Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

Did Hostility To Policing Contribute To Brown U. Failures?

Ben Shapiro at TPUSA: Conservative movement in danger "from charlatans who ... traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty"

RI Whistleblower Ramona Bessinger Barred from Serving on Public Health Board, Sues for Discrimination

“Julia”: Obama marketing machine fail

Posted by Anne Segal on May 05, 2012 43 Comments

In the days since the unveiling of the Obama campaign's cartoon Julia, critics on both the left and the right have laughed off the cradle-to-grave depiction of life with Big Brother handling everything for "its women": MSNBC's Willie Geist: "They did lob this up as a softball...

A little big point about Elizabeth Warren’s 1/32 connection

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 05, 2012 52 Comments

Much of the discussion in the media regarding Elizabeth Warren is about whether it is appropriate for someone who is 1/32 Cherokee to claim Native American status. There are numerous articles about what it means to be Native American, and who gets to define ethnicity. That...

Definition of insanity

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 05, 2012 4 Comments

Reader and frequent photographer Bill is visiting New Orleans, where he took this photo, and writes: A bit of sanity in an insane world? I'm not sure. Doesn't it make us insane? ...

Richard Mourdock, before anyone thought he had a chance

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 20 Comments

He was kind enough to call me, and we had a great conversation. I realize it's a lot easier to get a return call from someone not at the top in the polls, but not all candidates are that way. (I've been trying to talk to...

Thank you, Byron

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 33 Comments

Byron York has been one of the few level heads throughout the primaries. There's no point in naming names, since I've done that plenty, but so many in the alleged conservative punditry and media put in abysmal performances. This post shines, With his serious talk, Gingrich elevated...

Prof Claims Georgia College and State U. Fired Him for Voicing Concerns About Student Plagiarism

Law Professor Josh Blackman Resigns From Heritage Foundation Over Antisemitism Controversy

Professor Jonathan Turley Reacts to News About Lack of Republican Profs at Yale

Gender Studies Program at U. Minnesota Hands Out Whistles to Alert People of ICE Activity

Brown University Students and Staff Claim Security Worries Were Brushed Off for Years

Elementary School Principal in Pennsylvania Under Fire Over Antisemitic Voicemail Message

Hmmm good

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 35 Comments

I heard about this segment from a variety of people on Twitter, but I didn't get to watch it last night. It was worth the wait (transcript here): Watch the latest video at video.insider.foxnews.com He was a "business intelligence analyst for a paper clip marketing company"? There's...

Dick Lugar calls for help from Dems, Indies

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 27 Comments

This is sad, via IndyStar: “Every person in Indiana who wants me to continue, every person wherever they might be at this point, I encourage them to come out,” he said. “Come out immediately, as fast as you can.” ...

“the author of a blog read in the legal community”

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 46 Comments

I'm quoted in a Poltico story today about Elizabeth Warren: “If she is 1/32nd Native American … is it really appropriate to list yourself that way and knowing you will therefore be listed as a minority law professor?” asked William Jacobson, associate clinical professor of Cornell...

Elizabeth Warren’s “potatoe” moment

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 30 Comments

Today seems to be a turning point in the Elizabeth Warren-Cherokee story. Her shifting and implausible explanations have made her a laughing-stock, never good for any candidate. Warren has lost the argument, and her credibility. Her story about why she listed herself as a minority on...

New Indiana Poll – Mourdock up 48-38

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 15 Comments

Just released. This is the poll Lugar supporters were saying is the only reliable poll. No public link yet, but Barney Keller of Club for Growth says confirmed: Howey/DePauw University Poll: Mourdock 48, Lugar 38. 700LVs. #INSEN — Barney Keller (@barneykeller) May 4, 2012 @LegInsurrection positive. No link. Sure...

Bad numbers – We need a new name for “Unemployment Rate”

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 49 Comments

The unemployment report was just released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bottom line: 115,000 new jobs added, pundits had expected 177,000. "Unemployment Rate" drops to 8.1%, but as Ezra Klein admits, only because so many people left the workforce (over 300,000 more): Unemployment rate down to...

You know my soft spot

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 04, 2012 15 Comments

Yes you do. Another one from reader Kathy, spotted in Harrisonburg, VA: ...

Stop Rush launches new website to pressure advertisers

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 03, 2012 33 Comments

The folks behind the "Stop Rush" web page which Limbaugh has highlighted in his tweets (and which I mentioned in some of my posts) have opened a new website, StopRush.net. The website tracks advertisers, is supposed to show how efficient and effective the anti-Rush movement is,...

Blind Chinese dissident puts Obama in bind (video)

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 03, 2012 31 Comments

Via The Hill: Chen Guangcheng’s daring escape to the U.S. embassy turned into a major political headache for President Obama on Thursday as Republicans accused the administration of naively handing the blind human rights activist back to Chinese authorities...

Diminished college student vote could be a problem for anti-Walker forces

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 03, 2012 13 Comments

One big advantage Democrats in Wisconsin have is the college student vote. These students, many of whom are from out of state and have no real connection to Wisconsin, were a big part of the Prosser-Kloppenburg turnout in Madison. In a close election, they could be the...

Elizabeth Warren’s claim of being 1/32 Cherokee in doubt

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 03, 2012 70 Comments

Could it get any worse? When Elizabeth Warren first acknowledged that she had represented herself to be Native American when filling out forms for the Association of American Law Schools directories in the mid-80s through mid-90s, Warren based her claim entirely on family "lore." A couple of...

I would not have gone, so it’s a good thing you didn’t invite me

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 03, 2012 38 Comments

I never get invited to anything. Not that I would go, anyway. I have much more important things to do. Via Ben Smith, Buzzfeed Politics, After A Twitter Win, Romney Meets The Online Right: At the Republican National Committee yesterday, conservative online writers and bloggers who arrived...