Congress, Criminal law, Politics

Beholding the Beholders: Hunter Biden’s Art Dealer Defies the House Over Business Records

It appears that Hunter Biden’s art dealer believes that his art should be left entirely to the eye of the beholder — and not Congress. Georges Bergès reportedly refused last week to provide the House Oversight Committee with the identities of the buyers of Biden’s high-priced art work. While counsel William Pittard insists that the list of purchasers must remain secret, it is hard to see the viable legal basis to refuse the demand of the House Oversight Committee, if made subject to a congressional subpoena.

Continue reading “Beholding the Beholders: Hunter Biden’s Art Dealer Defies the House Over Business Records” →

Academia, Free Speech

Former Harvard Business School Professor Sues Over Denial of Tenure

There is an interesting new lawsuit filed against Harvard Business School (HBS) by former professor Benjamin Edelman, who was previously embroiled in a controversy with a Chinese restaurant over a $4 overcharge. The controversy was raised in his tenure deliberations and has made Edelman a target with many accusing him of being elitist and petty. In reality, the complaint raises a broader range of issues after Edelman was criticized for work outside of the school in raising consumer fraud concerns. The case raises serious free speech and academic freedom concerns.
Media, Politics

Gallup: Fifty Percent of Americans Believe Media Lies to Promote Agenda

I will be speaking today in Colorado on the “Rise and Fall of the American Fourth Estate.” The speech explores the legal and political history of the free press in our democracy — and its rapid decline in the age of advocacy journalism. This week, a poll was released that shows just how much ground has been lost by this generation of journalists. Gallup and the Knight Foundation found that 50% of Americans believe that the news media lies in order to promote an agenda. Only 25% of Americans reject that premise.

Continue reading “Gallup: Fifty Percent of Americans Believe Media Lies to Promote Agenda” →

Academia, Free Speech

Stanford Will Not Investigate Law Professor for Series of Inflammatory Comments
Stanford University has announced that it will not open a Title IX and ethics investigation into Stanford law Professor Michele Dauber after a complaint over a litany of comments viewed as inflammatory and sexist, including grossly unfair attacks on Johnny Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez as a female attorney representing a male accused of sexual assault.
Congress, Free Speech, Politics

Risky Business: Government-Funded Group Targets Conservative Sites as “Riskiest Online News Outlets”

Goodbye Disinformation Board, Hello Disinformation Index.  Less than a year after many celebrated the disbanding of the Biden’s Administration Disinformation Board, it appears that the Administration has been funding a British group to rank sites to warn people about high-risk disinformation sites. Gabe Kaminsky at the Washington Examiner previously ran a story on the Index. The Global Disinformation Index (GDI) has released its index and every one of the high-risk sites turn out to be . . .  wait for it . . .  conservative or libertarian sites.  HuffPost or Mother Jones (which were also analyzed), but HuffPost made the top list of most trustworthy for potential advertisers. It turns out that the “riskiest online news outlets” just happen to be some of the most popular sites for conservatives, libertarians, and independents. [N.B.: After my Hill column ran, the National Endowment for Democracy wrote to inform me that it had decided to stop funding the Global Disinformation Index].

Continue reading “Risky Business: Government-Funded Group Targets Conservative Sites as “Riskiest Online News Outlets”” →

Constitutional Law, Free Speech

Federal Court Enjoins New York’s “Hateful Conduct Law” as Unconstitutional

There is a major victory for free speech in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York where Judge Andrew Carter Jr. has enjoined a New York Hate Speech law regulating social media. In Volokh v. James, Judge Carter granted a preliminary injunction on the basis that “the Hateful Conduct Law” is blatantly unconstitutional, which it most certainly is. It is only the latest law passed by the New York legislature that was quickly enjoined by the federal courts. Albany has become a type of perpetual motion machine of unconstitutional excesses.

