When you look at the news in 2026…

Describe yourself in 4 TV characters.

🧵 I just posted a revised version of this article with a new title, "The Reconstructed First Amendment." My thesis remains that antislavery Republicans shifted 1A substantive theory towards a dissenters' rights focus without abandoning majoritarian enforcement. 1/5 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Jerry Edwards@jerryedwards.bsky.social · 3w ago

🧵Now on SSRN: The Birth of the Minority Rights First Amendment examines the antislavery conception of free speech. Scholars who analyzed the 19c legal & popular traditions of free speech came to seemingly contradictory conclusions. I resolve the contradictions. 1/13 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

I’m watching Legally Blonde, and I have to admire the versatility of the prof played by Holland Taylor. First day, she’s teaching civil procedure. Later on, she’s teaching evidence.

Oops. www.politico.com/news/2026/07...

Mandela Barnes drops out of Wisconsin governor race

Shortly after, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed it was investigating allegations that Barnes had leveraged his role within the state Democratic party to have sexual encounters with young women.

politico.com

Some morons will pedal the “why would he invoke 5A unless he has something to hide?” My belief is Dr. Fauci is a dedicated public servant who did his best in a crisis. At any rate, the privilege against self incrimination is a constitutional right. It doesn’t matter if you have anything to hide.

The New York Times@nytimes.com · last wk.

Breaking News: Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the 5th Amendment, refusing to answer questions from a Senate committee about the origins of Covid. He also accused the panel’s chairman of having an “unhinged obsession” with him.

Seeing Bill Burr in October! We saw him in Milwaukee a couple years ago, and he was hysterical.

Why Odysseus would be a Trump supporter. by Ross Douthat

Does anyone have access to this article and willing to email me a PDF? politicalsciencereviewer.com/index.php/ps...

@bsky.app @safety.bsky.app are yall ever going to verify me? 🙂

Visited the Abraham Lincoln Bookshop in Chicago today. It’s one of the most incredible stores I’ve ever been to. Here are my purchases.

Woohoo! @liberalcurrents.com

Oh my: degrees.apps.asu.edu/bachelors/ma...

Pat Sobkowski@patsobkowski.com · 2w ago

Apparently ASU has an “influencer” major. Our society is crumbling.

Apparently ASU has an “influencer” major. Our society is crumbling.

The Men Who Believed Some Men Are More Equal Than Others www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/b...

The Men Who Believed Some Men Are More Equal Than Others (Gift Article)

In a new book, the historian Kim Phillips-Fein chronicles a “shadow tradition” of anti-egalitarians who fought against America’s founding ideals.

nytimes.com

The Odyssey is a 3,000 year old FAFO story.

Fantastic. One of the best films I’ve ever seen.

Pat Sobkowski@patsobkowski.com · 2w ago

Sitting down to see The Odyssey. Will report back.

Sitting down to see The Odyssey. Will report back.

If you're not sick of me and my book yet, here we are on the New Books Network www.google.com/url?q=https:...

Blanche is a bald faced liar and should be nowhere near the DOJ.

Jen Bendery@jbendery.bsky.social · 2w ago

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters last week, right after he'd met with Todd Blanche, that Blanche told him "I made a mistake" by creating Trump's $1.7B slush fund for J6ers. Direct quote, Durbin said. Here's Blanche now denying it, in his written responses to judiciary committee members:

Picked this up. I’m anxious to see how it compares to Michael Holt’s volume on the election.

Just got home from The Odyssey (so good!), the first @liberalcurrents.com physical publication was waiting for me! Bravo to @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com and the rest of the team!

Look what just came in the mail! @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social @judedoyle.bsky.social @annalaw.bsky.social @aselrod.bsky.social @victorerikray.bsky.social

I was up in northern Wisconsin this weekend.

Just finished the draft of my latest article on state constitutional law! This is my contribution to an upcoming Montana Law Review symposium. I explore how Montana is a model for interpreting state constitutional punishment provisions in context. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

The Union was too easy on traitors after the war, example #23749

Annette Gordon-Reed@agordonreed.bsky.social · 2w ago

White Supremacists Took Over a City in 1898. The Fallout Continues. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/b...

WaPo/Ipsos poll In their rulings on Trump administration policies, do you think the Supreme Court justices have mainly (decided cases based on the law) or (based on their personal political views)? on the law 25% on their political views 46% no opinion/skipped 29%

July 8-13, 2026, Washington Post-Ipsos poll

Nationwide survey of U.S. adults.

washingtonpost.com

Good piece by Zach Price, who I don’t believe is on Bluesky. www.yalejreg.com/nc/legal-and...

I just posted my draft of this year’s Harvard Law Review #SCOTUS Foreword—“The Court Against the Courts.” It analyzes the challenges, obstacles, and threats district courts have faced in cases involving the Trump administration—and documents how & why the Court bears responsibility for much of it: