Academia, Columns

“He was right then. He is right now”: Hakeem Jeffries’s Brother Calls on Citizens to Emulate John Brown

 

This week, Hasan Kwame Jeffries, an Ohio State University history professor and the brother of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, joined the mantra of many on the left for citizens to rise up and fight the system “by any means necessary.” However, Jeffries added a menacing element in calling for citizens to emulate John Brown, who murdered white farmers who supported slavery.  He is not the first academic to use Brown as a model for political action today. Continue reading ““He was right then. He is right now”: Hakeem Jeffries’s Brother Calls on Citizens to Emulate John Brown” →

Congress, Courts, Politics

House Democrats Unanimously Vote Down Women’s History Museum Over Limit to Biological Women

House Democrats unanimously voted this week against legislation to build a new women’s history museum on the National Mall. The reason was an amendment that limited the exhibits to biological women to the exclusion of transgender figures. The museum failed 204-216 as House Democrats hoped that they could still secure a museum including transgender figures once they retake power after the midterm elections. Continue reading “House Democrats Unanimously Vote Down Women’s History Museum Over Limit to Biological Women” →

Constitutional Law, Politics

The Spanberger Flea Circus: Virginia Governor Signs Anti-Ice Executive Order Devoid of Meaning

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger rolled out a kind of political flea circus this week with an anti-ICE executive order that would purportedly keep ICE out of polling places and other commonwealth areas. It did not matter that the order has no real impact on ICE. The important thing is the appearance of an impact on ICE. Continue reading “The Spanberger Flea Circus: Virginia Governor Signs Anti-Ice Executive Order Devoid of Meaning” →

Columns, Congress, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering

A Comey Cake? Former Prosecutor Accused of Stealing Smith Report Files and Hiding Them as Cake Recipes

Former Justice Department prosecutor Carmen Mercedes Lineberger has been indicted for allegedly removing confidential Justice Department material and then concealing her efforts. Lineberger is accused of secretly transferring Jack Smith’s final report and hiding the material under files labeled “chocolate cake recipe” and “bundt cake recipe.” There has not been a greater recipe for disaster since aides tried to fit all of Biden’s candles on a cake. Continue reading “A Comey Cake? Former Prosecutor Accused of Stealing Smith Report Files and Hiding Them as Cake Recipes” →

Free Speech, International

Starmer Government Doubles Down on Anti-Free Speech Policies

When hundreds of thousands of Britons joined the recent Unite the Kingdom rally, the government of Keir Starmer wanted them to know that they were being watched for possible arrest. By deploying facial recognition systems and invoking the United Kingdom’s anti-free speech laws, Starmer’s government made it clear that it would not tolerate anything it considered hateful or xenophobic, on the heels of its losses to Reform UK in council elections. Continue reading “Starmer Government Doubles Down on Anti-Free Speech Policies” →

Constitutional Law, Media, Religion

MSNOW Host Raises Concern Over Speaker Johnson Expressing Belief in Natural Rights

Last year, I wrote a column rebutting Sen. Tim Kaine’s (D., Va.) attack on a nominee for expressing his belief in natural rights that derive from God, not the government. (He later backtracked after a public outcry). Now, MSNOW host Katy Tur seems to be echoing the same concern over Speaker Mike Johnson expressing his faith in natural rights at the “Rededicate 250” rally on the mall in Washington, DC. Continue reading “MSNOW Host Raises Concern Over Speaker Johnson Expressing Belief in Natural Rights” →

Politics, Religion

Texas Democratic Candidate Pledges Prison and Castration for American Zionists

Some of us have been writing about the rise in anti-Semitism in the United States, particularly on the left. Anti-Semitic rhetoric has become normalized in our political discourse, as is evident in the 35th Congressional District race unfolding in Texas. In an Instagram post last week, Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo pledged that she would turn the “Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.” Continue reading “Texas Democratic Candidate Pledges Prison and Castration for American Zionists” →

Academia, International, Politics

Law Professor Calls for Extension of Copyright Laws to Claims of Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation and microaggressions are common complaints on campuses across the country, including most recently an allegation of cultural appropriation raised after a drum line formed at an event at UC Davis. Now, Miami law professor J. Janewa Osei-Tutu has suggested codifying cultural appropriation claims as copyright violations. It is the type of incredible proposal that is eagerly embraced inside, and largely ignored outside, of higher education.

Continue reading “Law Professor Calls for Extension of Copyright Laws to Claims of Cultural Appropriation” →

Bizarre, Congress, Courts

Courthouse Rock? Federal Circuit Funds Promotional Theme Song and Video

The judges and practitioners of the Federal Circuit have long labored under the image of the nerds of the federal courts, handling cases involving patents, trademarks, and other specialized areas. Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore may have hoped to address that deficit in social standing by paying a PR firm to come up with a video and theme song based on the Schoolhouse Rock genre. If so, a new video is unlikely to help matters.

Continue reading “Courthouse Rock? Federal Circuit Funds Promotional Theme Song and Video” →

Columns, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics

Harri-esy: Why “No Bad Ideas” is a Uniquely Bad Idea

Below is my column in The Hill on Kamala Harris and her “bad ideas” podcast. Harris was previously said to favor packing the Supreme Court, but the podcast appears to be part of the effort of many in the Democratic Party to condition voters to an emerging radical agenda on the left.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Harri-esy: Why “No Bad Ideas” is a Uniquely Bad Idea” →

Columns, Society, Torts

Defamation, She Wrote: Israel Moves to Sue the “Gray Lady” Over Kristof Column

Below is a longer version of my column in the New York Post on the announced plan of Israel to sue the New York Times. The country faces some difficult challenges under tort law. However, the strategy may be in large part an effort to secure discovery (and a public forum) more than a verdict.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Defamation, She Wrote: Israel Moves to Sue the “Gray Lady” Over Kristof Column” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Supreme Court

Locked and Loaded: Spanberger Inadvertently Makes Case for Striking Down New Gun Ban

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is reportedly “fuming” this week after the state failed to get a single justice on the Supreme Court to support her after she violated the state constitution in her attempted gerrymandering of the state. However, Spanberger may have just guaranteed another trip to the Supreme Court when she said the quiet part out loud about the new state gun ban. Continue reading “Locked and Loaded: Spanberger Inadvertently Makes Case for Striking Down New Gun Ban” →

Academia

“Teach Through the Lens of Enslavement and Racism”: Penn State’s Anti-Racism Course Draws Criticism

Penn State has been under scrutiny over its internal ‘Strategic Plan Update’ which contains sweeping anti-racism agendas, including a commitment to “recruit, retain, teach and research according to antiracist principles’ and adopt an ‘antiracist critical pedagogy.”  The plan to expand employment opportunities for underrepresented candidates has prompted objections over its possible unconstitutionality in light of Supreme Court precedent. However, a tape is now circulating that raises concerns about the use of its mandatory REPL course, which stands for “Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws.” Continue reading ““Teach Through the Lens of Enslavement and Racism”: Penn State’s Anti-Racism Course Draws Criticism” →

Academia, Constitutional Law, Justice

Yale Medical School Accused of Racial Discrimination in Admissions

Yesterday, we discussed how UCLA medical school has been accused of racial discrimination in admissions. Now Yale School of Medicine has also been accused of “intentionally select[ing] applicants based on their race” in knowing circumvention of Supreme Court precedent. Continue reading “Yale Medical School Accused of Racial Discrimination in Admissions” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks