University of Baltimore School of Law

This is John Bessler.

I'm a professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and I also teach as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

He's also authored a number of books about the death penalty, including one called The Death Penalty's Denial of Fundamental Human Rights.

This book was, uh, was read by George Washington.

Well, youth sports in America are a disaster.

And if you haven't read, uh, my friend at Baltimore Law School, Dion Kohler's book, uh, on the youth sports system, it's a very good read.

Uh, one thing that stands out to me, uh, as Charlie Baker tries to pitch Congress for an exemption from antitrust law for the NCAA, uh, is we're hearing more and more we need to save the college sports system because we need to save the non-revenue sports.

Uh, and my view has become the system of non-revenue sports in college is part of what's generating this problem, that colleges throughout the country are continuing to create a second method for admitting students that might not have the grades to otherwise go to the elite schools, uh, and that is competing the, for them in non-revenue sport.

Then finally, we'll explore the need for a shadow Supreme Court and assess the chances of a Speaker Johnson-led coup on January the 3rd of 2027 and speak with Garrett Epps, the legal affairs editor at the Washington Monthly.

He taught constitutional law at the University of Baltimore Law School and Oregon University Law School, as well as American University, Boston College, and Duke University.

Garrett served for 10 years as Supreme Court correspondent of The Atlantic, and his latest articles in Washington Monthly are Can the House Clerk Lead a Midterm Coup? It's Happened Before.

History Underscores How Rickety Our Elections and Democracy Are, and The Case for a Shadow Court.

Well, I guess we all fit into your slogan on that.

Welcome back.

I'm Ian Masters, and this is Background Briefing, available 24-7 at backgroundbriefing.org. And joining us now is Garrett Epps, Legal Affairs Editor at Washington Monthly, who taught Constitutional Law at the University of Baltimore Law School and Oregon University Law School, as well as American University, Boston College, and Duke University.

He served for 10 years as the Supreme Court correspondent of The Atlantic, and his latest articles at the Washington Monthly are Can the House Clerk Lead a Midterm Coup? It's Happened Before, History Underscores How Rickety Our Elections and Democracy Are, and The Case for a Shadow Court.