Supreme Court OT2023 in the Final Stretch
The justices are rushing to close out the term before the end of June.
Law & Government
New York Lawmakers Threaten To Ban Insurance for Fossil Fuel Projects
The bill would banish insurance companies from the state if they invest in companies profiting from oil and gas.
In Congress, Debate Rages About How To Prevent the Next Lab Leak
The Biden administration says its new guidance will make pandemic research safer. Critics say it suffers the same flaws as past, failed gain-of-function regulations.
Why Some Arizona Republicans Are Defending Abortion Rights
A handful of Republican lawmakers worked with Democrats to repeal an 1864 law banning most abortions.
The Supreme Court May Be on the Brink of Radically Restricting Bureaucrats' Power
Chevron deference, a doctrine created by the Court in 1984, gives federal agencies wide latitude in interpreting the meaning of various laws. But the justices may overturn that.
Judge Tosses Biometric Data Suit Against X
X's child porn detection system doesn’t violate an Illinois biometric privacy law, the judge ruled.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
Critics Fundamentally Misconstrue the Supreme Court's Bump Stock Ruling
The case hinged on the ATF’s statutory authority, not the Second Amendment.
Biden Administration Seeks Overly Harsh Sentences for Blocking Abortion Clinic Access
Whatever you think of abortion, the Department of Justice's latest approach to these cases is misguided.
"Yes in God's Backyard" - A Useful, But Limited Form of Housing Deregulation
There is a growing movement to let churches and other religious organizations build housing on their property that would otherwise be banned by zoning regulations.
Biden Grants "Parole in Place" to Undocumented Immigrant Spouses of US Citizens
It's a good policy, authorized by the law. But it will likely face lawsuits, nonetheless, potentially leading to a prolonged legal battle.
President Biden Should Pardon D.M. Bennett
Issuing a posthumous pardon for Bennett would reaffirm our nation’s commitment to free expression and intellectual freedom.
Abortion, Guns, and Hunter Biden.
Plus: A listener asks the editors about the Selective Service.
Maryland Governor To Issue Mass Pardon to More Than 100,000 Marijuana Offenders
The blanket pardon is one of the largest yet, and another sign of the collapse of public support for marijuana prohibition.
What Can You Do While Waiting for a FOIA Response?
It often takes almost a year or more to get public records from the federal government. Here are some things you can do while you wait.
Federally Funded Dad Jokes
Does America really need a National Strategic Dad Jokes Reserve?
House Passes Bill To Automatically Register Young Men for the Draft
The Selective Service should be abolished, not made more efficient and equitable.
Does Miami Have the Answer to Homelessness?
There may not be a perfect solution to ending homelessness, but there are some clear principles to reduce the friction for those working to do so.
Divided Sixth Circuit Panel Affirms Preliminary Injunction Against Department of Education Title IX Guidance
The court concludes states are likely to succeed in their procedural challenges to the Education Department's decision to extend Bostock to Title IX.
Illinois License Plate Cameras Are Violating People's Constitutional Rights, Says New Suit
The plaintiffs are challenging the state's widespread surveillance, which it collects through over 600 cameras.
Supreme Court OT2023 at the Middle of June
The justices still have over one-third of the term's cases remaining.
Supreme Court Upholds the Rule of Law by Rejecting the Trump Administration's Bump Stock Ban
Six justices agreed that federal regulators had misconstrued the statutory definition of a machine gun.
The 'Bombshell' Secret Alito Recording Was Not a Bombshell
The justice's benign comments set off a lengthy news cycle and have been treated as a scandal by some in the media. Why?
Justice Thomas Takes Aim at Associational Standing
In his AHM v. FDA concurrence, Justice Thomas suggests the Court needs to rethink associational standing and questions whether it comports with Article III.
Supreme Court: You Can't Trademark Your 'Trump Too Small' T-Shirts
As Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted during oral arguments, the right to sell a shirt is different from the right to be the only one who can sell that shirt.
Javier Milei's Tax and Omnibus Bills Narrowly Pass Argentine Senate
...as protests outside Congress escalate into violence.
Unanimous Supreme Court Finds No Standing to Challenge FDA Regulation of Mifepristone (UPDATED)
Not a single justice was impressed by the unimpressive standing theories offered in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
The Contemptuous Merrick Garland
Plus: The Federal Reserve considers an interest rate cut, its chairman considers persistently high inflation, housing pops up on the National Mall, and more...
The Government Screwed Up College Financial Aid Applications
The new FAFSA form is like HealthCare.gov but for college students.
Federal Court Rules 3 of 11 Plaintiff States Have Standing to Challenge Biden's New Student Loan Forgiveness Program
The decision allows the lawsuit to proceed, albeit with fewer plaintiffs.
This New York Charter School Is Helping Low-Income Students. But the City Is Holding It Back.
Government school advocates say competition "takes money away" from government schools. That is a lie.
Is the Clean Water Act Enforced Less Stringently in Battleground States?
A new study suggests political considerations may influence the enforcement of federal environmental law.
Will This Bill Save or Scuttle California's Builder's Remedy?
Plus: Sen. John Fetterman introduces a new zoning reform bill, U.C. Berkeley finally beats the NIMBYs in court, and Austin's unwise "equity overlay."
Texas Public Library Can't Remove Books About 'Butts and Farts,' Federal Judge Says
The court ruled that it is unconstitutional for officials to remove library books with the "intent to deprive patrons of access to ideas with which they disagree."
'If They Can Control the Flow of Information, They Can Control You': BASEDPolitics Sues To Stop TikTok Ban
The plaintiffs hope to "help Republicans and conservatives see why this ban is inconsistent with the free speech values they say they care about."
Australian Censors Back Down, Highlighting the U.S. as a Free Speech Haven
Officials suspend efforts to force X to suppress the world’s access to video of a crime.
What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?
Ending U.S. aid would give Washington less leverage in the Middle East. That's why it's worth doing.
Louisiana's New 25-Foot Legal Forcefield for Police Threatens Accountability and Civil Liberties
A new law will make it much harder to film law enforcement officers in their public duties. Does that violate the First Amendment?
AI Could Become the Next Victim of the 'Sacramento Effect'
California's stringent AI regulations have the power to stifle innovation nationwide, impacting all of us.
D.C.'s Rules for Subway Ads Are Blocked in Federal Court
The transit authority was sued after rejecting an ad that directed viewers to go to a website "to find out about the faith of our founders."
The Collective-Action Constitution in an Era of Polarization and Animosity: An Elegy?
Fifth in a series of guest-blogging posts.
California Is Doubling Down on Banning Plastic Bags
They're coming for new bags after old bag-ban failed.
