Criminal law, Politics

“Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics”: Trump Takeover Renews Questions Over D.C. Crime Data

Washington, D.C. is a city that has long spun statistics to the point that they become more fable than fact. It reaffirms the famous view that there are “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The line is the perfect warning to the unwary about politicians citing statistics. The quote itself is widely misrepresented as the work of Mark Twain or British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, so it seems nothing can be trusted when it comes to statistics, not even quotes on statistics.

That question is again at the heart of a debate following the announcement of President Donald Trump that he would be sending the National Guard into Washington and taking temporary control of the D.C. police. In response, Mayor Muriel Bowser and other democrats denounced the plan and claimed that violent crime is at a 30-year low after dropping by 26% so far in 2025. Continue reading ““Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics”: Trump Takeover Renews Questions Over D.C. Crime Data” →

Congress, Criminal law

“Treasonous” and “Illegal”: Whistleblower Accused Schiff of Intentionally Leaking Classified Information

FBI Director Kash Patel has released a bombshell report that a  Democratic whistleblower accused now California Sen. Adam Schiff of approving the leaking of classified information to target President Donald Trump. While this is only the unverified allegation of a single former staffer, the alleged conduct would involve criminal and unethical conduct of the highest order, if proven. Continue reading ““Treasonous” and “Illegal”: Whistleblower Accused Schiff of Intentionally Leaking Classified Information” →

Columns, Politics

Politics Without Shame: Gerrymandering Makes Hypocrisy a Political Punch Line

Below is my column in The Hill on open hypocrisy of many denouncing the Texas redistricting effort. While I have been a critic of gerrymandering for decades, the faux outrage of Democrats in heavily gerrymandered states would make Captain Louis Renault blush.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Politics Without Shame: Gerrymandering Makes Hypocrisy a Political Punch Line” →

Media, Politics

Up the Creek: Media Outlets Criticized for False Story on Vance
The media and various liberal pundits are again shrugging this week after the exposure of another false story targeting a conservative or Republican. In this case, Vice President JD Vance was criticized for ordering the raising of the river near his Ohio home to improve his family’s canoeing experience. First appearing in The Guardian, the story took off in the media and was featured on shows like The Colbert Show when Stephen Colbert mocked “insane spoiled baby emperor move.” The problem is that it was entirely untrue. The Secret Service raised the river for security reasons with no contact with the Vice President or his family.

Continue reading “Up the Creek: Media Outlets Criticized for False Story on Vance” →

Bizarre, Columns, Constitutional Law, Free Speech

No Pierogi For You: Dershowitz Denied Food in Martha’s Vineyard Over His Political Views

Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz appears to be living through a remake of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi episode. However, Dershowitz is facing a new culinary menace in Martha’s Vineyard. Chef Krem Miskevich has barred the famed lawyer from buying pierogis because of his political views . . . and liberals are applauding him for it. Welcome to Pierogi Politics, it is the same distasteful politics that is tearing apart this country . . . only with an added carbo load.

Continue reading “No Pierogi For You: Dershowitz Denied Food in Martha’s Vineyard Over His Political Views” →

Politics

Massachusetts Teachers Demand New Wealth Tax

I have long opposed wealth taxes based on both constitutional and practical grounds. When Elizabeth Warren pushed her own wealth tax, I noted that the high starting income or wealth levels would likely be lowered with time if Congress were ever allowed to cross this constitutional Rubicon. The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) is now demanding an amendment to the state constitution to tax the “wealth of the richest 1%” to pay for free public college. Previously, the state passed a constitutional amendment to place a 4 % tax on income above $1 million. This would add a new wealth tax to that earlier “Fair Share Amendment.” Continue reading “Massachusetts Teachers Demand New Wealth Tax” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Supreme Court

Tenth Circuit: Parents Do Not Have Right to Override Ban on Gender Transitioning of Minors

The Tenth Circuit handed down a notable opinion this week in Poe v. Drummond, upholding Oklahoma’s law prohibiting gender transition procedures for anyone under eighteen. The opinion by Judge Joel Carson (joined by Judges Harris Hartz and Gregory Phillips) concluded that parental rights do not trump a state’s determination of what are safe treatments for minor patients. Continue reading “Tenth Circuit: Parents Do Not Have Right to Override Ban on Gender Transitioning of Minors” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Free Speech, Media

