How to Curb Police Abuses - And How Not to
Much can and must be done to curb police brutality. The task is difficult, but far from hopeless. But riots and looting are both wrong in themselves, and likely to have counterproductive results.
Civil Liberties
D.C. Cops Kept Herding Protesters Into Harm's Way
They still were a lot better-behaved than officers elsewhere.
Police and Rioters Get Violent at Protests in Cities Nationwide
Mayors are imposing curfews and governors are deploying the National Guard in response to anti-police-abuse protests.
Police Unions and the Problem of Police Misconduct (Updated)
The available evidence suggests that police unions are a major obstacle to holding rogue police officers accountable.
Black Civilians Arm Themselves To Protest Racial Violence and Protect Black-Owned Businesses
They're using their Second Amendment rights to protect local businesses from riots and looting.
The Supreme Court Has a Chance To End Qualified Immunity and Prevent Cases Like George Floyd's
The Supreme Court could announce as early as Monday that it's revisiting qualified immunity, a doctrine that shields rotten cops from civil rights lawsuits.
Are the COVID-19 Lockdowns Constitutional?
Several courts have invalidated elements of state shelter-in-place orders. Constitutional law Professor Josh Blackman says that the longer they continue, the less legal they become.
Minnesota Police Arrest CNN Reporters for the Act of Doing Journalism During George Floyd Protests
So much for the First Amendment.
Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden vs. Twitter vs. Facebook
Thank god for the First Amendment and the feuds among powerful politicians and platforms that will keep free speech alive.
Trump's Illegal, Impossible Plan to Teach Twitter a Lesson
Plus: unrest in Minneapolis, Twitter labels Trump tweet, and more...
Court Orders: Stop Tweeting About Your Ex-Friend's Criminal Conviction—Though Tweets Didn't Use the Man's Name
Fortunately, the Florida Court of Appeal reversed the order.
Minneapolis Police Killed George Floyd, Then Failed To Protect Property Owners From Riots
Police departments exist to protect people's persons and property. The Minneapolis Police Department has failed to do either.
Platform Immunity and "Platform Blocking and Screening of Offensive Material"
"Good faith," "otherwise objectionable," and more.
If the Government Bans Viewpoint Discrimination by Social Media Platforms, That Would Also Protect Pro-Terrorist Content
Government action protecting speech must itself be viewpoint-neutral, I think -- and this makes it much less likely that such viewpoint discrimination requirements will indeed be adopted.
Surveillance Bill Yanked After Trump Tweets Veto Threat. Will It Be Changed for Better or Worse?
Weak reforms to the government’s power to secretly snoop on Americans wasn’t enough for the president. What happens next?
Trump's Executive Order on Twitter Is a Total Mess
Plus: the weird new battle lines on warrantless surveillance, more CDC incompetence, Minneapolis on fire, and more…
Edward Snowden, the Surveillance State, and the 'Dark Mirror' Still Watching Us All
National security journalist Barton Gellman talks about "the surveillance-industrial state," the possibility of a Biden presidency or a second Trump term, and his gripping new book.
How Edward Snowden Revealed the 'Dark Mirror' of the Surveillance State
Barton Gellman's new book is a riveting account of exposing NSA excesses to the light of the day.
House May Blow Its Chance To Protect Americans' Browser History From Federal Snooping
Sen. Wyden withdraws support for amendment due to fears it has been weakened too much.
Twitter Fact-Checks Trump. Trump Threatens To Shut Down Twitter.
Plus: Police brutality protest in Minnesota ends in more police brutality, and more...
Amendment Revived to Protect Americans' Internet Search Records From Warrantless Collection
The House will consider a surveillance reform proposal that failed in the Senate by just one vote.
Liberals Have Rediscovered the 10th Amendment's Value During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Will they keep it in mind even if Joe Biden becomes president?
2 Men Arrested for 'Destroying Property' by Doing Donuts in D.A. Candidate's Illegal Rap Video
Plus: Supreme Court considers church reopenings, GOP proposes back-to-work bonuses, Libertarian Party picks 2020 ticket, and more...
"The Question Is Whether Delta [Airlines] Can Bring the Court a Dispute to Adjudicate in Secret"
"The answer to that question is clear."
Sen. Ron Wyden Wants To Stop the Government From Spying on Your Internet Searches
The Wyden-Daines Amendment would've prohibited warrantless monitoring of web activity, but it lost by one vote in the Senate. Will Nancy Pelosi bring it back in the House?
Right of Access to Court Hearings During Epidemics
Court hearings may be physically closed to the public for health reasons, if the public can watch them via video.
$1M+ Award for Law Professor Libeled by Ex-Girlfriend's Rape Accusation
"The Court's belief in the veracity of Wright's testimony dwindled while the trial progressed, as evidence of her inconsistent and questionable conduct was revealed piece by piece.... She lied about her advanced degrees. She signed e-mails as Dr. Wright when she is not a doctor. Her testimony and medical records conflicted time and time again ...."
Why Did Arizona Democrats Kill a Bill Protecting Citizens From Police Overreach?
It’s all about the revenue. Civil forfeiture brings in money, and lawmakers are more worried about their budgets than residents’ due process and property rights.
A Huge Blow to Hongkongers' Freedoms
New legislation proposed in Beijing signals the likely end of the "one country, two systems" policy that has allowed Hong Kong to flourish.
Requiring Creation of Computer Code Doesn't Violate the First Amendment
Seems right to me, at least as a general matter.
Joe Biden's 'Bold' Thinking Shredded Civil Liberties and Destroyed Lives
On crime, drugs, immigration, and foreign policy, his 44-year policy record is a cautionary tale of bipartisanship in response to perceived crises.
Judge to FBI: You Should've Gotten a Warrant Before Turning On That Phone
Plus: Virginia decriminalizes marijuana, it's not Trump's call whether we close the country again, and more…
N.C. Trial Court Holds Preliminary Injunctions Against Alleged Libel Are Unconstitutional
But permanent injunctions after a full trial on the merits might be a different story.
That Time the Libertarian Party Debated the Private Ownership of Nuclear Weapons
Friday A/V Club: Great moments from the C-SPAN archive
Do Tattoo Shops Have a First Amendment Right To Remain Open During a Pandemic?
The idea is not so far-fetched.
Ohio Judge Deems the State's COVID-19 Lockdown 'Arbitrary, Unreasonable, and Oppressive'
The ruling says the state's top health official exceeded her statutory authority by ordering "nonessential" businesses to close.
Justice Department Warns California Not To Leave Churches Behind in Its Reopening Plans
Allowing schools and malls to reopen, but not places of worship, would raise civil rights issues
