Returning to Virginia
After twenty-four years, my time in Ohio comes to an end.
Month: June 2025
Federalist Society Webinar on the 20th Anniversary of Kelo v. City of New London
The panelists included Peter Byrne (Georgetown), Wesley Horton (counsel for New London in the case), Timothy Sandefur (Goldwater Institute), and myself.
10 of the Worst State Laws Going Into Effect in July
From minimum wage hikes to bans on cellphones in public schools, here are some of the most ridiculous ways state governments are interfering with Americans’ lives.
Did NYC Vote for Socialism or Against the Establishment?
Plus: Senate GOP releases version of “Big Beautiful Bill” and Republicans shift on gay marriage
SCOTUS Puts Skrmetti SDP Case Out Of Its Misery
The ACLU's cert petition is denied, and several other petitions are GVR'd.
Pennsylvania Gives Amazon Potentially Unlimited Sales Tax Exemption
The tech and online retail giant will build at least two data centers in the Keystone State but pay no sales taxes on equipment.
No, That Viral Study Doesn't Show You Can Improve Your Mental Health by Deactivating Instagram
While a viral post called the results “shocking,” the study itself found little evidence that social media use harms mental health.
The 5th Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity for a Child-Snatching Texas Cop Who Falsely Alleged Abandonment
Alexandra Weaver argued that she could not reasonably have been expected to know her actions were unconstitutional.
Did Mamdani Win Because of Halal Cart Socialism?
A clever viral video helps explains the appeal of the Democratic Party's nominee for mayor of New York City.
How Texas Beat California on Housing
YIMBY policies in Texas have led to lower rents and increasing supply. The same cannot be said for California.
The Absurdity of Government Grocery Stores Exposes the Flaws of Public Schools
Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for state-run supermarkets exposes the inefficiencies of state-run education.
Yes, You Could Be Both Openly Gay and Conservative in the '80s
The novelist Thomas Mallon's journals reveal a side of the '80s that the standard gay histories—and standard conservative histories—tend to ignore.
Senate's Tax Bill Will Add $270 Billion to the Deficit Next Year, Despite Gimmicks
The House-passed version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was fiscally irresponsible. The Senate has made the bill worse.
No Qualified Immunity for School District Police Officer Who Seized Home-Schooled 14-Year-Old from Home
The child, and her 12-year-old brother, were left under the supervision of a neighbor by the mother, who left town for six days for a foreign job interview.
Parental Rights and Youth Gender Medicine
The Supreme Court just declined this morning to consider this issue, but here's how a noted lower court judge analyzed the matter.
Big, Beautiful Bill Finds Its Opponents
Plus: The anti-socialist moment, muscle-building drugs counteract Ozempic, arsony gunman in Idaho, and more...
Cancellation Litigation + Doxing Claim, over Allegedly Malicious Publicizing of Snapchat Video with Allegedly Racist Statements
"[B]oth parties exchanged these Snapchat videos while they were intoxicated and their judgment was impaired. Notwithstanding, the communications were private and intended to be jokes between close friends."
School Choice Could Fix the Conflicts That Led to the Supreme Court's Mahmoud Decision
There’s no need to fight over lessons if you’re not forced to learn in government-run battlegrounds.
"The Clear Winner in Trump v. CASA: The Supreme Court"
"Lower courts lost, and the executive branch got mixed results."
Federal Courts May Not Be Denny's, But They Are Open 24/7/365
Justice Kavanaugh's Trump v. CASA concurrence appears to reply to Judge Ho.
Justice Kagan on Universal Injunctions in 2022
Justice Kagan said "it just can't be right" that a single court judge can stop a federal policy in its tracks nationwide.
The Coming Techlash Could Kill AI Innovation Before It Helps Anyone
Power-hungry data centers, disappearing jobs, and billions of dollars in subsidies are fueling resentment. If developers and policymakers don’t change course, Americans may reject AI before it ever delivers on its most significant promises.
Social Security and Medicare Are Racing Toward Drastic Cuts—Yet Lawmakers Refuse To Act
Other countries have taken meaningful steps to address similar challenges. The U.S. has done nothing.
Trump Administration Targets Iranian Christians for Deportation
They face severe persecution if deported to Iran.
Bray and Bagley on Trump v. CASA
Two worthwhile commentaries on the Supreme Court's decision to curtail universal injunctions.
She Got a Permit for Her Chickens. Now the City Is Fining Her $80,000.
The Douglas, Michigan, city government is hitting a homeowner with crushing fines after reversing its own approval. She’s fighting back in federal court.
'We Can't Let These Sheep Go'
A New Deal–era program nearly eradicated the sacred Navajo-Churro sheep—and still reverberates through the Navajo Nation today.
New Orleans City Council Considers Ordinance To Adopt Real-Time Facial Recognition Technology
America is slipping steadily down the slippery slope to a surveillance state.
Legalize All Drugs! Reason Versus City Journal
City Journal's Rafael Mangual and Charles Fain Lehman debate Reason's Billy Binion and Jacob Sullum on legalizing all drugs.
Clarence Thomas Undermines Free Speech in Porn Site Age-Verification Case
The Supreme Court's decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton weakens the First Amendment rights of adults everywhere.
America Has Plenty of Experience With Government-Run Stores, and It Isn't Pretty
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani wants to open city-owned grocery stores. The U.S. already has a few, and they're a cautionary tale.
Short Circuit: An inexhaustive weekly compendium of rulings from the federal courts of appeal
Classroom commandments, the FBI's Most Wanted, and a phone book artifice.
