Law & Government
How Justice John Paul Stevens Shaped—and Misshaped—American Law
The retired Supreme Court justice has died at 99.
Amash: Republicans Defending Trump Are 'Hurting Themselves and They're Hurting the Country'
A new book gives insight into Amash's breakup with the Republican Party, which was well underway before Amash said Trump should face impeachment proceedings.
Democrat Rep. Al Green Moves To Impeach Trump for his Attacks on 'The Squad'
Plus: Planned Parenthood's CEO is terminated, the Trump administration drains the swap, and Chelsea Manning is hit with more fines.
Trump Tells His Critics to 'Go Back' Where They 'Came From.' His Love-It-or-Leave-It Attitude Is Totally Wrong and Arguably Racist.
Is the angry reaction to the president's incendiary comments "all about politics"?
Before Bashing Big Tech, Politicians Should Visit an Apple Store
One of the best ways to succeed long-term in capitalism is by treating customers well rather than ripping them off. That's something you won't hear Democrats or Republicans admit these days.
Trump Administration Finally Wins a Sanctuary City Grant Condition Case
The ruling comes after a long string of losses blocking other administration efforts to deny federal law enforcement funds to sanctuary jurisdictions. The different result in this case is largely a product of the unusual nature of the program involved.
Justin Amash Left the GOP—Opening a New Set of Possibilities in American Politics
In choosing principle over party, the Michigan congressman has changed what's possible in politics—and possibly the 2020 presidential race.
Lawsuit Seeks Class Action Status for Students Whose Due Process Rights Were Violated During Title IX Investigations
The lawsuit alleges that MSU has denied due process rights to student defendants in order to placate critics of its sexual assault policies.
This Cop Is Getting $2,500 a Month Because Killing an Unarmed Man in a Hotel Hallway Gave Him PTSD
Phillip Brailsford was acquitted of murder for a shooting captured on video that subsequently drew national outrage. Now he's getting paid for it.
'Historic' Congressional Hearing on Marijuana Legalization Highlights Strategic Differences
Should federal marijuana reform be tied to a broader "racial justice" agenda?
Justin Amash Officially Quits House Republicans and Steps Down From Committee Seat
Plus: HHS can't compel prices in drug ads, Robert Kraft dines with Trump, and more…
How to Make Bar Exams Great Again
Bar exams should be abolished. But if that's not feasible, this modest proposal for exam reform should help restore them to their former glory!
CBO Says $15 Federal Minimum Wage Will Cost 1.3 Million Jobs
The Congressional Budget Office says 17 million workers will see higher paychecks, but the poorest and least skilled are likely to be left out.
Justin Amash on His Break from the GOP: It's Not (Just) About Trump
He says partisan power structures have made government reforms impossible.
Appeals Court Rules Against Trump in Border Wall Case
The ruling upholds a trial court decision holding that the president cannot divert military funds to builds his proposed border wall.
Justin Amash Declares Independence From Republican Party
"The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions," Trump's congressional nemesis declares as he officially leaves the GOP.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Unite to Defend the Imperial Presidency
The senator and the president she wants to unseat are determined to have their way, regardless of what the law says.
Federal Court Rules Against Trump in Border Wall Cases
The decisions expand on the same judge's earlier preliminary ruling holding that the president cannot reallocate military funds to build his border wall.
Neil Gorsuch Disappoints Libertarians, Votes To Uphold Protectionist Liquor Law
The conservative justice would have permitted a nakedly anti-competitive regulation.
Kamala Harris Can't Stop Promising To Do Things Via Executive Order
At the second Democratic debate, the presidential hopeful showed her affinity for executive action.
Trump's Tariff Powers Need Limits. Congressional Democrats Just Introduced a Bill To Set Some.
"Working families should not have to pay the price for the president's reckless use of this tariff authority," says Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a Florida Democrat.
Markets, Not Politicians, Control the Law of Supply and Demand
By trying to control markets, lawmakers only make problems worse.
