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John Blume

@johnblume.bsky.social

210 followers 240 following 3 posts

Law Professor at Cornell Law School and Director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project

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Political science 36%

Law 22%

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Lee Kovarsky @kovarsky.bsky.social · 5d

I have no fucking idea what Ilan is even talking about here, or even whether he's tracking the litigation. The issue is whether POTUS complied with a statutory delegation of power under 10 USC 12406, to nationalize the fed guard. His lawyers aren't even arguing commander in chief power.

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Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Anna O. Law, Ben H. Ansell , and 28 more Timothy Snyder, Anna O. Law, Ben H. Ansell, Marco Festa‐Bianchet, Gavin A. Schmidt, Steve Peers, John McLaren, Leigh Sparks, Philip N. Cohen, Dustin Mulvaney, Charles W. Smith, John Marston, Stephen D. Murphy, Tom Griffin, Adrian Vickers, Samantha Brennan, Dolly Jørgensen, Aoife O’Donoghue, Graham Dutfield, David Murakami Wood, David Bartram, Philipp Sarasin, John H. Blume, Christina Pagel, Nancy M. Wingfield, Manisha Sinha, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Mary McAuliffe, Aviel Roshwald, Prakash Kashwan, Dunlap

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 14d

Only an administration intent on committing war crimes in the present and future would stoop to calling Wounded Knee a "battle" rather than what it truly was: a massacre of over 250 Lakotas, mainly women, children, and the elderly. 1/

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Reposted by John H. Blume

John Blume @johnblume.bsky.social · 14d

I agree. Even though selective and/or vindictive prosecution claims are notoriously difficult for defendants to prove, the evidence here is about as strong as it gets.

Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 14d

in a sane world, this would be an impeachable offense & articles of impeachment would be drawn up tomorrow.

just as Jimmy Kimmel’s case wasn’t about Jimmy Kimmel - but about state sanctioned censorship - the Jim Comey case isn’t about Jim Comey. It’s about the rule of law versus authoritarianism.

Reposted by Nina Jankowicz, Guy Grossman, David R. Miller , and 1 more Nina Jankowicz, Guy Grossman, David R. Miller, John H. Blume

Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 14d

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Reposted by Brady T. West, Jessica A. Gephart, John H. Blume , and 1 more Brady T. West, Jessica A. Gephart, John H. Blume, Suzanne Mettler

Kim Weeden @weedenkim.bsky.social · May 7

One of grants frozen at Cornell: $6.7M (4 yrs) to develop heart pumps for babies born w/ heart defects.

It took decades of work to get to point of prepping device for in-human clinical trials. No private company could do this.

The cruelty of the Trump administration is heartbreaking. So to speak.

Research at risk: Life-saving heart pumps for babies | Cornell Chronicle

After receiving a stop-work order from the federal government, the future of a device to help children with heart defects is uncertain.

news.cornell.edu

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Bobby Silverman @robertsilverman.bsky.social · Jul 16

not to be One Of Those Types but the sitting president made up a total nonsense story about the Unabomber yesterday—and kind of praised Kaczynski–and it barely made a ripple in the news cycle gizmodo.com/trump-shares...

Trump Shares a Personal Story About the Unabomber That Doesn't Make Any Sense

gizmodo.com

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Reposted by Anders Aslund, Menzie Chinn, Elizabeth Stevenson , and 1 more Anders Aslund, Menzie Chinn, Elizabeth Stevenson, John H. Blume

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · Jul 5

Trump and Elon made massive cuts to all US weather tracking and warning systems in the spring of 2025.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Jul 5

Trump on the Texas floods: "It's terrible. The floods? It's shocking. They don't know the answer yet as to how many people, but it looks like some young people have died."

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Reposted by Susan Young, John H. Blume

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · Jul 5

Don’t call it ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ Call it a concentration camp.

This facility’s purpose fits the classic model, and its existence points to serious dangers ahead for the country.

Opinion | Don’t call it ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ Call it a concentration camp.

This facility’s purpose fits the classic model, and its existence points to serious dangers ahead for the country.

www.msnbc.com

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Equal Justice Initiative @eji.org · Jul 4

On this day in 1933, a white mob broke into a jail cell in South Carolina, lynched Norris Dendy, a Black man, and left his body in a churchyard.

Jul. 4, 1933 | White Mob Lynches Norris Dendy and Leaves His Body in a Churchyard

Learn more about our history of racial injustice.

calendar.eji.org

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Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Michael E. Mann, Shawn Cole , and 6 more Stephen M. Walt, Michael E. Mann, Shawn Cole, Christoph Bertram, Shelly Lundberg, Michael Jones‐Correa, Mauro Gatti, John H. Blume, David Gamage

one dozen bats at a keyboard @panasonicdx4500.bsky.social · Jul 4

“The New York Times collaborated with a white nationalist eugenicist hacker and agreed to keep his identity a secret to publish a Zohran Mamdani hit piece” is a way bigger story than “18 year old Zohran Mamdani ticked ‘African American’ on his Columbia application because he was a citizen of Uganda”

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Equal Justice Initiative @eji.org · Jul 2

On this day in 1822, Denmark Vesey, a Black carpenter, was executed in Charleston, South Carolina, for planning to emancipate enslaved people.

Jul. 2, 1822 | Denmark Vesey Executed in South Carolina for Planning to Help Free Enslaved People

Learn more about our history of racial injustice.

calendar.eji.org

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Reposted by John H. Blume, Michael Plaxton

Josh Shepperd @joshshepperd.bsky.social · Jul 1

Got gossip from a managing editor pal of a journal that a few reviewers used ChatGPT to write their assessments for them, and didn't even conceal it. I'll say it again - it won't be the neoliberal administrators that take down the humanities. It'll be humanities professors who've stopped reading.

