Civil Action is where law meets power. Join attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian as they dive into the legal and political forces shaping our world right now. With decades of experience in the courtroom and cases across the country, they unpack the real stories behind the headlines — exposing how the legal system shapes, and is shaped by, the world around us. It’s not just analysis. It’s a front-row seat to the battles defining justice in America.
Attorney Shant Karnikian breaks down the stunning hypocrisy of Trump’s DOJ suing Southern California Edison for $77 million over the Eaton and Fairview fires—completely contradicting Trump’s own claims that Democratic policies caused California wildfires. He exposes how Trump spent years blaming Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, and “bad environmental laws” for
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian expose how Trump suspended 30 FEMA employees for warning Congress the agency is heading toward catastrophic failure. They break down the employees’ “Katrina Declaration” detailing legitimate concerns—budget cuts, unqualified leadership, workforce decimated by one-third, staff reassigned to ICE—yet were punished with paid leave and
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian expose how RFK Jr. lied to Republican Senator Bill Cassidy about not undermining vaccines, then immediately fired CDC Director Susan Monarez for refusing to rubber-stamp anti-vaccine policies. They break down how Cassidy, a physician and chair of the Senate Health Committee, became the swing
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian expose Trump’s unconstitutional scheme to create a national police force by deploying federal troops in American cities. The hosts break down how Trump’s executive order directing Pete Hegseth to establish “quick reaction forces” for “rapid national deployment” violates the Posse Comitatus Act—a post-Civil War
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down the Trump administration’s vindictive ultimatum to Kilmer Abrego Garcia II: plead guilty to dubious human trafficking charges and get deported to Costa Rica with its “lovely beaches,” or maintain your innocence and face deportation to Uganda—where you don’t speak the language and
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian dissect the appalling record of Tom Homan, Trump’s newly appointed “border czar” and architect of the family separation policy—with 1,400 children still missing and unable to be found, according to the hosts. They expose Homan’s brazen corruption: earning at least $5,000 in consulting fees
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down Trump’s unprecedented firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook—the first Fed firing in the central bank’s 111-year history and a direct defiance of Supreme Court precedent. They explain how the Supreme Court explicitly said in May 2025’s Trump v. Wilcox decision that
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down Trump’s blatantly unconstitutional executive order attempting to criminalize flag burning—despite decades of Supreme Court precedent protecting it as First Amendment expression. They explain how Texas v. Johnson (1989) established that “the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian welcome Professor Stan Goldman, Loyola Law School’s longest-serving tenured faculty and criminal procedure expert, to explain how Trump’s immigration raids violate the Fourth Amendment. Goldman breaks down why stopping people based solely on race, accent, or language is unconstitutional—agents need “reasonable articulable suspicion” of
Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down the federal court ruling that Alina Habba has been unlawfully serving as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor since July 1st. They explain how Judge Matthew Brann found Trump’s procedural gamesmanship violated federal law after Habba’s 120-day interim term expired and senators blocked