291: More Big Buts

The hosts of Sisters Sidebar, Joyce Vance and Jill Winebanks, tackle a series of high-stakes legal questions with sharp precision, starting with the constitutional hierarchy of Articles 1, 2, and 3—emphasizing that the Founders intentionally placed legislative power first, particularly the 'power of the purse,' which remains constitutionally vested in Congress. They stress that President Trump cannot unilaterally pay TSA agents without congressional appropriation, underscoring a critical check on executive overreach. On judicial immunity, they clarify that while Judge Aileen Cannon is shielded from civil liability for her decision to seal the Jack Smith report, she is not immune from criminal prosecution or bar disciplinary action if evidence of misconduct emerges. The conversation then turns to international law, where they acknowledge that bombing civilian infrastructure would be a war crime under UN and humanitarian law—but point out the U.S. is not a party to the International Criminal Court and can veto any enforcement action, rendering legal accountability nearly impossible. The episode closes with a robust defense of corporate accountability, citing high-profile cases like Sam Bankman-Fried, Bernie Madoff, and Elizabeth Holmes, proving that executives do go to jail for corporate crimes—countering the myth that corporations face no real consequences. The hosts emphasize that the real issue is not the lack of legal tools, but the political will to use them.