The Rights and Wrongs of Overruling Precedent
Despite occasional rhetoric to the contrary, neither conservative nor liberal justices are shy about overruling constitutional precedent they believe to be badly misguided. And that's a good thing.
Auer Deference and the Brand X Problem
What's the difference between the plurality's and the (quasi-)dissent's positions? The ability of agencies to overrule court interpretations in the future.
Auer Deference Survives Supreme Court Review (as the Liberal Justices Rule the Day)
The Court's four liberal justicces joined the majority in all three of today's Supreme Court's decisions
Gorsuch and Alito Fight Over Criminal Sentencing and the Right to Trial by Jury
Another day, another conflict between the Supreme Court’s Republican appointees in a criminal justice case.
Keep Expectations Low for Mueller's July Congressional Testimony
The special counsel has said he wants his report on Russian meddling in the election to speak for itself.
Man, This CBO Report About 'Unprecedented' Debt Levels Is a Bummer
The national debt will hit 140 percent of GDP before the end of the 2040s, and that's the optimistic scenario.
Trump Says He Can Strike Iran Without Congressional Approval. Justin Amash and the Constitution Disagree.
The Republican congressman from Michigan shot back on Twitter.
U.S. Cops Are Facing a Recruitment Crisis. Will It Force Them to Change Their Ways?
Nationally, 66 percent of police departments report seeing declining numbers of applications.
U.K. Appeals Court Overturns Ruling That Would Have Forced Mentally Disabled Woman To Get Abortion Against Her Will
Justice Natalie Lieven ruled it was in the woman's "best interests" because she has learning disabilities.
Kavanaugh Accuses Gorsuch of Judicial Activism in Criminal Justice Case
“The Court usually reads statutes with a presumption of rationality and a presumption of constitutionality.”
House Resoundingly Approves Broad Marijuana Federalism
A solid majority of congressmen, including 41 Republicans, voted for a spending rider that bars the Justice Department from interfering with the legalization of cannabis for medical or recreational use.
Clarence Thomas Benchslaps the Federal Government in a Property Rights Case
“Our role is to enforce the Takings Clause as written.”
HBO's Chernobyl Highlighted Government Malfeasance and Administrative Evil
The show wasn't about a nuclear disaster per se, but about how a government—and individuals—reacted in the face of disaster.
A Troubling Supreme Court Decision on Non-Delegation
Today's ruling in Gundy v. United States allows Congress to delegate to the executive broad power to create new criminal offenses. But there is hope the Court might reconsider Gundy in the future.
House of Representatives Votes to Rescind Authorization for Our Endless Wars
It's not likely to get anywhere in the Senate, but consider it progress.
In Sharp Dissent, Neil Gorsuch Faults SCOTUS for Letting the Attorney General 'Write His Own Criminal Code'
The conservative justice comes out swinging on behalf of the non-delegation doctrine.
Activists Want a Problematic Mural of George Washington Destroyed. It Will Cost a High School $600,000.
The artist wanted students to learn about Washington's flaws. How traumatizing.
House Votes Down Amash's Attempt To Stop Warrantless FISA Surveillance
Don't blame him for any FISA abuses. He's been fighting it for years.
Rampant Criminal Laws Make Bullies and Tyrants Rejoice
When "almost anyone can be arrested for something," no one is safe.
Jon Stewart Is Sanctimonious, but Congress Should Be Better at Doing Its Job
The fight over the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is pure political theater.
Deficit Politics May Have Gone Away, but Debt and Deficits Are Worse Than Ever
The federal budget situation used to be an emergency. What happened?
Gorsuch, Thomas, and Kavanaugh Clash With Roberts and Alito Over Federal Preemption of State Regulation
Understanding today’s Supreme Court decision in Virginia Uranium, Inc. v. Warren
Let's Move More Federal Agencies Out of Washington
There's no need for most federal agencies to be stationed in the nation's capital, one of the most expensive cities in the country.
