David Cole
@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Professor, Georgetown Law; contributor to New York Review of Books; former National Legal Director, ACLU. Views expressed are my own.
Meet the next round of speakers joining “The Forever War and the First Amendment” symposium! @mashagessen.bsky.social, @nytopinion.nytimes.com Steve Coll, @economist.com @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, @georgetownlaw.bsky.social 🔗 Register here! knightcolumbia.org/events/the-f...
The Supreme Court is not a Trump court—at least not on several issues—but where does it stand on voting rights? @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social comments – on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4xinu6U - transcript bit.ly/4zChKqc
Jon Wiener@jonwiener.bsky.social · 3w ago“Fools and lapdogs”– that’s what Trump called the Justices on the Supreme Court after losing his case on tariffs – @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on how SCOTUS is NOT a Trump Court – @nybooks.com and on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4xinu6U - transcript bit.ly/4zChKqc
“The justices may not be, as Trump called them after he lost the tariffs case, “fools and lapdogs for the RINOs and the radical left Democrats,” but this is not Donald Trump’s Court.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
“While the conservatives [on the Supreme Court] may not be doing Trump’s bidding, they are pursuing their own ideological aims, often heedless of precedent.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
Participants include @polgreen.bsky.social, @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, @harikunzru.bsky.social, @mashagessen.bsky.social, @philklay.bsky.social, @premthakker.bsky.social, @rozinaali.bsky.social, Alberto Mora, Assia Boundaoui, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, and Steve Coll.
“While the conservatives [on the Supreme Court] may not be doing Trump’s bidding, they are pursuing their own ideological aims, often heedless of precedent.” —@davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
The so-called “narrowing” of the IRS immunity agreement continues to give Trump, his sons, and his organization immunity for past and present tax violations, worth as much as $10 million.. It’s illegal, it’s corrupt, it’s an impeachable offense
Barb McQuade@barbmcquade.bsky.social · 2mo agoBlanche’s appeasement is hollow. Trump still gets immunity from tax audits worth $100 million. And last week’s payout to abortion clinic blocker shows the path to payouts to rewrite history will be individual settlements instead of one designated fund. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
Very much, looking forward to being part of this!
Jameel Jaffer@jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 2mo agoWe have a truly amazing list of confirmed speakers and will be adding more in the coming weeks. @mashagessen.bsky.social, @polgreen.bsky.social, Alberto Mora, Assia Boundaoui, Sharif Abdel Kouddous, @rozinaali.bsky.social, Aziz Rana, @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social, @emilytripp.bsky.social 2/
The so-called “narrowing” of the IRS immunity agreement continues to give Trump, his sons, and his organization immunity for past and present tax violations, worth as much as $10 million.. It’s illegal, it’s corrupt, it’s an impeachable offense
Barb McQuade@barbmcquade.bsky.social · 2mo agoBlanche’s appeasement is hollow. Trump still gets immunity from tax audits worth $100 million. And last week’s payout to abortion clinic blocker shows the path to payouts to rewrite history will be individual settlements instead of one designated fund. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
Blanche’s appeasement is hollow. Trump still gets immunity from tax audits worth $100 million. And last week’s payout to abortion clinic blocker shows the path to payouts to rewrite history will be individual settlements instead of one designated fund. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
Blanche Gives G.O.P. Senators Written Assurances on Trump’s I.R.S. Deal (Gift Article)
Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general has been held up over concerns about a planned $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies and the president’s immunity from tax scrutiny.
nytimes.com
On Aug. 1, M. Elizabeth “Liz” Magill became Dean of Georgetown Law and Executive Vice President of Georgetown University. Learn more about Dean Magill and watch her welcome message to the Law Center community: https://bit.ly/4h43sIb
Our 8/20 issue is now online, with @danielmendelsohn.bsky.social on the Odyssey, Michael Greenberg on the DSA, Mark Danner on Trump in decline, @lauramarsh.bsky.social on John Lanchester, @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on the Supreme Court’s power grab, a poem by Anne Carson & much more.
August 20, 2026 Summer Issue
Table of Contents
nybooks.com
My qualified endorsement of @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social's insightful qualified defense of the Supreme Court's recent work (read and you will see why there's 2 levels of qualification here; I think he's sometimes too nice to the Court, sometimes the opposite): reason.com/volokh/2026/...
David Cole's Qualified Defense of the Supreme Court
Debate over the Supreme Court's performance in recent years has become highly polarized. So it's worth noting that prominent…
reason.com
Good news, bad news from SCOTUS this term. The good: they will check Trump. The bad: less interested in checking themselves. My review of the term in @nybooks.com www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
"Stare decisis, the obligation to follow precedent, is critical to judicial legitimacy, but this Court treats it as optional. Sometimes it overrules prior decisions outright; more often it just declines to follow inconvenient precedent." – @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
Close Calls By David Cole; In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority. @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social @nybooks.com www.nybooks.com/articles/202... www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
Close Calls | David Cole
In the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.
nybooks.com
The court ruling striking down the Stop WOKE Act divided two Trump appointees and produced “the most important affirmation of academic freedom in decades,” writes @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social.
The Freedom to Be Woke | David Cole
In the never-ending debate about freedom of speech on college campuses, conservatives have long condemned “cancel culture,” an attitude of intolerance
nybooks.com
Decision striking down FL’s Stop WOKE Act, written by a Trump appointee, over dissent by another Trump appointee, is most important academic freedom decision in decades. And illustrates tension among conservatives on free speech. I explain why. www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...
The Freedom to Be Woke | David Cole
In the never-ending debate about freedom of speech on college campuses, conservatives have long condemned “cancel culture,” an attitude of intolerance
nybooks.com
"No university can function as a center of learning if politicians micromanage what faculty can say to their students in class." @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...
The Freedom to Be Woke | David Cole
In the never-ending debate about freedom of speech on college campuses, conservatives have long condemned “cancel culture,” an attitude of intolerance
nybooks.com
The recent 11th Circuit decision striking down Stop WOKE Act as applied to university professors is most important academic freedom decision in decades. I explain why in NYRB online www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...
The Freedom to Be Woke | David Cole
In the never-ending debate about freedom of speech on college campuses, conservatives have long condemned “cancel culture,” an attitude of intolerance
nybooks.com
SCOTUS "rejected [Trump's] signature economic & international foreign policy tool, tariffs; it rejected his effort to rewrite who is an American; it rejected his effort to put Nat'l Guard troops on city streets." – @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4gQrK8b
SCOTUS is "far to the right of the people of this country," but "much to his dismay, this is not Donald Trump’s court." @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social – on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4gQrK8b – transcript bit.ly/4p1EdrS
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...
Georgetown Law Professor David Cole Delivers 2026 Commencement Speech
YouTube video by Georgetown Law
youtube.com
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...
Georgetown Law Professor David Cole Delivers 2026 Commencement Speech
YouTube video by Georgetown Law
youtube.com
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...
Georgetown Law Professor David Cole Delivers 2026 Commencement Speech
YouTube video by Georgetown Law
youtube.com
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.
The New York Review of Books@nybooks.com · 4mo agoThere 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.”
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.”
Trump v. Trump | David Cole
Call it “the art of the self-deal.” You sue yourself, announce a hasty “settlement” when the judge questions whether you are engaged in collusion (with
nybooks.com
