Fantastic job opportunity to fight for free speech!

In law school, headed there, or just getting out? I spoke about hope in dark times, and the role of law and lawyers in resisting tyranny and abuse, in this year’s Georgetown Law commencement speech. You can watch it here. youtube.com/watch?v=tbw6...

In law school, headed there, or just getting out? I spoke about hope in dark times, and the role of law and lawyers in resisting tyranny and abuse, in this year’s Georgetown Law commencement speech. You can watch it here. youtube.com/watch?v=tbw6...

I gave the Georgetown Law commencement speech this year -- on the role law and lawyers play in checking government abuse and upholding the Constitution. And on how action produces hope, even in dark times. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbw6...

Trump has backed off on the fund for allies, but he’s trying to hold on to his grant to himself and his family of immunity from tax liability. It’s collusive and fraudulent, and must also be rescinded.

There is “blatant legal and ethical impropriety,” David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social) writes, in “Trump, the civilian, demanding a $10 billion judgment from Trump, the president—and then effectively ‘settling’ with himself.”

Should be a great conversation. Hard to find two people more knowledgeable about voting rights than Sherrilyn Ifill, former Director Counsel of LDF, and Stanford Prof. Pam Karlan. And both are also powerful speakers. Join us!

Here's why the judge today was absolutely correct to re-open this collusive "lawsuit" to investigate whether Trump and the Justice Dept committed fraud on the court -- and the American people.

Time to investigate this fraud on the court -- and on the American people. No, Mr. President, you can't sue yourself, settle with yourself, and give yourself and your allies massive benefits from US taxpayer dollars. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/u...

“The formal title [of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS] is Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, but it would be more accurately captioned Trump v. Trump.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social

Should be a great conversation. Hard to find two people more knowledgeable about voting rights than Sherrilyn Ifill, former Director Counsel of LDF, and Stanford Prof. Pam Karlan. And both are also powerful speakers. Join us!

NEXT WEEK: Join David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social), Sherrilyn Ifill, and Pamela Karlan for a conversation on the Supreme Court and the future of elections. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish and open to the public. Register below: https://go.nybooks.com/42R6zuP

There is “blatant legal and ethical impropriety,” David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social) writes, in “Trump, the civilian, demanding a $10 billion judgment from Trump, the president—and then effectively ‘settling’ with himself.”

The opposition to this corruption has been heartening. It may be that this is one Trump can’t get away with. My take on why the “settlement” is so unethical and unconstitutional, and why it requires us all to push back.

Few lawyers know more about voting rights and civil rights than Sherrilyn Ifill and Pam Karlan. Looking forward to this conversation about how SCOTUS has undermined our democracy--and what we can do about it. Register to join us! www.eventbrite.com/e/minority-o...

What Todd Blanche should have said: No, actually, you can't sue yourself, "settle," and then give yourself immunity from all past tax liabilities. That's not how it works, Mr. President. What he actually said: Yes, sir. Trump v. Trump www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

What Todd Blanche should have said: No, actually, you can't sue yourself, "settle," and then give yourself immunity from all past tax liabilities. That's not how it works, Mr. President. What he actually said: Yes, sir. Trump v. Trump www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

Few lawyers know more about voting rights and civil rights than Sherrilyn Ifill and Pam Karlan. Looking forward to this conversation about how SCOTUS has undermined our democracy--and what we can do about it. Register to join us! www.eventbrite.com/e/minority-o...

The opposition to this corruption has been heartening. It may be that this is one Trump can’t get away with. My take on why the “settlement” is so unethical and unconstitutional, and why it requires us all to push back.

Well, “won” for now. But the opposition is mounting to this completely corrupt and illegal attempt to line his own pockets and those of his crime-committing allies and friends. This lays out exactly why this “art of the self-deal” is illegal.

Filing a collusive lawsuit against yourself does not empower you to give youself and your family “forever” immunity from liability for tax violations, much less a slush fund for your criminal friends. This is like shooting someone on Fifth Ave. www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

Call it “the art of the self-deal.” On Trump‘s latest gift to himself and his allies ://www.nybooks.com/online/2026/05/20/trump-v-trump-anti-weaponization-fund/

Thanks!

