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Kim Lane Scheppele

@kimlanelaw.bsky.social

36K followers 1.5K following 590 posts

Tracking autocratic legalism around the world from Princeton University.

Kim Lane Scheppele is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. Scheppele works on topics related to comparative constitutional ethnography within the sociology of law. .. more

Political science 58%

Law 31%

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Lisa W. Fazio, Joshua Goodman , and 3 more Kim L. Scheppele, Lisa W. Fazio, Joshua Goodman, Robert C. Richards, David R. Miller, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 12h

Every targeted institution (my own very much included) should cut and paste this letter onto their letterhead.

Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 13h

A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.

Dear Madam Secretary,
I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters.
I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education.
As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges.
We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples:
• MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions.
• MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%.

source:
https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/regarding-compact

• We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree.
These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law.
The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.
As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation.
Sincerely,
Sally Kornbluth

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, David M. Schultz

The Boston Globe @bostonglobe.com · 12h

MIT became the first university to reject the Trump administration’s compact of demands, after its president Sally Kornbluth said the school already “meet or exceed many standards outlined” by the federal government.

MIT becomes first school to reject proposed ‘compact’ with Trump administration - The Boston Globe

MIT president Sally Kornbluth said the university’s practices already “meet or exceed” the federal government’s list of demands.

trib.al

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Cas Ⓜ️udde @casmudde.bsky.social · 13h

This is a remarkable coup by UHZ - but does not reflect success of state investment in higher education (which is going down in CH). Rather, it is the model that made U.S. academia so successful: massive private funding. Bizarrely, it is money from a Brazilian foundation. 🤯

Florian Scheuer @florianscheuer.bsky.social · 18h

I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.

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Reposted by Marc Lynch, Kim L. Scheppele, Brendan Nyhan , and 2 more Marc Lynch, Kim L. Scheppele, Brendan Nyhan, Michael Kevane, Robert C. Richards

Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 13h

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Jennifer A. Richeson, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 9 more Kim L. Scheppele, Jennifer A. Richeson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Anders Nilsson, Juan Cole, Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, David R. Miller, Brian Keegan, Greg Linden, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 13h

News: Bari Weiss just sent a memo to staffers at CBS News asking them to produce a memo explaining "how you spend your working hours—and ideally, what you've made (or are making) that you're most proud of."

One CBS News staffer puts it like this to me: "We just got Elon Musked."

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Pamela Samuelson, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 1 more Kim L. Scheppele, Pamela Samuelson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Roger Parloff @rparloff.bsky.social · 13h

At 11am I will try to live-blog, for @lawfaremedia.org , the hearing in Abrego Garcia’s civil (habeas corpus) case in federal court in Greenbelt MD. Abrego is seeking release from detention under a SCOTUS precedent called Zadvydas v Davis (2001). ...
/1
tile.loc.gov/storage-serv...

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Reuters @reuters.com · 18h

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

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Reposted by Laurent Pech

Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 22h

And yes, the Hungarian government was spying on European institutions . . .
www.direkt36.hu/en/sulyos-ug...

Inside the Fall of Viktor Orbán’s Secret Brussels Spy Network - Direkt36

In the 2010s, Hungarian intelligence began spying in Brussels against the EU and tried to recruit Hungarians working in EU institutions for this purpose. However, Hungarian intelligence carried it out...

www.direkt36.hu

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

Indictment alleges that James claimed the property as a 2nd home but used it as a rental investment property.

It says she rented the property out but conveniently doesn’t specify the timeframe or duration.

That’s notable bc you can rent out a 2nd home and the rider allows short-term rentals.

1/

On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for

In addition to the covenants and agreements made in the security Instrument Borrower and Lender further covenant and agree that Sections 6 and 8 of the Security Instrument are deleted and are replaced by the following:
6. Occupancy, Borrower will occupy and use the Property as Borrower's second home. Borrower will maintain exclusive control over the occupancy of the Property, including short-term rentals, and will not subject the Property to any timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or to any rental pool or agreement that requires Borrower either to rent the Property or give a management firm or any other person or entity any control over the occupancy or use of the Property. Borrower will keep the Property available primarily as a residence for Borrower's personal use and enjoyment for at least one year after the date of this Second Home Rider, unless Lender otherwise agrees in writing, which consent shall not be unreasonably with-held, or unless extenuating circumstances exist which are beyond Borrower's control.
8. Borrower's Loan Application. Borrower shall be in default it, during the Loan application process, Borrower or any persons or entities acting at the direction of Borrower or with Borrower's knowledge or consent gave materally false, mislead-ing, or inaccurate information or statements to Lender (or failed to provide Lender with material information) in connection with the Loan. Material representations include, but are not limited to, representations concerning Borrower's occupancy of the Property as Borrower's second home.
BY SIGNING BELOW, Borrower accepts and agrees to the terms and covenants
contained in this Second Home Rider.