Federal Judge Strikes Down California’s Unconstitutional Deepfake Law

I previously criticized the California law, called the Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024, as flagrantly unconstitutional. Signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the law would have gutted free speech protections for political parodies. Now, in Kohls v. Bonta, Senior U.S. District Judge John Mendez has rebuked the state for a law that he concluded had to be rejected in its entirety as flawed to its core: “No parts of this statute are severable because the whole statute is preempted. No parts of A.B. 2655 can be salvaged.” Continue reading “Federal Judge Strikes Down California’s Unconstitutional Deepfake Law” →

Politics

Georgia Judge Rules Against Democrats Blocking Republicans on Board of Elections

Democrats in Georgia have lost their effort to block two Republican commissioners from sitting on Fulton County’s Board of Elections because of their political views. What is most striking about this effort was not just the raw partisanship but the utter lack of legal authority of Democrats to refuse to recognize the duly selected GOP members. Continue reading “Georgia Judge Rules Against Democrats Blocking Republicans on Board of Elections” →

Politics

New Study Raises Concerns Over Universal Basic Income Plans

In my forthcoming book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, I explore how the American republic can survive in the 21st Century given unprecedented economic, technological, and political changes. The book addresses the increasing calls for a universal basic income (UBI). Various Democratic cities are already implementing UBI systems. Now, a new study finds (as did some prior studies) that UBI systems have not achieved significant improvements and may actually have some negative consequences for recipients. Continue reading “New Study Raises Concerns Over Universal Basic Income Plans” →

Congress

Democrats Pledge a Gerrymander War

Democrats are struggling to convince the public that they are outraged that there is gerrymandering afoot in Texas. It is no easy task, particularly after Texas Democrats selected Illinois as their sanctuary state, a state considered the most gerrymandered in the country. Trump received 45 percent of the vote in the state, but Republicans have only 14 percent of the congressional seats. Even the New York Times admitted that gerrymandering has favored Democrats across the nation. However, the winner of the Claude Rains award must be Marc Elias, who has expressed disgust over the notion of gerrymandering despite the fact that his group was denounced by courts for outrageous gerrymandering efforts. Continue reading “Democrats Pledge a Gerrymander War” →

Congress, Politics

Rep. Ramirez Under Fire After Declaring “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American.”

Democrat Rep. Delia Ramirez (D., Ill.) is locked into a fierce fight with the White House over controversial remarks at the second annual Panamerican Congress held in Mexico, including declaring, “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American.” Ramirez does not deny making the remarks but insists that there is a double standard for “my white colleagues [who] identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, or Ukrainian-American to honor their ancestry.” Continue reading “Rep. Ramirez Under Fire After Declaring “I’m a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American.”” →

Criminal law, Politics

Texas Hold’Em: Gov. Abbott Pledges to Arrest “Derelict Democrats” As Gov. Pritzker Offers Sanctuary

Illinois has long been a sanctuary state, but this is getting ridiculous. Yesterday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) pledged to protect dozens of Texas lawmakers fleeing their state to shut down the legislature. It is all an effort to prevent redistricting in the state. However, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is pledging to arrest them and expel them from office. Both seem “all in” in this game for Texas Hold’Em. Continue reading “Texas Hold’Em: Gov. Abbott Pledges to Arrest “Derelict Democrats” As Gov. Pritzker Offers Sanctuary” →

Congress, Media, Politics

After Years of Refusing Reforms, the CPB Accepts Institutional Death Over Political Dishonor

It is official. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting finally accepted death over balance.

This week, the CPB announced that, with the withdrawal of federal funding, it would cease operations by September 30, 2025: “Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations.” Continue reading “After Years of Refusing Reforms, the CPB Accepts Institutional Death Over Political Dishonor” →

Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Politics

Italy Rediscovers National Identity in Fight With EU Court

In my forthcoming book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, I discuss the threat posed by transnational governance, particularly with regard to the European Union. Now, Italy appears to be rediscovering its national identity in a growing fight with the Strasbourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ). The court just blocked Italy from enforcing its own immigration laws to combat the flood of undocumented persons in the country. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called the ruling an attack on national sovereignty.

Continue reading “Italy Rediscovers National Identity in Fight With EU Court” →