Free Speech, Media, Politics

Freedom is Tyranny: Robert Reich Goes Full Orwellian in Anti-Free Speech Screed

We recently discussed the gathering of Democratic politicians and media figures at the University of Chicago to discuss how to better shape news, combat “disinformation,” and reeducate those with conservative views. The political and media elite shared ideas on how to expand censorship and control what people read or viewed in the news. The same figures are now alarmed that Elon Musk could gain greater influence over Twitter and, perish the thought, restore free speech protections to the site. The latest is former labor secretary under President Clinton, Robert Reich, who wrote a perfectly Orwellian column in the Guardian titled “Elon Musk’s vision for the internet is dangerous nonsense.” However, the column offers an insight into the anti-free speech mentality that has taken hold of the Democratic party and the mainstream media.

Continue reading “Freedom is Tyranny: Robert Reich Goes Full Orwellian in Anti-Free Speech Screed” →

Columns, Criminal law, Media, Politics

Hunter Biden Likely to be Charged Under FARA . . . If the Justice Department Applies the Mueller Standard

Below is my column in the New York Post on the potential liability of Hunter Biden under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). I recently testified on FARA reforms and its history of enforcement.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Hunter Biden Likely to be Charged Under FARA . . . If the Justice Department Applies the Mueller Standard” →

Academia, Free Speech

Iowa State Students Forced to Fund Conservative Group Under New Law

We recently discussed how faculty and administrators at schools like the University of Wisconsin have opposed polling students about the loss of free speech out of fear that the results could be used to pass new legislation supporting viewpoint diversity. Iowa recently passed just such legislation and it has produced its first change in funding. The Young Americans for Freedom chapter at Iowa State University reluctantly was granted funding from the student government after university legal counsel informed them that they could not withhold financial support to the conservative group.

Continue reading “Iowa State Students Forced to Fund Conservative Group Under New Law” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Media, Politics

“The Serpent Beguiled Me”: The Whitmer Prosecution and the Entrapment Defense

“The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” That line may be the oldest statement of a criminal defense articulated in what could be styled as Eve v. The Serpent in Genesis. Eve sought to excuse her own conduct by the inducement of the serpent. As shown by her (and Adam’s) expulsion from the Garden of Eden, it is a difficult defense to make even with the Almighty as your jury.

It appears, however, that Eve’s defense had greater success in Michigan this week after a jury failed to convict a single member of the alleged conspiracy to kidnap and execute Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. The serpent in this case, according to the defendants, was the United States government. Continue reading ““The Serpent Beguiled Me”: The Whitmer Prosecution and the Entrapment Defense” →

Congress, Constitutional Law

No, The Second Amendment Did Not Prohibit Cannon Ownership in the Early Republic

President Joe Biden returned this week to his claim that the Second Amendment was originally understood and applied to ban the private ownership of cannons. It is not just an embarrassing repetition of a false claim but threatens to reduce his own gun control measures to little more than cannon fodder on a historical perspective. Continue reading “No, The Second Amendment Did Not Prohibit Cannon Ownership in the Early Republic” →

Columns, Media, Politics, Society

The Reeducation of America: Obama Calls on Our “Better Angels” to Change Voter Viewpoints

Below is my column in The Hill on the recent “disinformation conference” held by leading democrats and media figures. It was a confab of the liberal politicians and journalists over how to deal with problems like Republicans, Fox News, roughly half of the voters and most television viewers. The solution for some seemed to be reeducation led by the media through even greater advocacy journalism and censorship.

This weekend MSNBC analyst John Heilemann and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa) added their own suggestion for such reeducation. Dean agreed with Heilemann that Democrats “have to scare the crap out of [the Democratic base] and get them to come out. They can’t motivate them on the basis of hope or their pocketbooks or any of these accomplishments. They have to scare the crap out of them.”

Here is the column:

Continue reading “The Reeducation of America: Obama Calls on Our “Better Angels” to Change Voter Viewpoints” →

Academia

“Decolonising Math”: Durham University Asks Professors to Consider the Race of Mathematicians Before Relying on their Work
We previously discussed the view of University of Rhode Island and Director of Graduate Studies of History Erik Loomis that “Science, statistics, and technology are all inherently racist.” Others have agreed with that view, including denouncing math as racist or a “tool of whiteness.” Now, as part of its “decolonization” efforts, Durham University is calling on professors in the math department to ask themselves if they’re citing work from “mostly white or male” mathematicians.

Continue reading ““Decolonising Math”: Durham University Asks Professors to Consider the Race of Mathematicians Before Relying on their Work” →

Free Speech

“Hate Speech”: LinkedIn Disables Air Force Vet’s Account After Criticizing Loan Forgiveness

We have discussed the expanding censorship programs at Twitter, Facebook, and other social media. These programs have notably targeted conservative viewpoints on contemporary controversies. Now, LinkedIn has added its company name to this ignoble effort, according to an Air Force veteran whose account was disabled after criticizing the calls for loan forgiveness. The site declared opposing the Democratic plan for loan forgiveness to be “hate speech.”

