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” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Politics

“Putin Apologists”: Former Sen. Claire McCaskill Denounces Senators Calling for Investigation of FBI Abuses

Even after the collapse of the Russian collusion investigation, Democrats seem to be doubling down on labeling opponents as Russian lovers and Putinites. Yesterday, I testified at a hearing with members of Congress who want the House to investigate possible FBI abuses. One of the witnesses, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, testified how her anti-war positions led to her being labeled a Russian asset by Hillary Clinton. Not to be outdone, MSNBC contributor and former Senator Claire McCaskill appeared on MSNBC following the hearing to denounce Senator Chuck Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson as “Putin apologists” and Putin lovers. Continue reading ““Putin Apologists”: Former Sen. Claire McCaskill Denounces Senators Calling for Investigation of FBI Abuses” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Testimony

Turley Testifies on Censorship Before House Select Subcommittee

This afternoon I will testify at the first hearing of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Below is my written testimony.

The Twitter Files raise serious questions of whether the United States government is now a partner in what may be the largest censorship system in our history. The involvement cuts across the Executive Branch, with confirmed coordination with agencies ranging from the CDC to the CIA. Even based on our limited knowledge, the size of this censorship system is breathtaking, and we only know of a fraction of its operations through the Twitter Files. Twitter has 450 million active users but it is still only ranked 15th in the number of users, after companies such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Pinterest. The assumption is that the government censorship program dovetailed with these other companies, which continue to refuse to share past communications or work with the government. Assuming that these efforts extended to these larger platforms, it is a government-supported censorship system that is unparalleled in history. Continue reading “Turley Testifies on Censorship Before House Select Subcommittee” →

Congress, Free Speech

“Free Speech for Whom?”: Former Twitter Executive Makes Chilling Admission on the “Nuanced” Standard Used For Censorship

Yesterday’s hearing of the House Oversight Committee featured three former Twitter executives who are at the center of the growing censorship scandal involving the company: Twitter’s former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde, former deputy general counsel James Baker and former head of trust and safety Yoel Roth. However, it was the testimony of the only witness called by the Democrats that proved the most enlightening and chilling. Former Twitter executive Anika Collier Navaroli testified on what she repeatedly called the “nuanced” standard used by her and her staff on censorship. Toward the end of the hearing, she was asked about that standard by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury (D., NM). Her answer captured precisely why Twitter’s censorship system proved a nightmare for free expression. Stansbury’s agreement with her take on censorship only magnified the concerns over the protection of free speech on social media.

Continue reading ““Free Speech for Whom?”: Former Twitter Executive Makes Chilling Admission on the “Nuanced” Standard Used For Censorship” →

Politics

Biden Repeats Dubious Call and Claim on Assault Weapons in State of the Union

Last night, President Joe Biden gave his second State of the Union address. It was difficult to watch at points. Biden made a series of questionable statements like claiming that he added 12 million new jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Biden has only added 2.7 million overall jobs. However, it was his statement on assault weapons that stood out for some of us who have previously flagged his claims as legally and statistically flawed. The claims have not improved with repetition.

Continue reading “Biden Repeats Dubious Call and Claim on Assault Weapons in State of the Union” →

Constitutional Law, Courts

Federal Judge Suggests Abortion May Be Protected Under 13th Amendment’s Ban on Involuntary Servitude

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the District Court for the District of Columbia has caused a bit of a stir after a hearing in a criminal case where she called for briefing on the alternative grounds for the right to an abortion. At the hearing, Judge Kollar-Kotelly suggested that the Thirteenth Amendment’s ban on involuntary servitude could be used to guarantee a women’s right to an abortion notwithstanding the Court’s recent opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The court stressed that the decision that there is no federal constitutional right to an abortion was based on the 14th Amendment, but was silent on the 13th Amendment or other grounds. The problem is that silence may be the most charitable response to this highly dubious theory, which has been bantered about in academic circles for years. The theory runs against the text, history, and case law of the Thirteenth Amendment.

Continue reading “Federal Judge Suggests Abortion May Be Protected Under 13th Amendment’s Ban on Involuntary Servitude” →

Criminal law, Torts

Texas Criminally Charges Bartender With “Overserving” Customer Involved in Deadly Crash

In my torts class, I teach “Dram Shop” cases where bars and restaurants are subject to civil liability for “overserving” customers. These lawsuits are generally brought by third parties who are injured in car accidents by drunk drivers. In that sense, a Texas case has all of the classic elements of a Dram Shop case: Dylan Molina drank eight high-alcohol drinks in roughly three hours before leaving and getting into a wreck that killed a police detective and seriously injured his family. The difference is that the bartender, Cala Richardson, 26, is being criminally prosecuted for overserving Molina.

Continue reading “Texas Criminally Charges Bartender With “Overserving” Customer Involved in Deadly Crash” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Media

Victim’s Family in the University of Idaho Murders Appeals Gag Order

The family of University of Idaho stabbing victim Kaylee Goncalves is appealing a gag order imposed upon them and others in the case against suspected killer, Bryan Kohberger. That appeal is supported by media organizations. As a long-standing critic of these gag orders on free speech grounds, it should come as no surprise that I believe that this order should be viewed as unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. However, courts have steadily increased the scope of these orders despite the curtailment of First Amendment rights. Continue reading “Victim’s Family in the University of Idaho Murders Appeals Gag Order” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Free Speech

Congress is Set to Expose What May be the Largest Censorship System in U.S. History

Below is my column in the Hill on the first hearings this week to be held by the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. It could be one of the most consequential investigations for free speech in decades if it pulls back the curtain on government censorship programs. After the historic release of the Twitter Files by Elon Musk, questions remain on any similar coordination with other social media companies with federal agencies like the FBI to target views considered “disinformation” or “misinformation.”

Here is the column: Continue reading “Congress is Set to Expose What May be the Largest Censorship System in U.S. History” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks