24:19.561
- and once again, the fight isn't over.
00:24:19.561 --> 00:24:21.730
This win at the court of appeals
00:24:21.730 --> 00:24:24.133
Saying that the lawsuit can go forward.
00:24:24.133 --> 00:24:26.201
So that means we go back to the district court
00:24:26.201 --> 00:24:28.737
And we fight this lawsuit,
00:24:28.737 --> 00:24:30.272
And continue to fight, not just for justice
00:24:30.272 --> 00:24:33.809
For this teacher, for her constitutional rights,
00:24:33.809 --> 00:24:38.047
But as christie mentioned,
00:24:38.047 --> 00:24:40.282
For every teacher's constitutional rights.
00:24:40.282 --> 00:24:42.818
And that is why when you support the aclj,
00:24:42.818 --> 00:24:45.788
It has a lasting impact on the constitutional rights
00:24:45.788 --> 00:24:50.025
Of everyone in this country.
00:24:50.025 --> 00:24:52.628
And as jordan said, they may try to fight this all the way
00:24:52.628 --> 00:24:54.830
To the supreme court.
00:24:54.830 --> 00:24:55.664
Good.
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We'll be there.
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Sekulow - CNN Post Backfires Again, As SCOTUS Weighs Defamation Case

March 25, 2026 | 25:16

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