Fixing Presidential Succession

We should take Congressional officers out of the line of succession.

Kavanaugh’s Defenders Aren’t Helping

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

Trump’s Perverse Understanding of Justice

Trump has an autocrat’s view of justice.

Federal Judge Declines To Grant Texas Request To End DACA, For Now

A Federal Judge in Texas has declined to grant a request to bring the DACA program to an end, but its days appear to be numbered unless Congress acts.

West Virginia Supreme Court Bars Third-Party Candidate From Ballot

The West Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that a candidate who lost the GOP primary for Senate cannot run as the nominee of another party due to the state’s “sore loser” law.

New Report Estimates 2,975 People Died In Puerto Rico Due To Hurricane Maria

A new study concludes that the total death toll from Hurricane Maria was vastly higher than previously reported.

Federal Court Tosses North Carolina Congressional Districts For Second Time

For the second time this year, a three-judge panel of Federal Judges has struck down North Carolina’s Congressional District map. The immediate question is what impact, if any, this will have on November’s election.

Is Trump an Illegitimate President?

Max Boot proclaims “Trump is an illegitimate president whose election is tainted by fraud.”

Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr., Early Trump Backer, Indicted

California Republican Duncan Hunter Jr, who was an early backer of President Trump’s campaign, has been indicted on charges he used massive amounts of campaign funds to pay for personal expenses.

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty To Multiple Charges

The President’s former lawyer and “fixer” is pleading guilty to a number of charges, including apparent campaign finance law violations related to the Stormy Daniels payment.

Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report Reveals Widespread Abuse In Catholic Church

A Pennsylvania Grand Jury report reveals decades of abuse by some 300 Catholic Priests impacting more than 1,000 children and 26 of the state’s Roman Catholic Diocese.

Lawsuits Challenge “Winner Take All” Allocation Of Electoral College Votes

A group of lawsuits filed across the country are seeking to challenge the predominant method for allocation of Electoral College votes. These lawsuits appear to have little merit.

Most Americans Say Race Relations Have Gotten Worse Under Trump

A new poll shows that most Americans believe that race relations have gotten worse under President Trump.

Trump’s Border Wall Will Cost Billions More Than Projected

A new government report indicates that President Trump’s border wall will cost billions more than initially projected. And Mexico still isn’t going to pay for it.

Federal Judge In Indiana Rules In Favor Of Transgender Student

Another Federal Judge has ruled in favor of a transgender student seeking the right to use the gender that conforms to the gender they identify with.

Republican Congressman Who Backed Trump Indicted On Securities Fraud Charges

New York Congressman Chris Collins, who was the first Congressman to endorse President Trump, has been indicted for what amounts to one of the dumber and most obvious cases of securities fraud ever seen.

Federal Judge Deals Another Blow To Trump’s DACA Order

Another Federal Judge has dealt a legal blow to President Trump’s effort to shut down the DACA program.

Federal Appeals Court: Trump’s Crackdown On Sanctuary Cities Unconstitutional

A Federal Appeals Court has found that a Trump Administration policy purporting to punish so-called sanctuary cities is unconstitutional.

Federal Judge Blocks Release Of Plans For 3-D Printable Guns

A Federal Judge in Washington State has, at least temporarily, blocked the release of files that would allow anyone to make a 3-D printed gun. The First Amendment seems to clearly indicate that this ruling is wrong.

Federal Judge Rules In Favor Of Transgender Students In Restroom Access Case

A Federal Judge in Oregon has rejected an efforts by a parent’s group to block a school district policy that allows transgender students to use the restroom facilities that conform to their gender identity.

Federal Judge Allows Emoluments Suit Against Trump To Proceed In Historic Ruling

A Federal Judge in Maryland ruled last week that a lawsuit against the President based on a rather obscure provision of the Constitution could go forward.

West Virginia Secretary Of State Bars Third-Party Bid By GOP Primary Loser

The Secretary of State of West Virginia has barred Don Blankenship, who came in third place in the GOP Primary, from mounting a third-party bid on the November ballot.

Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Hawaii Law Barring Open Carry Of Weapons

A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down part of a Hawaii law barring open carry of weapons, but this win for gun rights advocates may turn out to be short-lived.

