The Looming Supreme Court Showdown Over Sanctuary Cities
The legal battle over immigration, federalism, and executive power heats up.
Executive Power
Would a Presidential Pardon for Roger Stone Be Unconstitutional?
The argument requires several controversial assumptions and leaps of logic.
On the Money: Presidential Portraiture and Power in D.C.
Kehinde Wiley's pre-presidential works criticized inequalities and hierarchies of power. His presidential portrait doesn't do the same.
Trump's Continuing Commentary on Criminal Cases Reflects His Disdain for the Rule of Law
The president remains frankly puzzled by the distinction between can and should.
A Nondelegation Challenge to Trump's Travel Bans [updated to include some additional material]
Other possible legal challenges to Trump's expanded travel ban may be precluded by the Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. Hawaii. This one is not.
Even Without Trump's Tweets, the Attorney General's Intervention on Roger Stone's Behalf Would Have Looked Bad
If Barr is so concerned about the appearance of integrity, why did he insert himself into a high-profile case involving a presidential pal?
Michael Bloomberg and the Imperious Presidency
Until we start denuding the Oval Office, we will continue getting the royals we deserve.
Instead of Removing Trump From Power, Remove Power From the Presidency
After Watergate, Democrats rolled back executive power. Under Trump, they just want to be the ones who get to wield it.
Michael Bloomberg and the Imperious Presidency
Until we start denuding the Oval Office, we will continue getting the royals we deserve.
Good and Bad Reasons for Acquitting Trump
Republicans should think twice before endorsing the dangerous myth that impeachment requires a criminal violation.
Trump's Expanded Travel Ban Compounds the Wrongs of Previous Versions
The courts may not strike it down. But it remains both illegal and deeply unjust.
The Ultimate Impact of Trump's Impeachment Remains to be Seen
While Trump will almost certainly be acquitted within the next few days, impeachment might still damage him politically. And the long-term impact of this process will likely take a long time to unfold.
The Real Problem With Alan Dershowitz's Position on Quid Pro Quos and Impeachment
Trump's lawyer did not say a president "can do anything" to get re-elected, but he did say that goal cannot count as a corrupt motive.
In Trump Subpoena Fight, the Supreme Court Weighs Executive vs. Congressional Power
A major constitutional clash is unfolding at SCOTUS.
Republican Senators Say the Truth Is Irrelevant in Evaluating the Gravity of Trump's Misconduct
Republicans are setting a dangerous precedent they may come to regret the next time a Democrat occupies the White House.
Trump's Failed Impeachment Is Still Worth It
It at least sends a message against future abuses of executive power.
Did Trump Just Admit To Withholding Material From the Impeachment Process?
As Rep. Justin Amash notes, the second article of impeachment charges the president with obstructing Congress by refusing to provide documents and testimony.
Is Impeaching Some "Normal" Politicians too High a Price to Pay for Getting Rid of Presidents who Abuse their Power? - A Rejoinder to Josh Blackman
Josh Blackman argues that the tradeoff isn't worth it. Here's why I disagree.
Congress Passed a New North American Trade Pact but Failed To Limit Trump's Tariff Powers
Republicans might rue that mistake when Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders inherits Trump's beefed-up trade authority.
Was Trump's Sin Acting "Like a Politician"?
A response to Josh Blackman's New York Times op-ed on the case against Trump (with updates)
War Worries Transcend Trump
Even the president’s buddies understand the threat posed by the unconstrained use of military force.
No War With Iran, House Tells Trump. Next Up: Finally Forbidding Military Force in Iraq?
Plus: Tarriffs are killing U.S. wine, Vermont bill would ban cell phones for kids, and more...
More Impeachments! Dumping Bad Presidents Should Be No Big Deal
"Somehow we've decided that the one job in America that gets the most job protection is the one where you actually get nuclear weapons," says the Cato Institute's Gene Healy.
Don't Freak Out About Impeachment
Americans can lose their jobs for almost anything. Why are we so hesitant to give presidents the boot?