Continue reading ““Hate Speech”: LinkedIn Disables Air Force Vet’s Account After Criticizing Loan Forgiveness” →

Academia, Free Speech

“Doth Protest Too Much”? The University of Wisconsin Delays Free Speech Survey

We have often discussed complaints from conservative, libertarian, and other groups about the rising intolerance for opposing views in the University of Wisconsin System. That has ranged from controversies over attacks on student columnists to speech codes. Now, a survey of students to gauge their views on free speech has been postponed. Faculty and students have objected that such a survey is unwarranted and might be used by the legislature to take action against the various universities in the system.

Continue reading ““Doth Protest Too Much”? The University of Wisconsin Delays Free Speech Survey” →

Academia, Free Speech

University of Houston Students Sue Over Campus Speech Code

There is a new free speech lawsuit on a college campus this week after three University of Houston students sued over a new anti-discrimination policy. The students are unnamed in the complaint, which was brought by Speech First. They alleged that they are chilled in expressing their views on issues like gender because they are now treated as forms of discrimination or harassment. Continue reading “University of Houston Students Sue Over Campus Speech Code” →

Columns, Media, Politics

Garland Gets His Fish: Liberal Activists Move From “Pack the Court” to “Sack the AG”
YouTube screengrab

Below is my column in the Hill on the campaign to sack Attorney General Merrick Garland over his failure to prosecute former President Donald Trump. Political strategist Cheri Jacobus posted on Twitter that “It’s time for a group of respected, experienced, influential legal eagles to sign a letter to President Biden demanding the firing of Merrick Garland. It has to happen, and this can give Biden some political cover. The status quo cannot stand.”

It is Garland’s Luca Brasi moment delivered by some of the same figures on the left who pushed to Pack the Court.

Here is the column: Continue reading “Garland Gets His Fish: Liberal Activists Move From “Pack the Court” to “Sack the AG”” →

Criminal law, Lawyering, Politics

The Stanley Kowalski Defense: Durham Seeks to Force the Clinton Campaign and DNC to Turn Over Evidence in Sussmann Case

It is always good to have a “lawyer acquaintance” when things get tough. In “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the character Stanley Kowalski famously assures to Blanche DuBois that he has “a lawyer acquaintance” who will protect her. The same appears to be true for the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC. Special Counsel John Durham is fighting to get access to evidence related to his prosecution  of former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann. The documents are being withheld by the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Fusion GPS, and Perkins Coie. There are 1,455 withheld documents, but only 18 reportedly involved a lawyer. However, they are arguing that their “lawyer acquaintances” shield their communications from disclosure to the Special Counsel.

Continue reading “The Stanley Kowalski Defense: Durham Seeks to Force the Clinton Campaign and DNC to Turn Over Evidence in Sussmann Case” →

Media, Politics

Applebaum’s Apathy: Writer Declares the Hunter Biden Laptop Story to be “Totally Irrelevant”

It appears that some media have a new narrative after admitting that the Hunter Biden laptop is legitimate after all. According to Atlantic Magazine writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Applebaum, the story never did matter because it was just not interesting and “totally irrelevant” to her. Strangely, however, it once did. Applebaum pushed the false narrative as she was slamming others for publishing “Russian disinformation” and using the Hunter Biden story as an example. It only became uninteresting when it turned out to be true. The one convincing assertion, however, is that it was simply not viewed as “relevant.” What was clearly relevant for Twitter and most media outlets was the election of Joe Biden. Otherwise, as captured by Gaston de La Touche, it is a matter of sheer boredom.

Continue reading “Applebaum’s Apathy: Writer Declares the Hunter Biden Laptop Story to be “Totally Irrelevant”” →

Criminal law, Justice, Politics

“Lets See How We Can Be Helpful”: Joe Biden Wrote Letter to Help One of Hunter’s Foreign Contacts

We have been discussing the Hunter Biden scandal and the increasingly untenable position for Merrick Garland and the media as evidence contradicts past representations of President Joe Biden.  That position further to deteriorate today with a Fox story that, in 2017, President Biden, wrote a college recommendation letter for the son of a Chinese executive who did business with Hunter Biden. President Biden has long denied any knowledge or involvement in his son’s dealings — a claim that has been contradicted not only by emails found on the laptop but statements by Hunter Biden himself. Continue reading ““Lets See How We Can Be Helpful”: Joe Biden Wrote Letter to Help One of Hunter’s Foreign Contacts” →

Academia

MIT Reinstates Standardized Testing As Other Schools Move Toward “More Equitable” Admissions
We have been discussing how schools have been dropping the use of standardized tests to achieve diversity goals in admissions. That trend continued this month with Cal State dropping standardized testing “to level the playing field” for minority students. I have long been a critic of this movement given the overwhelming evidence that these tests allow an objective measure of academic merit and have great predictive value on the performance of students. One school, however, has returned to standardized testing: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Continue reading “MIT Reinstates Standardized Testing As Other Schools Move Toward “More Equitable” Admissions” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks