Category: Columns

Columns, Criminal law, Politics

The Return of Michael Cohen: A Disbarred Attorney Takes Center Stage in a Dubious Prosecution
C-Span/YouTube Screenshot

Below is my column in USA Today on the expected indictment of former President Donald Trump and the prospect of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg putting Michael Cohen on the stand as his star witness. Yesterday, I wrote about the early skirmish between Cohen and his former counsel. That is only a taste of what is to come in the target rich environment of a Cohen cross examination.

Here is the column: Continue reading “The Return of Michael Cohen: A Disbarred Attorney Takes Center Stage in a Dubious Prosecution” →

Columns, Criminal law, Politics

It’s Moving, It’s Alive! Alvin Bragg Prepares the Ultimate Frankenstein Indictment

Below is my column in the New York Post on the expected indictment against former President Donald Trump. It is an effort to reanimate a long dead legal claim against Trump, but could reanimate his presidential campaign.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “It’s Moving, It’s Alive! Alvin Bragg Prepares the Ultimate Frankenstein Indictment” →

Columns, Criminal law, Politics

“America’s Got Trump”: Get Ready for a Truly Made-for-TV Prosecution

Below is my column in The Hill on the expected indictment this week of former President Donald Trump and the danger of prosecution by plebiscite.  I have been critical of the indictment, which is reportedly based on a highly dubious use of a New York misdemeanor charge to revise a long dormant federal election law charge. We will have to wait to confirm the details on the indictment but this remains, in my view, a blatantly political prosecution.

Continue reading ““America’s Got Trump”: Get Ready for a Truly Made-for-TV Prosecution” →

Academia, Columns, Free Speech

Our Rising Generation of Censors: Stanford and Davis Expose America’s Anti-Free Speech Movement

Below is my column in Fox.com on the recent controversies at Stanford University and University of California at Davis where students sought to prevent others from hearing conservative speakers. These are only the latest manifestations of a growing anti-free speech movement across our campuses.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Our Rising Generation of Censors: Stanford and Davis Expose America’s Anti-Free Speech Movement” →

Columns, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Media, Politics

Banking on Censorship: Sen. Kelly Becomes Latest Democrat to Suggest Censoring Views on Social Media

Below is my column in the New York Post on the suggested censorship of bank critics by Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.). It was only the latest example of how censorship has become a reflexive response of many Democrats to opposing views. It is now increasingly common for certain views to be declared as simply too dangerous to be tolerated or allowed on social media, including (it seems) questioning the solvency of banks.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Banking on Censorship: Sen. Kelly Becomes Latest Democrat to Suggest Censoring Views on Social Media” →

Academia, Columns, Free Speech

“Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?”: Stanford Dean Joins Mobs in Denouncing Federal Judge at Law School Event

Below is my column in Fox.com on the recent controversy at Stanford Law School over the canceling of remarks from Judge Stuart Duncan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. It was a chilling reminder of the anti-free speech movement sweeping across our universities, including our law schools. Continue reading ““Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?”: Stanford Dean Joins Mobs in Denouncing Federal Judge at Law School Event” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media

The Curious Story of QAnon Shaman: Fox Footage Raises New Questions Over the Chansley Case

Below is my column in the New York Post on the recently disclosed videotapes from Jan. 6th. The tapes include images never seen before by the public of that day. However, my interest was drawn primarily to the images of “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley being escorted through the Capitol. That footage raises serious questions about Chansley’s case in my view.

I am continuing to pursue the implications of the video today, but here is the column:

Continue reading “The Curious Story of QAnon Shaman: Fox Footage Raises New Questions Over the Chansley Case” →

Columns, Media, Politics

The Covid Lab Leak is a Scandal of Media and Government Censorship

Below is my column in the New York Post on the Wall Street Journal revealing that the Department of Energy has concluded that Covid-19 likely originated from a Chinese lab. According to the report, American intelligence has found evidence to support the long-dismissed “lab theory.” This has led to another media “my bad” moment where news outlets are shrugging that the theory may not be a conspiracy or racist theory after all. As usual, there is little attention to the experts who were shredded for raising the theory or the reporters who insisted that this was a debunked conspiracy theory.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “The Covid Lab Leak is a Scandal of Media and Government Censorship” →

Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Politics

Yes, Hate Speech Is Protected Under the First Amendment
Salman Rushie with Sen. Bernie Sanders

Below is my column in The Hill on the increasing claims that hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment. Even dictionaries are now repeating this false claim and polls show that a majority of students believe that hate speech falls outside of the scope of protected speech. For those who often rail against “disinformation,” this is a particularly dangerous false narrative meant to support expanded censorship and speech controls. Even Salman Rushdie has been been invoked in the campaign against hate speech.  We should all denounce hate speech but that is not a license for the government to censor or ban such speech.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Yes, Hate Speech Is Protected Under the First Amendment” →

Columns, Criminal law, Politics

The Dark Biden Rises: The Reinvention of Hunter in a New and Menacing Image

Below is an expanded version of my New York Post column this week on the latest moves by Hunter Biden and his team. It is the latest reinvention of Hunter but it is unlikely to succeed any more than the earlier incarnations. Yesterday, the deadline to turn over evidence passed for Hunter, his uncle, and one of his associates. They have decided to go full Bannon, even though this course took the former Trump adviser to a speedy conviction for contempt.

Here is the column:
Continue reading “The Dark Biden Rises: The Reinvention of Hunter in a New and Menacing Image” →

Columns, Free Speech

Scoring Speech: How the Biden Administration has been Quietly Shaping Public Discourse

Below is my column in The Hill on the release of a new Disinformation Index by a group partially funded by the Biden Administration. Gabe Kaminsky at the Washington Examiner previously ran a story on the Index. The Index appears heavily biased against conservative or libertarian sites. I previously discussed the bizarre inclusion of a legal analysis site of conservative and libertarian law professors.  It is easy to dismiss such transparently flawed work, but this is an effort to target advertisers and to justify a type of cancel campaign. It is also part of a more comprehensive effort by the Administration to censor or isolate certain views or groups in the public debate. [N.B.: After this column ran, the National Endowment for Democracy wrote to inform me that it had decided to stop funding the Global Disinformation Index].

Here is the column: Continue reading “Scoring Speech: How the Biden Administration has been Quietly Shaping Public Discourse” →

Columns, Free Speech, Politics

Free Speech is Futile: Gates Goes Full Borg on AI Censorship

Below is my column in the New York Post on the call of Bill Gates to use Artificial Intelligence to combat “political polarization” on the Internet. It turns out the problem on the Internet is those pesky humans “who want to believe … things” that they should not. Enter the new AI Overlords to bring collective peace and tranquility through content assimilation.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Free Speech is Futile: Gates Goes Full Borg on AI Censorship” →

Columns, Constitutional Law, Politics

A Bill Comes Due: Will California Pony Up for Reparations?

Below is my column in The Hill on the recommendations for reparations by two appointed bodies in California. After years of declaring this a moral imperative, the bill has come due for leaders like Gov.  Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. The collective demand is for trillions in California alone with additional trillions demanded from Congress in a national reparations program. California Democrats will now have to render a decision on committing real money on reparations to show that this was not mere virtue signaling. That decision could be coming soon.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “A Bill Comes Due: Will California Pony Up for Reparations?” →