Continue reading “Federal Court Enjoins New York’s “Hateful Conduct Law” as Unconstitutional” →

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” →

Congress, Constitutional Law

Pence Asserts Novel Constitutional Claim to Avoid Testifying Before Grand Jury

Former Vice President Mike Pence is making a novel constitutional argument in opposing the recent grand jury subpoena for testimony from Special Counsel Jack Smith. He is claiming that, as President of the Senate, he falls under the protections of the “Speech and Debate Clause” like members of Congress. It is an unresolved question and he could ultimately prevail. However, I am not confident that the claim would bar the subpoena in its entirety. Continue reading “Pence Asserts Novel Constitutional Claim to Avoid Testifying Before Grand Jury” →

Free Speech, Society

Unmasking Covid Claims: Scientific Review Challenges Claim that Masks Reduced Covid Transmissions

A new scientific review raises additional questions over the science behind the mask mandates imposed on the population for years. The new scientific review by  12 researchers from leading universities found little support for the claims that masks reduced Covid exposures.  My interest in the story, as usual, focuses on free speech. Numerous experts were suspended or banned for challenging these very claims and the media labeled any such critics as dangerous or fringe figures. Regardless of your ultimate conclusions on the efficacy of masks, there was clearly a scientific basis to challenge the mask policies. Yet, many people were routinely censored on Twitter and other platforms for daring to challenge the official position on masks. Continue reading “Unmasking Covid Claims: Scientific Review Challenges Claim that Masks Reduced Covid Transmissions” →

Congress, Media, Politics

White House Slammed for Debunked Claim on Record Deficit Reduction

The White House has drawn the ire of the Twitter community by repeating President Joe Biden’s dubious claim that his administration had achieved a historical feat on budget reduction. The President often tells the public that he is responsible for the largest deficit reduction in history. It is a claim that has drawn widespread criticism in the past. Even The Washington Post balked and previously gave Biden “three Pinocchios” for the claim. The earlier spending and then sharp reduction were due to the pandemic, not Biden’s policies. Indeed, the reduction would have been far greater but for enormous spending by the Administration. Continue reading “White House Slammed for Debunked Claim on Record Deficit Reduction” →

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?” →

Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law

Is the Red Scare Going Blue? Democrats Accuse Government Critics of Being “Putin Lovers” and Supporting Insurrectionists

Below is my column in the New York Post on the growing attacks on those who are challenging the alleged abuses by the FBI and the censorship system on social media.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Is the Red Scare Going Blue? Democrats Accuse Government Critics of Being “Putin Lovers” and Supporting Insurrectionists” →

Academia, Society

Report: 23 Baltimore Schools Had Zero Students Proficient in Math

I recently wrote about how public schools and boards are making the case for school choice advocates with failing scores and rising controversies. The latest shocking statistic was released this week that 23 schools in Baltimore City had zero students who tested proficient in math. Those schools include 10 high schools, eight elementary schools, three Middle/High schools and two Elementary/Middle schools. The state found that 2,000 students who took the state test could not do math at grade level. Continue reading “Report: 23 Baltimore Schools Had Zero Students Proficient in Math” →

Congress, Criminal law, Politics

Biden Goes Bannon? Counsel for Hunter Rebuffs Congressional Demands for Documents

Hunter Biden’s legal team has been at the center of news coverage this month after it appeared to confirm the authenticity of his laptop in a letter (only to try to backtrack 24 hours later). It was a curious and gratuitous move for Biden and his counsel Abbe Lowell as they called for criminal investigations into his critics, suggested lawsuits against media, and even argued that the tax exempt status of some groups be rescinded by the IRS. Now, however, the team is moving in a far more precarious direction. They seem to be adopting the strategy of Steve Bannon that resulted in his conviction for contempt of Congress. Lowell categorically refused to turn over material to Congress this week, leaving his client open to a subpoena and possible prosecution. The move may have thrilled hardcore Democrats, but it is the Republicans who should be most ecstatic with Hunter’s initial position.

Continue reading “Biden Goes Bannon? Counsel for Hunter Rebuffs Congressional Demands for Documents” →

Congress, Media

A Response to Lawrence O’Donnell on the Weaponization Hearing

After my testimony before the Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government yesterday, I found myself the subject of a segment on MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell where criticized me for a bizarre exchange with freshman Democrat Dan Goldman. O’Donnell did not actually show the full exchange, but the claim is patently false and I wanted to briefly respond.

Continue reading “A Response to Lawrence O’Donnell on the Weaponization Hearing” →