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · Jun 21

Most of the classes taught by judges are there because the judges enjoy the ego-stroking, and the law school thinks it will help with clerkship placements. Neither of those is a good reason to hire an instructor.

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · Jun 17

TACO isn’t just about tariffs, alas www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

Trump officials reverse guidance exempting farms, hotels from immigration raids

ICE agents have been told to continue conducting enforcement operations at agricultural businesses despite concerns about effects on the food industry.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Equal Justice Initiative @eji.org · Jun 16

On this day in 1944, George Stinney Jr., a 90-pound, 14-year-old boy, was executed in the electric chair in Columbia, South Carolina. He remains the youngest person executed in the U.S. in the 20th century.

Jun. 16, 1944 | Fourteen-Year-Old George Stinney Executed in South Carolina

Learn more about our history of racial injustice.

calendar.eji.org

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Lawrence Hurley @lawrencehurley.bsky.social · Jun 4

The elephant in the room
apnews.com/article/thai...

A hungry wild elephant raids a grocery store in Thailand for snacks

A hungry wild elephant has caused havoc in a grocery store in Thailand after strolling in from the Khao Yai National Park and helping himself to the food on the shelves.

apnews.com

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John Blume @johnblume.bsky.social · Jun 2

I agree with Josh’s take on the title.

Reposted by John H. Blume

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · Jun 2

If the person reading it doesn't immediately get the Arendt reference, it's gonna come across as highly offensive.

And if they do get the Arendt reference, it'll depend on their take on Arendt ...

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Madalyn Wasilczuk @mkwasilczuk.bsky.social · May 31

actionnetwork.org/petitions/st...

Stop the Execution of Stephen Stanko in South Carolina

South Carolina scheduled its 6th execution in 9 months. Stephen Stanko, 56, is scheduled to be executed on June 13, 2025 for the murders of Laura Ling and Henry Turner. Stephen has spent nearly twent...

actionnetwork.org

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Michael C. Dorf @dorfonlaw.bsky.social · May 26

On Memorial Day, I remember & honor America's fallen warriors--as well as Humphrey's Executor (which upheld independent agencies), the rule that lower courts can't anticipatorily overrule SCOTUS precedents, and constitutional democracy, all of which the Court undermined last week in the Wilcox case.

SCOTUS Severely Undercuts Humphrey's Executor, Its Own Authority, and Constitutional Democracy

On Thursday of last week, the Supreme Court used a shadow docket case-- Trump v. Wilcox --to effectively overrule Humphrey's Executor v. Uni...

www.dorfonlaw.org

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Reposted by David A. Bell, Carles Boix, John H. Blume

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · May 22

Just utter lawlessness from the Trump Administration, with no goal other than to punish institutions for refusing to bend the knee. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/u...

Trump Administration Halts Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · May 22

Today’s bonus issue of “One First” takes a closer look at Judge Ho’s galling concurring opinion on remand in the A.A.R.P. Alien Enemies Act case—which accused #SCOTUS of showing “disrespect” to the district judge and President Trump by … protecting due process:

www.stevevladeck.com/p/bonus-152-...

Bonus 152: Judge Ho, Due Process, and "Disrespect"

Some thoughts on Judge Ho's rather galling claim that the Supreme Court "disrespect[ed]" the district court and the President in Friday's ruling in the "A.A.R.P. II" Alien Enemies Act case.

www.stevevladeck.com

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Equal Justice Initiative @eji.org · May 10

On this day in 1740, South Carolina barred enslaved Black people from learning to read, earning money, and gathering, and authorized white enslavers to whip and kill them for being "rebellious."

May 10, 1740 | South Carolina Passes Negro Act of 1740, Codifying White Supremacy

Learn more about our history of racial injustice.

calendar.eji.org

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · May 9

Via "One First," me on why Stephen Miller's riff on suspending habeas corpus is not just factually and legally wrong (in multiple respects), but reflects a dangerous escalation in the Trump administration's rhetorical attacks on the courts:

www.stevevladeck.com/p/148-suspen...

148. Suspending Habeas Corpus

In response to adverse rulings in numerous immigration cases, Stephen Miller is raising the specter of suspending habeas. His argument is factually and legally nuts, but it's worth explaining *why.*

www.stevevladeck.com

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Maya Sen @mayasen.bsky.social · Apr 14

Cornell, MIT, CalTech, Princeton, Michigan and the U of R joined in on this one

It challenges the DOE indirect rate cap under the APA, among other arguments

Filed today: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Corey Rayburn Yung @coreyryung.bsky.social · Apr 13

The fundamental legal reason immigrants can be expelled with few protections (no Gideon right to an attorney, less due process, etc.) is that deportation and removal are considered "regulatory" and not "punitive" actions. That distinction collapses when they are sent directly to a prison.

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Reposted by John H. Blume

Desiree LeClercq @desireelc.bsky.social · Mar 12

I'm pleased to share my latest article, "Gender-Based Violence at Sea," out now at the Cornell International Law Journal. In it, I highlight the pervasive gender-based violence and harassment that female seafarers endure at sea, notwithstanding maritime labor law. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... 1/X

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment at Sea

This Symposium contribution assesses the ability of international law to evolve to offer essential protections for workers in an increasingly globalized world.

papers.ssrn.com