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June Grosso

Legal analyst and reporter for Bloomberg Law

Mentions

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Discussed in

Key positions and views

The Supreme Court's 'shadow docket' is a significant source of judicial conflict, creating confusion for lower courts about precedent and prompting public criticism from within the Court itself.

Federal agencies and courts are engaged in a high-stakes jurisdictional battle over the regulation of new financial/betting products like prediction markets, with the outcome determining whether they are treated as gambling or derivatives.

The executive branch under President Trump tested the boundaries of presidential power by using novel interpretations of trade laws and the Presidential Records Act, sparking numerous legal challenges that continue to play out in court.

A critical conflict exists between environmental protection laws, such as the Endangered Species Act, and economic interests like oil and gas exploration, as exemplified by the 'God Squad's' decision to exempt drilling activities despite the risk to the critically endangered Rice's whale.

Major corporations, including the NFL and Meta, are facing substantial legal and regulatory threats from both government antitrust investigations and large-scale private litigation over issues like broadcasting rights and social media addiction.

Podcast consensus on Grosso

Points of consensus

▶The Supreme Court's increasing use of its emergency 'shadow docket' is creating significant confusion and debate among lower court judges regarding the precedential weight of its orders.Apr 2026

▶The Endangered Species Committee, or 'God Squad,' made a landmark decision to exempt all oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act, directly threatening the entire global population of the critically endangered Rice's whale.Apr 2026

▶The Trump administration employed novel legal strategies, such as invoking a never-before-used section of the Trade Act for tariffs and relying on a controversial OLC opinion regarding the Presidential Records Act, which have spurred significant legal challenges.Apr 2026

▶A major jurisdictional battle is underway between the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and several states over who has the authority to regulate emerging prediction markets, with the core issue being whether they are financial instruments or a form of gambling.Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Regarding the NFL's media distribution, the league claims its model is 'fan-friendly' with wide free-TV access, while critics like Senator Mike Lee argue fans must spend nearly $1,000 for comprehensive access, prompting a DOJ antitrust investigation.Apr 2026

▶On the Supreme Court's shadow docket, Justices Sotomayor and Jackson criticize the court for encouraging emergency appeals and creating a 'warped system,' whereas Justice Kavanaugh views the court's intervention as a required duty when emergency relief is sought.Apr 2026

▶Concerning prediction markets, the CFTC and companies like Calci argue they are 'events contracts' under federal jurisdiction, while dissenting judges and multiple states contend they are 'virtually indistinguishable' from sports betting and should be regulated as gambling.Apr 2026

▶The legality of Donald Trump retaining presidential records is contested; the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued an opinion stating he is not required to comply with the Presidential Records Act, a position directly challenged in court by historical associations aiming to uphold the Act's constitutionality.

Key themes

▶Supreme Court's 'Shadow Docket' Controversy

Grosso frequently reports on the internal and external conflicts surrounding the Supreme Court's use of its emergency, or 'shadow,' docket. Her coverage details disagreements among justices like Sotomayor, Jackson, and Kavanaugh on its proper use and highlights the confusion it creates for lower courts, which struggle to interpret these orders as binding precedent.

Analysts should monitor shadow docket rulings closely, as they signal the Court's direction on major issues but their ambiguous precedential value creates legal uncertainty for regulated industries and ongoing litigation.

▶Executive Power and Its Legal LimitsApr 2026

A recurring theme is the legal fallout from the Trump administration's use of executive authority. Grosso covers challenges to tariffs imposed under a never-before-used provision of the Trade Act and lawsuits contesting a DOJ opinion that exempts a former president from the Presidential Records Act.

This focus on challenges to executive authority indicates a heightened legal risk environment for businesses affected by presidential orders, as novel uses of power are likely to face prolonged and unpredictable court battles.

▶Regulatory Turf Wars in Emerging MarketsApr 2026

Grosso details the jurisdictional conflict between federal agencies and states over the regulation of new industries, particularly prediction markets. She reports on the CFTC's efforts to assert federal control over these products as financial derivatives while states sue to regulate them as gambling.

For investors in emerging tech sectors like prediction markets, this regulatory ambiguity represents a primary operational risk, as the ultimate legal framework governing their business model remains unsettled and subject to high-stakes litigation.

▶Corporate Accountability Under Legal FireApr 2026

Grosso's reporting highlights significant legal threats to major corporations. This includes the Justice Department's antitrust investigation into the NFL's broadcasting model and massive jury verdicts ($6M in California, $375M in New Mexico) against Meta and Google in social media addiction lawsuits.

The increasing scale of both government antitrust actions and private mass tort litigation against dominant corporations suggests a growing financial and reputational risk, potentially impacting stock valuations and forcing changes to core business practices.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

Not enough data for timeline

Changes over time

February 20th

Reports that the Supreme Court overturned President Trump's global tariffs that were based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPA).

Post-February 20th

Reports on Trump imposing a new 10% import tax using Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision never before invoked, leading to new legal challenges.

Last summer

Notes that the Department of Justice agreed to a $5 million settlement with the family of Ashley Babbitt, a January 6th participant fatally shot by police.

September 8th

Details a Supreme Court emergency order on the shadow docket that paused lower court rulings barring certain immigration enforcement tactics.

Recent

Covers the convening of the Endangered Species Committee ('God Squad') for the first time in 34 years, where it unanimously exempted Gulf oil and gas activities from the Endangered Species Act.

Suggested prompts

How does June Grosso's reporting characterize the evolving relationship between the Supreme Court's emergency docket and the lower federal courts? &nearr;Based on Grosso's claims, what are the primary legal and economic arguments driving the regulatory conflict over prediction markets between the CFTC and various states? &nearr;What patterns emerge from Grosso's coverage of legal challenges to Trump-era executive actions, from tariffs to the handling of presidential records? &nearr;How does Grosso frame the tension between national security/economic interests and environmental protection in her reporting on the 'God Squad' and oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico? &nearr;

Key concepts

Supreme Court Shadow Docket 1 ep Endangered Species Act / 'God Squad' 2 ep Presidential Powers & Tariffs 1 ep Presidential Records Act 1 ep Antitrust Law (NFL) 1 ep Prediction Markets Regulation (CFTC) 1 ep Social Media Liability (Meta/Google) 1 ep January 6th Litigation 1 ep Trump Administration Litigation 1 ep

Notable quotes

“If you want to make a prediction about U.S. Supreme Court review, the odds are clearly in favor of the justices taking a case over who should regulate the booming prediction markets, the states or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.”

June Grosso · Weekend Law: Prediction Markets, the 'God Squad' and Social Media Addiction | Bloomberg Law

“After 15 minutes without testimony from experts or discussion, the committee voted unanimously to exempt all oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from complying with the Endangered Species Act.”

June Grosso · Weekend Law: Prediction Markets, the 'God Squad' and Social Media Addiction | Bloomberg Law

“Judge James Wynn of the Fourth Circuit, along with four other judges, argued that his colleagues were incorrectly treating Supreme Court emergency docket orders as binding precedent.”

June Grosso · Confusion Over Shadow Docket & Is Alito Retiring? | Bloomberg Law

“The Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into the National Football League, according to Bloomberg sources. The investigation is focusing on the broadcasting exemption in the Sports Broadcasting Act”

June Grosso · New Tariffs Challenged & NFL Antitrust Investigation | Bloomberg Law

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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