It was a honor to speak with Julie Rose on the Top of Mind Podcast about the Supreme Court's role today and which branch, in 2025, holds the bulk of power in the U.S. federal government's system of Separated Powers.

It's always nice when research from years ago comes back into the discussion. I loved working on the original piece with my friend and mentor Valerie Hoekstra and on the update with Valerie and my former student Tom Pryor. www.abajournal.com/web/article/...

@julieblaha.bsky.social You are amazing!!!!

Today’s Daily Cartoon @newyorker.com

South Park releases brutal new Kristi Noem ICE Barbie clip.

Boom.

Article 1, Section 9 & 10 have been removed from the official Govt website on the US Constitution. Among numerous points: •Section 9 forbids suspending The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus •Section 10 forbids ex post facto laws This better be a joke. Ignoring these is full blow dictatorship

Congratulations to @trjumn.bsky.social on receiving the @apsa.bsky.social Law & Courts Lasting Contribution Award for his coauthored article "The Influence of Oral Arguments on the U.S. Supreme Court." Learn more about the article and its impact: cla.umn.edu/polisci/news...

Yes. There is no escaping the US’s downward spiral toward authoritarianism without genuine institutional reform. 1. Multi-member districts and fusion voting—>multipartyism 2. Voting rights guaranteed for all; no more territories. 3. Justice term limits 3. Expand the House 4. Reduce Senate’s role

Yup that tracks!

Explain the Big Ugly budget bill to me like I’m five… Seriously, this demo is a must see—anyone can understand it. Share it with family and friends. #VoteNo

This is quite an honor and I am so happy to have written this article (and others) with Jim Spriggs and Paul Wahlbeck. Their combined mentorship, friendship, and co-authorship, early in my career, made me who I am as a scholar! @umnpolisci.bsky.social @umncla.bsky.social @apsa.bsky.social

"The rule of law is not a given in this Nation, nor any other. It is a precept of our democracy that will endure only if those brave enough in every branch fight for its survival. Today, the Court abdicates its vital role in that effort." —Justice Sotomayor

This...

Q: "Under what authority would members of the military be able to arrest people inside the United States?" Leavitt: "The president federalized the National Guard...The president understands the legal authority that he invoked."

I mean, who doesn’t want to talk about Posse Comitatus on @thedailyshow.com(around the 2 minute mark)? Thanks for using this interview that originally aired on @kare11.bsky.social. @umnpolisci.bsky.social

I will be damned if I allow a bunch of Confederate-waving January 6th apologists give the American people a lecture on flag waving. There is ZERO reason to enter an argument about patriotism with people who still worship traitors to America 150+ years later. They. Are. Breaking. The. Law.

Do kids today know the Colbert routine at the Whitehouse Correspondents Dinner where he absolutely savages the press? Just thinking about that for some reason. www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ-a...

I’d leave my job and do this for three years.

So I have now read the Big Three Ayn Rand Books, atlas shrugged, the fountainhead, and anthem. And I have this to say: she’s bad at writing books, so bad, in fact, that I find her popularity genuinely strange

I am thrilled to be on the advisory Board of Brown v. the Board Revisited (brown.oyez.org) that just won an American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award for Multimedia (tinyurl.com/BrownSilverG...) and was named a Webby Honoree (that is, honorable mention) for Law (tinyurl.com/webbybrown).

A sad day for the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice David Souter, a moderate GHW Bush appointee, spent 19 years on the high Court (1990-2009).

So excited to write this commentary, with @rachaelhouston.bsky.social and the blueskyless Grace Hertzog, about what the Court can do to save itself and, in so doing, save the U.S. from an authoritarian presidency. @umnpolisci.bsky.social @umncla.bsky.social

@rachaelhouston.bsky.social is a star! Today she was named a finalist for a prestigious teaching award at TCU. As a second year professor Rachael is a true triple threat in research, teaching, and service. And she will only get better. I am so proud of her! @judicialwomen.bsky.social

@jessicaann87.bsky.social @elizabethlane.bsky.social and @jonathanmking.bsky.social are amazing SCOTUS scholars who you should follow. And their, BlueSkyless advisor, Ryan C. Black (Michigan State) should be very proud today!

Yeah arresting judges is not an authoritarian move right?

My first post at the newly revived @misofact.bsky.social is a nerdy take on why it seems like experts are decrying rising autocracy in thd US, but for most folks, life goes on as usual. How much authoritarianism has the US actually seen so far in Trump-II? open.substack.com/pub/misofact...

Even if you (wrongly) believe that some immigrants lack due process rights, what’s to stop the government from claiming that *you* are an undocumented immigrant; removing you to El Salvador; citing an “administrative error”; and refusing to do anything to bring you back? The answer is due process.

I am always proud of my former graduate students. Today, @rachaelhouston.bsky.social just published this excellent commentary on the @lseusablog.bsky.social. Nice job my friend! @umnpolisci.bsky.social @judicialwomen.bsky.social @apsa.bsky.social

Huge win for gun control advocates...in a 7-2 decision (majority by Gorsuch), SCOTUS upholds ATF regulations on ghost guns. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...

Needs to be a serious presidential contender.

Professor Tim Johnson @trjumn.bsky.social joined @kare11.bsky.social to discuss the legal claims being made by the White House following Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law. www.kare11.com/article/news...

Yesterday, Chief Justice John Roberts, whom I still do not fully trust, said this: “[f]or more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”

Again, @kstptv.bsky.social can’t get journalism right. Your headline is “pushback on court orders.” It should read:“administration flouts legally binding Federal Court Orders in a violation of the Separation of Powers.” Get it right or maybe don’t call yourself a news outlet.

Yo @kstptv.bsky.social you forgot to use the word ALLEGED when reporting on the people illegally sent out of the country to El Salvador. They had no due process Why not report that? Are you scared to tell the truth?

When AOC and Adam Kinzinger are both furious at Chuck Schumer, for the exact same reason, maybe you need to give up the idea this is just a backlash coming from far left activists.

The clearest statement I have heard from a Democrat. FINALLY

smart! one of better communicators

Every single Democrat had better vote no on this and truly force the Republicans to own their death knell for this nation. I am looking especially at you @amyklobuchar.com @smith.senate.gov @angiecraigmn.bsky.social!

Dear Manager. This week I: 1. Found myself living in a shotgun shack. 2. Found myself in another part of the world. 3. Found myself behind the wheel of a large automobile. 4. Found myself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife. 5. Asked myself, well how did I get here?

Is he coming for all sex-segregated occupations? Maybe surgery is too expensive bc it's mostly men. More men need to be dental assistants, rather than dentists, to improve teeth cleaning. Schools would be improved if men left construction and became teachers. Has everyone just lost their minds?

When the history is written of Trump‘s efforts to make America into an autocracy much blame can be placed on wonky conservative legal scholars pushing their “unitary executive theory” and ignoring experiences of other countries. See, eg: repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_law...

When the media had some guts and stood up to corruption:

Nanci got it right! I posted this during "his" first administration and it is apt again. I get chills thinking of seeing her sing this live at the Guthrie (Mar. 2008) and introducing it by saying "I will sing this again and again until we replace the current administration." Give it a listen!

As China continues to give money and projects to countries to gain influence, we are shutting down our agencies that do that. China is eating our lunch and Trump is the reason. Sorry folks, if you don’t see it you don’t understand how the world works. Period