And just as I predicted, Tennessee today proposed congressional map that will eliminate its only Black-majority district (Shelby County, Memphis) by dividing the Black voters into white-majority districts and turning the state’s delegaction all white.

And just as I predicted, Tennessee today proposed congressional map that will eliminate its only Black-majority district (Shelby County, Memphis) by dividing the Black voters into white-majority districts and turning the state’s delegaction all white.

SCOTUS voting rights decision “will usher in a bleaching of the nation’s legislative bodies unlike anything this country has seen since the “Redemption” of 1873–1877 ended Reconstruction and returned white supremacists to power throughout the South“ www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

SCOTUS voting rights decision “will usher in a bleaching of the nation’s legislative bodies unlike anything this country has seen since the “Redemption” of 1873–1877 ended Reconstruction and returned white supremacists to power throughout the South“ www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

“By guaranteeing that everyone born in the country is equally a citizen, the framers...sought to enshrine citizenship in a simple fact—birth in the US—that could not be manipulated to deny equal treatment.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social

Birthright citizenship has been challenged by racists (Dred Scott), anti-Chinese bigots (Wond Kim Ark), and now, by xenophobes. The whole point of the 14th Amendment was to safeguard it from such prejudice. Up to SCOTUS to uphold that principle again.

A brief evaluation of Pam Bondi‘s embarrassing tenure as Attorney General

Pam Bondi will "go down in history as one of the worst attorneys general we've ever had," says @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, responding to President Trump's latest firing of a cabinet member.

Our 4/23 issue is now online, with a dispatch from Tehran, Caroline Fraser on the dump, Hermione Lee on Virginia Woolf, @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on birthright citizenship, Trevor Jackson on American “retirement,” Colm Tóibín on Irish reunification, and much more.

Here’s why Trump should lose the birthright citizenship case being argued today in SCOTUS. History, the text, SCOTUS precedent, and the uniform understanding of all three branches for almost a century are against him. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

Here’s why Trump should lose the birthright citizenship case being argued today in SCOTUS. History, the text, SCOTUS precedent, and the uniform understanding of all three branches for almost a century are against him. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social) on Trump’s threats to birthright citizenship

What’s at stake in the birthright citizenship argument in the Supreme Court. Nothing less than who we are. My take in @nybooks.com www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

“Far too many institutions have reacted out of fear” to the Trump administration’s efforts to ban DEI programs, writes @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, “and abandoned even wholly lawful measures designed to welcome students and workers of all races.”

“Far too many institutions have reacted out of fear” to the Trump administration’s efforts to ban DEI programs, writes @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, “and abandoned even wholly lawful measures designed to welcome students and workers of all races.”

“Ultimate responsibility for the Iran war lies with Trump,” writes David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social). “But the road to it was paved by his predecessors—of both parties.”

Saying the quiet part out loud as the Authoritarian attempts to control the truth. #25thAmendmentNOW

“Ultimate responsibility for the Iran war lies with Trump,” writes David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social). “But the road to it was paved by his predecessors—of both parties.”

In this review, I discussed how colleges can maintain diversity on their campuses in the wake of the Supreme Court Harvard ruling, and can do so fully legally. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

“Trump’s war with Iran may not trouble his ‘morality,’ but it is manifestly illegal.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social

Trump Attacks Voting—Again: "He's going to lose the midterms big because the American people are not happy with the way he is running this country. And this is our opportunity to say so, and he knows that" – @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4aPwWGd

How George Bush’s preventive war on terror and Barack Obama’s drone killings pave the way for Trump’s illegal war against Iran www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

How George Bush’s preventive war on terror and Barack Obama’s drone killings pave the way for Trump’s illegal war against Iran www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

After Senate Dems block the SAVE Act, Trump is likely to declare a national security emergency—claiming China could interfere in the midterms—and restrict voting: @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on why it won't "withstand judicial review" – on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4aPwWGd

Progressives may have lost the battle for racial affirmative action, but ironically, Supreme Court decisions should allow colleges to give advantage to groups defined by their income, geography, or heritage. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

“The Court in the tariffs case acted like a court should, in response to a president who acted like a president shouldn’t.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social

Evidently, writes David Cole (@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social), Trump “expects from his judicial appointees precisely what he expects from his executive branch appointees (and Republican members of Congress): that they do his personal bidding, no questions asked.”