30 April 2025
Harvard Under Attack
Since Donald Trump took office as the 47th President of the United States of America, hardly a week has gone by without academic institutions coming under attack. The U.S. government is now claiming that Harvard - and other universities - are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by serving as “breeding grounds for anti-Semitism”. This raises numerous constitutional questions. Continue reading >>
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29 April 2025
Harvard Under Attack
Seit dem Amtsantritt von Donald Trump als 47. Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika vergeht kaum eine Woche, in der wissenschaftliche Einrichtungen nicht attackiert werden. Die US-Regierung macht nun geltend, dass Harvard – und andere Universitäten – gegen Title VI des Civil Rights Acts verstießen, indem sie als „Brutstätten für Antisemitismus“ dienten. Das wirft allerlei verfassungsrechtliche Fragen auf. Continue reading >>
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11 April 2025
The U.S. President’s Electoral Power Play
On March 25, President Trump signed an executive order (EO) purporting to restructure American election administration. The ironically titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” EO sets out to, among other things, require those registering to vote in federal elections to present documentary proof of citizenship, and threatens to penalize states that accept late arriving ballots (i.e., mail ballots that are sent prior to, yet not received until after, Election Day). The EO has several legal deficiencies and much of it should be invalidated by the federal judiciary. Continue reading >>
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20 March 2025
Sliding into Quasi-Fascism?
Many commentators label the second Trump administration authoritarian or right populist, but shun fascist as rhetorical overreach. They are currently correct. Such hesitation, however, is on less sure footing for those who prognosticate that the executive will attempt to construct a regime claiming the right to unchecked, continuing power. Substantial continuation of constitutional and democratic norms, which they assume, is far from guaranteed. I will explain why the Trump presidency already displays characteristics that render reasonably possible its morphing into a regime appropriately characterized as fascist or, at least, quasi-fascist. Continue reading >>13 February 2025
Transgender Rights at a Crossroads in the United States
In his first month in office, US President Donald Trump has issued a series of sweeping executive orders targeting transgender rights. These orders build on political terrain that is now exceedingly hostile to transgender rights. In this post, I briefly examine the landscape for transgender rights in the United States, analyze what President Trump’s executive orders on transgender rights aim to do, and then discuss the stakes of United States v. Skrmetti, the pending Supreme Court case that will likely set out the framework that federal courts will use in adjudicating transgender rights cases under the Trump administration and beyond. Continue reading >>
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29 January 2025
TikTok’s last dance
“On January 19, we still have President Biden, and on January 19, as I understand it, we shut down.” With these words—foreshadowing the final ban of the TikTok app in the United States—Noel Francisco, legal representative of ByteDance, the Chinese parent company, addressed the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments on January 10, 2025. One week later, the Supreme Court issued its ruling: TikTok’s appeal was dismissed. The court’s reasoning merits examination, while the implications remain uncertain, particularly as a Trump executive order temporarily blocks the ban’s enforcement. Continue reading >>
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12 February 2024
The Year of the Defense of Life, Liberty and Property
Following his inauguration on December 10, Argentina's President Javier Milei has pursued his governmental goal to reduce the size and expenses of the state and to deregulate productive activities by issuing Executive Order (DNU) 70/23, titled "Bases for the Reconstruction of the Argentine Republic." This executive order is unprecedented in Argentina's history for its ambitious scope, addressing a wide range of issues in a single directive. This blogpost maps some constitutional questions that arise with Milei’s choice of implementing his governmental agenda via Executive Order, including their status in Argentina’s constitutional system and available mechanisms for congressional and judicial control. Continue reading >>
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30 May 2020