Dems Promise To Close Gitmo. Again.
Democratic presidential candidates sparred over how they'd close one of the worst excesses of the war on terror.
Trump Is Getting Impeached Today. Should His Complaints About the Process Be Taken Seriously?
Many of the president's beefs are frivolous, but he is right that impeachment has been rushed.
Trump Abused His Power, but a Hasty Impeachment Will Undermine That Point
The gaps in the record invite the public to dismiss impeachment as a purely partisan exercise.
Trump's Congressional Defenders Deny Reality
While the president’s motives in seeking Ukrainian investigations are a matter of dispute, his actions are clear from the public record.
Impeachment and the Spending Power Revisited
In assessing impeachment, we should keep in mind Trump's usurpation of Congress' power over federal spending. This is a serious violation of the Constitution, and focusing on it overcomes some standard objections to impeachment.
Michael Bloomberg and the Imperious Presidency
Rules are for the little people, not the eighth richest man on the planet.
Republicans Are Learning to Love Unconstrained Executive Power
Just like their counterparts in the Democratic Party do!
The Evidence That Trump Abused His Powers Is Clear and Convincing
The allegations against Trump are more serious than the offenses that led to Bill Clinton's impeachment because they relate directly to his duties as president.
Democrats Are Conjuring Up New 'Rights'
Faced with a president they find repulsive to the core and with unfunded future payment obligations in the many trillions, Democrats think now is the time to really unleash Washington.
Why DACA Is Legal
The Trump administration's justification for rescinding DACA relies heavily on the claim that the program is illegal. But it's not.
Trump's Audacious Immunity Claim
His desperate attempt to stop a grand jury from seeing his tax returns invokes kingly powers that would put the president above the law.
Impeachment Is Both the Cause and the Effect of a Too-Powerful Presidency
If, at the end of all this, President Mike Pence sits behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office, what has been accomplished?
Federal Court Rules Trump Cannot Use "Emergency" Declaration to Divert Funds to Build his Border Wall
The decision is the first to address the legality of using the emergency declaration for this purpose. Previous wall cases involved Trump's attempts to redirect other funds.
The White House Counsel Is Making Political Arguments, Not Legal Ones
In making the case against the House impeachment inquiry, the White House counsel relies upon a repudiated district court opinion that doesn't even support its argument.
New Statement from Checks and Balances on President Trump's Abuse of Office
"We believe the acts revealed publicly over the past several weeks are fundamentally incompatible with the president’s oath of office, his duties as commander in chief, and his constitutional obligation to 'take care that the laws be faithfully executed.'"
Vox Symposium on The President's Refusal to Cooperate with the House Impeachment Inquiry
Thirteen legal scholars weigh in, including the VC's Keith Whittington and myself.
Trump, Not the Whistleblower, Has Acted Illegally
The president's threats might prevent future whistleblowers from coming forward to expose executive abuse.
Who's Right on Impeachment: Rand Paul, Justin Amash, or Jeff Flake?
Libertarian-leaning legislators have markedly different ideas about the I-word. What say the Reason editors?
Shareholders Challenging FHFA's Constitutionality Want Supreme Court to Hear Their Case -- Even Though They Won
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders convinced the Fifth Circuit to declare the Federal Housing Finance Agency's structure unconstitutional, but they're seeking Supreme Court review nonetheless.
John Yoo Warns That Impeachment Would Undermine Presidential Power. That's the Point.
While there may be sound political reasons to let voters decide Trump's fate, there are sound constitutional reasons to clarify the limits of his authority.
Trump, Ukraine, and Congress's Power of the Purse
If Trump threatened to withhold aid funds in order to pressure Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his son, he undermined Congress' power of the purse. It's an important aspect of the Ukraine scandal that has so far been largely ignored.
Nancy Pelosi Announces Trump Impeachment Inquiry Over Ukraine Scandal
The decision comes amidst allegations that President Trump pressured Ukraine into performing opposition research on Joe Biden.
