Cornell Fraternity Lawsuit: Everything You Need to Know | SCOTUS Voter Checks, Trump's Pocket Rescission + Cuba

A former Cornell University student is suing the university and others alleging that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The Tompkins County District Attorney has now reopened the criminal investigation. We break down what the lawsuit actually alleges, why criminal charges weren’t filed originally, what changed, Cornell’s response, and the legal questions surrounding the university’s potential liability.

Then, we explain the Supreme Court’s latest ruling involving the federal SAVE voter-verification database, the State Department wanting to expand the use of passport data for voter-eligibility checks, the U.S. military planning for potential action involving Cuba, and President Trump's pocket rescission of $810 million.

Today’s episode:

1. Everything You Need to Know About the Cornell Lawsuit (0:31)

2. Supreme Court's SAVE Voter-Verification Ruling (~27:57)

3. State Department Proposes Using Passport Records for Voter Verification (~36:47)

4. U.S. Military Plans for Possible Action in Cuba (~43:48)

5. Trump's $810M "Pocket Rescission" Explained (~47:57)

6. Quick Hitters (~56:30)

7. Critical Thinking (~1:01:41)

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Everything You Need to Know About the Cornell Lawsuit

https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=w3cAcu0L42eUEEFc9PeClw== 

https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/tccsuykuvb4z 

https://trellis.law/case/36109/ef2026-0292/john-doe-v-cornell-university

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/us/cornell-university-sexual-assault-lawsuit-hnk

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/cornell-university-lawsuit-fraternity-rape-allegations/ 

https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260921-update.cfm

https://statements.cornell.edu/2024/20241126-update.cfm

https://statements.cornell.edu/2025/20250206-task-force.cfm

https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260317-tfcsa-final-recommendations.cfm

https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260928-da-investigation.cfm

Supreme Court's SAVE Voter-Verification Ruling

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/09/supreme-court-clears-way-for-trump-administration-to-use-modified-voter-verification-database/

https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/department-of-homeland-security-v-league-of-women-voters/

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a308_pok0.pdf

State Department Proposes Using Passport Records for Voter Verification

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/2026-midterm-elections/passport-data-voter-verification-midterms/ 

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/2026-midterm-elections/passport-data-voter-verification-midterms/

https://www.notus.org/agencies/trump-administration-proposes-using-passport-data-to-conduct-voter-checks

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-administration-will-use-passport-date-for-voter-citizenship-checks-court-filing-reveals/

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/after-you-apply/passport-record-copies.html

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/citizenship-evidence.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/

https://www.sos.texas.gov/about/newsreleases/2026/091526.shtml

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/15/texas-paxton-noncitizen-voter-charges-investigations/

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/supreme-court-allows-trump-dhs-to-share-social-security-data-with-elections-officials/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/supreme-court-lets-trump-administration-use-revamped-federal-voter-eligibility-database-for-now

U.S. Military Plans for Possible Action in Cuba

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-groundwork-potential-action-cuba-trump/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/addressing-threats-to-the-united-states-by-the-government-of-cuba/

https://www.odni.gov/12676/dni-gabbard-opening-statement-as-delivered-to-hpsci-on-2026-annual-threat-assessment-of-the-u-s-intelligence-community/

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/War_powers

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/commander_in_chief_powers

Trump's $810M "Pocket Rescission" Explained

https://abcnews.com/Politics/white-house-orders-800m-funds-rescinded-collins-calls/story?id=136772703

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/president-trump-takes-historic-action-to-eliminate-wasteful-and-harmful-spending/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/legislative/supplementals-amendments-and-releases/

https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/sen-collins-calls-administrations-pocket-rescissions-package-unlawful

https://www.gao.gov/products/b-330330.1

https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/LSB/PDF/LSB11374/LSB11374.1.pdf

https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=%2Fdocket%2Fdocketfiles%2Fhtml%2Fpublic%5C25a269.html

https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/090925zr_6j37.pdf

https://apnews.com/article/cbf34e243ab5080a3eb8e4968effbf49

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-revives-rare-budget-maneuver-rescind-810m-congressionally-approved-funds

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4743853/trump-dei-noncitizen-programs-1-billion-pocket-rescission/

Quick Hitters

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/england-raf-fairford-us-military-air-force-bomb-disposal/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqgmrr9ekr7ko

https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/man-orchestrated-100m-fraud-scheme-over-500-victims/

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/border-coverage/dhs-sanctuary-cities-crackdown/

https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/trump-proposed-15b-iowa-steel-plan/

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/26/white-house-blocks-cnn-air-force-one-tennessee-01094061

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/politics/trump-supreme-court-suspend-transgender-care-federal-prisons