Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Trump’s Lawyer Sent Threatening Emails to Critic

President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, sent a string of threatening emails filled with profanities to a stranger on Wednesday night, after the man sent an email to him saying he should resign. Kasowitz wrote things like, “I’m on you now. You are f*cking with me now. Let’s see who you are. Watch your back, b*tch.” He also wrote, “Call me. Don’t be afraid, you piece of shit. Stand up. If you don’t call, you’re just afraid,” adding that he knows where the guy lives. Reportedly the man’s initial email argued that it would be in Kasowitz’s best interest to resign as the president’s attorney in the Russia investigations. The man contacted Kasowitz after ProPublica published an article about Kasowitz not having a security clearance, and alleging that he has suffered from alcohol addiction.

This is outrageous: Trump’s lawyer (Kasowitz) reportedly can’t pass a security clearance – and he’s threatening people who ask about it. https://t.co/fcNgU8lFQm

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) July 13, 2017

The man, who has only been identified as a former PR professional, said the emails worried him enough that he ended up handing them over to the FBI. After the emails were published, Kasowitz said he intends to apologize to the man. But some legal experts have said Kasowitz’s language is “incredibly troubling.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: July 14, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

A lawsuit filed by 24 exotic dancers against the San Diego police is going to be able to move forward, per a federal judge’s ruling on Thursday. The exotic dancers, who worked for two strip clubs, claim that the police officers violated their constitutional rights when they raided the clubs by holding the dancers against their will and taking photographs of them.

The two strip clubs in question were called Expose and Cheetahs, and were raided by San Diego police in July of 2013 and March of 2014. The exotic dancers claim that in both situations the officers came into the clubs, ordered the exotic dancers into one particular room, and then checked their permits and interrogated the dancers. However the exotic dancers claim that the officers went a step further when they “made arrogant and demeaning comments to the entertainers and ordered them to expose body parts so that they could ostensibly photograph their tattoos.” The exotic dancers also argued that when they asked to leave, the police officers threatened them with arrest. According to the lawyers for the exotic dancers, their Fourth Amendment rights were violated.

According to Kristina Davis of the Los Angeles Times, the judge, U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz, wrote:

Submitting photographs and providing identification during reasonable inspections, to avoid losing a permit, is qualitatively different than stripping down to undergarments, huddling in a dressing room for up to an hour, and submitting to a photo shoot that involved the exposure of intimate body parts, to avoid arrest.

This lawsuit has been ongoing for a while, and one of the strip clubs in question has been the site of political controversy in the past. According to Tony Perry of the Los Angeles Times:

In 2003, three City Council members were indicted on charges of taking campaign contributions from the then-owner in exchange for promising to convince the council to lift the no-touching and no-fondling rules.

In an environment where police distrust is at a high, and questions about correct procedure abound, it will be interesting to see whether the dancers will prevail in their suit against the city.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Exotic Dancers’ Lawsuit Against the San Diego Police Department Continues appeared first on Law Street.