Outside the Beltway

Why “the First Amendment protects Trump” defense doesn’t make sense

CNN gave the former Liar in Chief a huuuge platform.

The courts can’t save us from ourselves.

The jury awarded $5 million in damages

A $787.5 million flesh wound.

They went all-in on the Big Lie and we now have the receipts that they knew what they were doing.

“America can survive the demagogues themselves, it’s their audience that will kill us.”

Meeting with people who are essentially couplotters should be disqualifying.

Generalities about an elusive and controversial phenomenon are unhelpful.

The bar for defaming public officials is too high.

After more than a year and countless investigations into election fraud, the big lie continues to be a big lie

The reactions to a verdict that were predictable (indeed, predicted) are over the top.

Even incredibly abnormal Presidents are Presidents.

A typical case of American blind justice.

And, really, all of this current wave of election legislation.

Fox Business has abruptly sidelined its most popular host.

The AG is not supposed to be the President’s personal attorney.

Of course he did.

George Zimmerman has filed a bizarre conspiracy theory-laden lawsuit against Trayvon Martin’s family, prosecutors, and others.

Former North Caroline Senator Kay Hagan has died,

President Trump doubled down on his tirade against Jewish American Democrats from yesterday with some even more offensive comments.

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel from the Second Circuit has reinstated Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times.

A Federal Judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by a Kentucky teenager alleging he had been defamed by the coverage of his confrontation with a Native American man in January.

Is it possible, or even appropriate, to express pride in a country that is being led by a President who stands against everything this country stands for?

Boris Johnson, who is currently the apparent frontrunner to succeed Theresa May as Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister, has been ordered to appear in court on charges he lied during the 2016 Brexit campaign.

America’s leading motivational speaker and self-help guru is coming under fire.

On one level, it is rather amusing; on another is it quite insidious.

A 2016 Trump Campaign staffer has filed a lawsuit against the President alleging that she was assaulted by Trump during the campaign.

Justice Clarence Thomas argues that a 55-year-old precedent should be overturned.

While I’m sympathetic to his plight, he has no case.

The white supremacist charged with killing a counter-protester during last year’s events in Charlottesville has been convicted of first-degree murder.

A state trial court Judge in New York rejected efforts by the Donald Trump to halt a lawsuit alleging charity fraud in connection with the operation of The Trump Foundation.

A Federal Judge in Maryland has ruled that discovery can proceed in a case alleging that President Trump has taken payments from outside sources in violation of the Constitution

Europe has abandoned centuries-old laws against blasphemy, but the assault on so-called “hate speech” threatens to effectively bring them back.

Anti-Semitic violence has increased markedly over the past two years. So has the spread of far-right “anti-Globalist” conspiracy theories. This is not a coincidence.

Former Arizona Sheriff and Senate candidate Joe Arpaio is suing The New York Times for defamation. He doesn’t appear to have much of a case.

Jamal Khashoggi’s final column includes a message that should resonate far beyond the Arab world it was addressed to.

A Federal Judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against the President

Elon Musk has apparently come to his senses. At least for now.

The legal troubles for Tesla’s Elon Musk just got a lot more serious.

Prominent supporters of the embattled Supreme Court nominee, including the President, are doing him no favors.

Alex Jones lost a bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by families of children killed in the Sandy Hook massacre.

Facebook, Google, and several other companies have closed down accounts associated with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Federal law protects internet companies from liability for statements written by others.

Recent polling finds that Americans aren’t feeling quite so patriotic right now. It’s understandable, but we shouldn’t give up hope.

Jarrod Ramos should have been in jail, let alone allowed to have any weapon more dangerous than a butter knife.

A man with a grudge against the Annapolis Capital Gazette killed five people in the newsroom.

Donald Trump may or may not be racist himself, but he has most certainly exploited and helped widen racial divisions ever since bursting on the political scene in 2015.