L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Says You Can Defeat NIMBYism by Building Less
Plus: The DOJ and RealPage reach a settlement, the ROAD to Housing Act hits a speed bump, and Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani talk housing policy.
Law & Government
An Antidote to the FDR Cult
A new biography presents Franklin Roosevelt as one of the greatest scoundrels of American political history.
A Case That Briefly United Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor
Plus: Jimmy Cliff, RIP.
Federal Judge Dismisses Comey and James Indictments, Saying Trump's U.S. Attorney Appointment Was Illegal
The charges were dismissed without prejudice, so the Justice Department can try again.
Psychoactive Hemp Products Will Be Federally Prohibited in a Year Unless Congress Intervenes
A spending bill approved as part of the package that ended the federal shutdown aims to close a loophole that gave birth to $28 billion industry.
Is the Fourth Circuit the New Ninth?
Could today's summary reversal be a sign of things to come?
The Democratic Party Is Offering a False Choice Between Socialism and Technocracy
By looking to the past, Democrats could chart a pro-freedom blueprint for their party’s future.
California Clears Path for Gig Unions
Even after the Prop 22 rebuke, California is pushing a system that could standardize schedules and undermine gig work.
New Jersey Becomes First State To Bar 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' Testimony at Trial
Dozens of "shaken baby syndrome" convictions have been overturned over the years, but until now, no state court system has limited its use in criminal prosecutions.
Trump Says Legislators Committed Treason by Noting That Soldiers Are Not Obligated To Obey Unlawful Orders
The president's authoritarian response to a video posted by six members of Congress, who he says "should be arrested and put on trial," validates their concerns.
Mike Johnson Wanted Congress To Reclaim Power Over Tariffs—in 2019
Now, under Johnson's leadership, the House has changed its rules to make it even harder for lawmakers to signal their opposition to Trump's tariffs.
Trump's Venezuela Escalation Could Destroy MAGA, Warns Rand Paul
Blowing up boats won’t stop drugs—but it could sink Trump.
Is Marjorie Taylor Greene's Break With Trump the Beginning of the End for MAGA?
She's praised Nancy Pelosi, said Republicans aren't doing enough to make things affordable, and is generally making a lot of sense. That's weird, but also good.
Some Democrats Urge the Military To 'Refuse Illegal Orders.' What if the IRS, ATF, and EPA Did the Same?
Much of what the federal government does on a daily basis flouts constitutional protections and offends human decency.
A Rookie Procedural Mistake by James Comey's Prosecutor Could Doom the Case Against Him
Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan concedes that the grand jury never saw the "edited" version of the indictment.
Rand Paul: Congress Is 'Afraid of the President'
Sen. Rand Paul explains why he wants the Epstein files released, lays out his case against Trump’s tariffs and military strikes in Venezuela, and argues that he and Rep. Thomas Massie are the last voices in Congress still committed to libertarian ideals.
The Supreme Court's Next Big Immigration Case
Plus: Ken Burns’ The American Revolution is worth your time.
Lindsey Graham Is Outraged About Federal Surveillance Powers That Lindsey Graham Helped Create and Expand
The government can look at your phone records whenever it wants, but it's a different story when we're talking about his metadata.
America Is in a Golden Age. Are We Headed Toward a Roman Ending?
"Once you have an ever-expanding system of entitlements that you can't afford, that's often the beginning of the decline and fall," says historian Johan Norberg.
Congress Votes To Open Up the Epstein Files
There probably is no “client list,” but the files could help answer some pressing questions—and open the door to more revelations.
Misconduct in the James Comey Case Stemmed From a Reckless Rush To Indict Him
A magistrate judge says the government’s missteps may warrant dismissal of the charges against the former FBI director.
The Forgotten Classical Liberal Who Fought Jim Crow and Championed Immigration
Remembering the legacy of a principled legal activist.
The 'Emergency' That Demanded Huge Tariffs on Swiss Imports Is Now Over. So What Was the Emergency?
Trump's decision to reduce the tariffs on Swiss goods came just days after a Swiss delegation lavished the president with a variety of expensive gifts.
This Gun Case Harks Back to Constitutional Concerns About the Limits of Federal Power That Now Seem Quaint
Congress justified that National Firearms Act of 1934 as a revenue measure—a rationale undermined by the repeal of taxes on suppressors and short-barreled rifles.
Less Indictable Than a Ham Sandwich
They say a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. But failing to get indictments has been a hallmark of the second Trump administration.
The Art of the Presidential Health Cover-Up
Since long before Biden and Trump, presidents have been going to great lengths to keep their medical problems from the public.
Why Does SCOTUS Hear So Few Second Amendment Cases?
The right to keep and bear arms occupies a curious place in American legal history.
The Alien Enemies Act and the Major Questions Doctrine
The Trump administration's claims that illegal migration and drug smuggling qualify as an "invasion" or a "predatory incursion" under the Alien Enemies Act go against the major questions doctrine.
A Senate-Approved Bill Would Ban the Hemp-Derived THC Products That Congress Legalized in 2018
The appropriations bill, which the House is considering, would wipe out an industry that offers alternatives to cannabis consumers in states that still prohibit recreational marijuana use.
Jeffrey Epstein: Trump 'Spent Hours At My House' With Victim
Congressional investigators released emails from the late sex trafficker discussing how to leverage his relationship with the future president.
Trump Pardons Mountain Runner Michelino Sunseri, Who Was Prosecuted for Using an Unapproved Trail
The decision is consistent with the president's avowed concerns about "overcriminalization in federal regulations."
This Foreign Policy Precedent Might Aid Trump's Tariffs at SCOTUS
For the justices, the question is just how much deference the president deserves.
Reopening?
Plus: CCP lies about CPI, promising Trumpbucks from tariffs, and more...
California's Fast-Food Minimum Wage Hike Is Killing Jobs
You can’t legislate your way to prosperity.
You Can Thank This Ohio Klansman for Expanding Your Freedom of Speech
Brandenburg v. Ohio established the "imminent lawless action" standard. More than 50 years later, partisans keep trying to apply it selectively.
Is Trump a Socialist?
Donald Trump’s new stock-buying strategy isn’t socialism, but it is a step toward a government-controlled economy.
Trump's Lawyer at the Supreme Court Cites a Letter from James Madison That Says Tariffs Are Taxes
During oral argument at the Supreme Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer cited a letter by James Madison that completely undermines the administration’s case that its tariffs are legal.
California's Aggressive Regulations Put Burgeoning AI Industry at Risk
Overly strict or poorly designed rules could slow beneficial uses of AI in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety.
'Emergency' Has Become Washington's Favorite Loophole. It's Cost Taxpayers $15 Trillion.
Over the last decade, roughly one in every 10 dollars of budget authority has worn an emergency tag.
Justices Don't Buy Tariff Argument
Plus: Outrage at Heritage, air traffic might get throttled, and more...
On Tariffs, It Was Gorsuch vs. Trump at SCOTUS
The legal challengers to Trump's tariffs had a good day in court.
Federal Prosecutors Flesh Out Their Case Against James Comey. It Still Looks Shaky.
The government posits that the former FBI director tried to conceal his interactions with a friend who was publicly described as "a longtime confidant" and an "unofficial media surrogate."
America's Longest Government Shutdown Shows Why We Must Free Air Traffic Control from Politics
Nations that moved air traffic control out of politics have better tech, no shutdown chaos, and stable funding. Congress keeps choosing dysfunction instead.