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

Important discovery fight taking shape in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal case.

The question: Can the government assert privilege to avoid handing over documents that may be relevant to a defendant's vindictive prosecution claim?

Abrego's counsel says no.

www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

www.documentcloud.org

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Kimberly A. Prather, Steve Peers , and 10 more Kim L. Scheppele, Kimberly A. Prather, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Shelly Lundberg, Trevon D. Logan, Laurent Pech, Alan Richardson, Robert B. Reich, Stephen P. Smith, Judith Freedman, Aviel Roshwald, Nathan P. Kalmoe

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 1d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Richard S.J. Tol, Brendan Nyhan , and 4 more Kim L. Scheppele, Richard S.J. Tol, Brendan Nyhan, Ryan Enos, Aviel Roshwald, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, David Darmofal

Alex Wayne @aawayne.bsky.social · 1d

“Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”

The Republican chair of the National Governors Association breaks with Trump.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Criticizes National Guard Deployment in Chicago

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 1d

With $75 billion and thousands of masked agents, ICE is just getting started.

We take a look at ICE's skyrocketing expansion, the agency's failing standards, and where detention centers are planned for next. bit.ly/4nIoFrB

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 2d

USCIS Q3 data dropped today and woof, it's not pretty. Total pending cases at a new record high of 11.5m, net backlog increased from 4.9m to 5.4m cases, and "frontlog" bizarrely increased to 60K cases.

A lot of red flags in this data.

www.uscis.gov/tools/report...

Immigration and Citizenship Data

These reports provide data on various aspects of USCIS operations. In addition, certain tables list the USCIS office responsible for the adjudication.

www.uscis.gov

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Kevin Carey

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 2d

ICE is not only chasing down every random brown person in Chicago, they have a cameraman following them to film this for social media. Cruelty and inhumanity as content.

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Rosemary A. Joyce

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 2d

JUST IN: A federal judge has granted the New York Times’ demand for a list of Elon Musk’s security clearances. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 2d

At one point during the hearing, the judge asked the prosecution why the case can’t be tried before mid-December.

Lemons replied: We are “just getting our hands around” discovery in the case.

There’s lots of it, he added, and it includes a “significant” amount of classified information.

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Steve Peers, David Koepsell , and 1 more Kim L. Scheppele, Steve Peers, David Koepsell, David Darmofal

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 2d

The judge also set an initial schedule for pre-trial motions.

The first set is expected by Oct. 12. Per Comey’s defense counsel, that batch will include motions to dismiss for selective and vindictive prosecution, as well as a motion challenging the legality of Halligan’s appointment as US attorney

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Lisa W. Fazio, Elizabeth Saunders , and 11 more Kim L. Scheppele, Lisa W. Fazio, Elizabeth Saunders, James Q. Wilson, Will Jennings, Gavin A. Schmidt, Simon Chapman, Juan Cole, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, David R. Miller, Scott A. Imberman, Brian Keegan, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Clark Gray

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d

The elimination of USAID is a moral atrocity and all involved made a choice to enable, and then lie about, ending the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

MAE SOT, Thailand (AP) - Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family's food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food.
On May 21, exactly two weeks after Taher's little boy died, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat before Congress and declared: "No one has died" because of his government's decision to gut its foreign aid program. Rubio also insisted: "No children are dying on my watch."
That, Taher says, "is a lie."

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Erich Fromm

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 2d

We must all stand up and speak out.

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

DrDinD.bsky.social @drdind.bsky.social · 2d

🧵
Today's Nobel Prize in Chemistry is for the discovery and stabilization of metal-organic frameworks, stable networks of metal ions and carbon (organic) molecules

Applications of these porous compounds include catalysis and pollution remediation

Example of metal-organic framework formed by reacting chromium ion clusters with organic compound and hydrofluoric acid

Electron microscope image of a periodic array of super tetrahedra of the previous image

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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 2d

#WarRavagedPortland

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