Four Democratic States File Legally Dubious Lawsuit Against New Tax Law

New York and several other states have filed an incredibly dubious lawsuit against the Republican’s new tax law.

Russian “Gun Rights Activist” Charged With Being Russian Agent

Mariia Butina, a Russian “gun rights activist, is accused of being an unregistered agent of the Russian government and attempting to influence Republican Party policies regarding Russia in an operation that pre-dates the Trump Presidential campaign.

The Power of Dentistry

Some thoughts on the Strzok hearing.

Mueller Probe Indicts 12 More Russians For Election Meddling

The Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller has issued indictments against twelve Russian intelligence officials for election-related hacking, and in the process has shown most of the arguments made by the President and his surrogates regarding the Russia investigation are nonsense.

Trump Administration Suffers Legal Setback In Effort To Detain Immigrant Families

A Federal Judge has rejected a Trump Administration effort to change a 20-year-old legal settlement that bars long-term detention of immigrant families.

Federal Judge Rejects Administration Challenge To “Sanctuary Cities”

A Federal Judge in California has largely rejected a Trump Administration challenge to a series of new laws in California designed to protect so-called “sanctuary cities.”

California Court Rules That Yelp Can’t Be Forced To Remove Negative Comments

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

How Can a White Supremacist Have a Security Clearance?

It’s more complicated than one might think.

Trump Declines Request to Lower Flag for Capital Gazette Victims

What was once a rare symbol of national mourning has become so commonplace as to be meaningless.

Supreme Court To Take Up Double Jeopardy “Separate Sovereigns” Exception

Next term, the Justices will revisit the issue of whether someone can be tried in state and Federal Court for the same crime for the first time in nearly sixty years.

The Art of those Deals

Trump’s deal-making prowess in NK and Iran isn’t too impressive.

The Merrick Garland Precedent and the Kennedy Vacancy

The unconscionable violation of norms in 2016 won’t apply in 2018; it’s a matter of power, not principle.

Supreme Court Strikes A Blow Against Public Sector Unions

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that public sector unions cannot force employees to pay membership fees.

SCOTUS Strikes Down Law Requiring Crisis Pregnancy Centers To Provide Abortion Information

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court struck down a California law requiring Crisis Pregnancy Centers to provide information about abortion.

Supreme Court Upholds Final Version Of Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban

In a ruling that largely relies on the authority granted by Congress to the President to regulate immigration on national security grounds, the Supreme Court has upheld the final version of the Administration’s travel ban.

Supreme Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban

In a 5-4 party-line vote, the High Court declared that the Constitution and Federal Law give the President broad authority over immigration.

Supreme Court Largely Rejects Racial Gerrymandering Challenge Against Texas

The Supreme Court has largely rejected a challenge to state and Federal redistricting maps in the State of Texas.

Yes, The Border Patrol Can Probably Stop You and Ask for Papers

The 100-mile Constitution-free zone strikes again.

Supreme Court Rules That Cell Phone Site Data Is Protected By The Fourth Amendment

In a case that pit the new rules of cyberspace against the old rules about when the Fourth Amendment protects privacy, the Supreme Court ruled today in a way that breathes new life into both privacy and the Fourth Amendment.

Charles Krauthammer Dies of Cancer, Aged 68

A towering figure gone much too soon.

Supreme Court Hands States A Big Win On Taxation Of Internet Sales

Overruling precedent dating back 51 years, the Court has ruled that states can require businesses that sell to residents within their state collect and remit appropriate sales taxes.

This Moment in Time

The Trump administration’s approach to immigrant children is a serious test of our national morality.

David Clarke Gets to Keep His Masters Degree

The plagiarism case reported last May was resolved after ten months of aggravation for both sides.

Former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort Heads To Jail

Donald Trump’s former Campaign Manager was sent to jail, a move that likely increases the pressure on him to cooperate with Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

D.O.J. Inspector General Finds No Political Bias In F.B.I.’s Clinton Email Investigation

The Department of Justice’s Inspector General found that former F.B.I. Director James Comey was ‘insubordinate’ in regard to the Clinton email investigation, but found no evidence of political bias at the Bureau.

New York Attorney General Sues Trump And His Family, Alleging Charity Fraud

The Attorney General of New York has filed a Complaint against President Trump and several members of his family alleging widespread fraud in the operation of Trump’s charitable Foundation.