Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

Marco Rubio Makes 'Times New Roman' Font Great Again

Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Overturn Texas "Book Bans," Library May Remove LGBTQ Books

Harvard Paid Internship For "Students of Color" Challenged by Equal Protection Project

Duquesne University Terminates Prof for Using N-Word in Class Discussion About Why It’s Inappropriate

Posted by Mike LaChance on October 10, 2020 48 Comments

Duquesne University Education Professor Gary Shank has been on leave since mid-September for using the N-word in a class discussion about why the word is inappropriate. Shank gave students permission to use the word for the sake of their discussion, and this set off a firestorm. Now the school has terminated his employment.

Yale Sued by DOJ Over Discriminatory Admissions Policies Against “Asian and White Applicants”

Posted by Mike LaChance on October 10, 2020 26 Comments

Yale University is under fire from the Department of Justice over admissions policies the DOJ says are racist against Asian-Americans and whites. Given this lawsuit and the Department of Education's investigation of Princeton, it's obvious that the federal government is taking a much more active interest in higher education.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkt0ft0raDM&t=15s

U.S. Slaps Sweeping New Sanctions on Iran’s Terror-Linked Banking Sector

Posted by Vijeta Uniyal on October 10, 2020 10 Comments

The United States on Thursday placed sweeping sanctions on Iran's banking sector, crippling the regime's ability to finance global terrorism. The latest sanctions announced by the White House are perhaps the toughest measures against the regime-linked banks since President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-Biden nuclear deal two years ago.

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6198582029001#sp=show-clips

Frank Luntz: Undecideds in VP Debate Focus Group Found Kamala Harris ‘Abrasive and Condescending’

Posted by Mike LaChance on October 10, 2020 59 Comments

If you watched the vice presidential debate this week, you may have noticed that Kamala Harris often seemed agitated and nervous. This presented itself physically in her facial expressions, nervous laughter, and attitude. According to pollster and analyst Frank Luntz, this did not go over well with the undecided voters in his focus group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xzNyrFhzew

Historic Failures Week in Higher Education

Posted by Mike LaChance on October 10, 2020 2 Comments

Your weekly report on campus news....

Rutgers Student Disappears After Taking Ride From Man Who Allegedly Threatened Him in the Past

Medical School Module at Drexel U. Makes ‘Antiracism’ and CRT Part of Doctors’ Ethical Duty

National Faculty Coalition Wants Protections for Non-Citizens Who ‘Express Support’ for Hamas

Vanderbilt Drops Diversity-Based Admitted Students Program

Notre Dame Brings Back 'Catholic Mission' to Staff Values

Syracuse Will Offer 12 Courses on Content Creation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53z6uZxffjA

Durham Dreams Destroyed

Posted by William A. Jacobson on October 09, 2020 96 Comments

On September 12, 2020, in a moment of wishful thinking, I wrote, Aggressive Attempts To Discredit Durham Investigation May Reflect Something Big Is Coming Down.

https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1311149650192347136

October 15 Presidential Debate Officially Cancelled

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 09, 2020 29 Comments

What a cluster. Though I'm sure debate moderator Steve Scully is breathing a sigh of relief.

Cal Cunningham Holds Disastrous Press Conference, Ensures Affair Scandals Will Not Go Away

Posted by Stacey Matthews on October 09, 2020 28 Comments

Scandal-plagued Democrat Senate nominee Cal Cunningham held what his campaign described as a Zoom press conference earlier today to discuss his Republican opponent Sen. Thom Tillis's supposed "failures" on the Wuhan Coronavirus relief bill.

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1281258102587785218?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Nancy Pelosi Flirts With Invoking 25th Amendment, Speculation Immediately Jumps to Preparation to Install Kamala Harris, Should Biden Win

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 09, 2020 34 Comments

Pretty sure this is not how Speaker Pelosi thought her 25th Amendment announcement would go.

https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1314285414962925569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1314285414962925569%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthefederalist.com%2F2020%2F10%2F09%2Fwhite-supremacist-suspect-in-michigan-kidnapping-plot-is-actually-a-trump-hating-anarchist%2F

Whitmer Claims Trump ‘Complicit’ in Kidnapping Plot, But Suspect Also Called Him a Tyrant

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 09, 2020 28 Comments

I am glad the FBI foiled the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. I am glad she is safe and sound. It disappointed me, but did not surprise me, that Whitmer claimed President Donald Trump is "complicit" in the plot. However, a video of one of the accused shows him blasting Trump as a tyrant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqyXZZ1AqZw

Chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates Was Told Steve Scully’s Twitter Accounted Was Hacked

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 09, 2020 41 Comments

Late Thursday night, Steve Scully, who was tapped to moderate the next presidential debate (which is currently not happening after Trump refused to participate due to a switch from an in-person debate to a virtual format), appeared to accidentally send a private message to Trump-hater Anthony Scaramucci, asking how he should respond to Trump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g8E9jqUtZI

Spanish Court Overturns Madrid Lockdown, Saying it Violates Citizens’ “Fundamental Rights”

Posted by Vijeta Uniyal on October 09, 2020 16 Comments

On Thursday, a Spanish court overturned the latest government lockdown restrictions placed on the capital, Madrid, and 9 other cities.

Madrid's highest regional court rejected the measures imposed by the Spanish central government, calling them an "interference by public authorities in citizens' fundamental rights."

CA Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office Tells Diners to Wear Masks “In Between Bites”

Posted by Leslie Eastman on October 09, 2020 39 Comments

Late last week, the California governor's office put out a tweet advising that restaurant-goers keep their masks on while dining.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article108687852.html

Appeals Court rejects extension of Wisconsin absentee ballot deadline, reversing lower court

Posted by William A. Jacobson on October 09, 2020 29 Comments

Earlier this week the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated South Carolina's witness requirement for absentee ballots, after a federal district court judge effectively rewrote election law due to the pandemic.

Twitter Oops — Debate Moderator Steve Scully Seeks Advice From Trump-Hater Anthony Scaramucci

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 08, 2020 24 Comments

C-SPAN Political Editor and second debate moderator Steve Scully and well known Trump hater The Mooch had a bizarre Twitter exchange, which has led to raised eyebrows over Scully's objectivity in the next debate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTGppsfyzt4

Oberlin College’s ‘Professor of Peace’ Accused By Iranian Opposition of Covering Up Regime Crimes Against Humanity (Update: Prof. Responds)

Posted by William A. Jacobson on October 08, 2020 17 Comments

I've covered some wild things at Oberlin College over the years. There's just so much low-hanging news fruit.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:New_York_University#/media/File:10_Washington_Place.jpg

NYU Student Reaches Landmark Settlement with University in Campus Anti-Semitism Lawsuit

Posted by Samantha Mandeles on October 08, 2020 14 Comments

Almost a year after embarking on her legal battle, NYU graduate Adela Cojab and her lawyers have won an important victory in the fight for Jewish civil rights on college campuses.