Christian Mott
@cjmott.bsky.social
Moral psychology & experimental jurisprudence. Interested in mental state attributions, risk, punishment, personal identity, criminal law & procedure, constitutional & statutory interpretation, statistics, etc., etc., etc. christianmott.com
This bill (linked below) does not just eliminate QI, it partially codifies Bivens, as sec. 3 also makes 1983 liability apply to every "Federal law enforcement officer."
(It might be helpful to define that term, as other areas of federal law define it differently. See 18 USC 115; 34 USC 50301.)
(It might be helpful to define that term, as other areas of federal law define it differently. See 18 USC 115; 34 USC 50301.)
January 27, 2026 at 11:45 PM
This bill (linked below) does not just eliminate QI, it partially codifies Bivens, as sec. 3 also makes 1983 liability apply to every "Federal law enforcement officer."
(It might be helpful to define that term, as other areas of federal law define it differently. See 18 USC 115; 34 USC 50301.)
(It might be helpful to define that term, as other areas of federal law define it differently. See 18 USC 115; 34 USC 50301.)
Ingraham: ICE shouldn't exist.
we are witnessing historic backpedaling here
January 27, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Ingraham: ICE shouldn't exist.
Will this be the SG's position if there is a CVSG in Kipke v. Moore? (In which a 4th Circuit panel held, with Agee dissenting, that "Maryland’s prohibition on guns within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration is constitutional.")
January 25, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Will this be the SG's position if there is a CVSG in Kipke v. Moore? (In which a 4th Circuit panel held, with Agee dissenting, that "Maryland’s prohibition on guns within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration is constitutional.")
A good piece of music for thinking about the future (along with Sergio Ortega's original, of course).
Rzewski plays Rzewski – The people united will never be defeated! – live 1986
YouTube video by ADGO
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:30 AM
A good piece of music for thinking about the future (along with Sergio Ortega's original, of course).
Seems like a good time to get more Democrats -- and maybe some Republicans -- on board with impeaching, removing, and disqualifying Noem.
Inveterate lying to the public and defaming the dead seems like a high crime or misdemeanor to me.
Inveterate lying to the public and defaming the dead seems like a high crime or misdemeanor to me.
Compare what Noem said to the video.
January 25, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Seems like a good time to get more Democrats -- and maybe some Republicans -- on board with impeaching, removing, and disqualifying Noem.
Inveterate lying to the public and defaming the dead seems like a high crime or misdemeanor to me.
Inveterate lying to the public and defaming the dead seems like a high crime or misdemeanor to me.
Reposted by Christian Mott
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.
"Please get the truth out about our son."
"Please get the truth out about our son."
January 25, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.
"Please get the truth out about our son."
"Please get the truth out about our son."
Ah yes, 1887, when the US's real GDP per capita (in 2011 dollars) was $6,617. Much better than, say, 2022, when it was a mere $58,487.
(All figures due to the Maddison Project Database 2023.)
(All figures due to the Maddison Project Database 2023.)
January 21, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Ah yes, 1887, when the US's real GDP per capita (in 2011 dollars) was $6,617. Much better than, say, 2022, when it was a mere $58,487.
(All figures due to the Maddison Project Database 2023.)
(All figures due to the Maddison Project Database 2023.)
I'd be fine with Democrats supporting this bill in exchange for adding "or the United States" after "District of Columbia" in sec. 1983.
The most effective guardrails right now are those that can be enforced in court by private parties. Not reporting requirements the administration can violate.
The most effective guardrails right now are those that can be enforced in court by private parties. Not reporting requirements the administration can violate.
But the question—for an opposition with limited power facing a fascist, anti-democratic regime—isn't what's easy, but what's possible. And I don't see why a hardball stance that says "we'll wreck everything if you continue the violence" should be off the table. /end
January 20, 2026 at 11:21 PM
I'd be fine with Democrats supporting this bill in exchange for adding "or the United States" after "District of Columbia" in sec. 1983.
The most effective guardrails right now are those that can be enforced in court by private parties. Not reporting requirements the administration can violate.
The most effective guardrails right now are those that can be enforced in court by private parties. Not reporting requirements the administration can violate.
Anyone running for the Democratic nomination should make clear they will work to undo whatever Trump does with respect to Greenland.
The incredibly lukewarm Democratic response on Greenland is being noticed in Europe, incidentally.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
But Americans who want to save the alliance with Europe must have no illusions about how bad a condition this transatlantic partnership is in.
January 18, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Anyone running for the Democratic nomination should make clear they will work to undo whatever Trump does with respect to Greenland.
I have no idea whether the US helping the protestors would lead to a good outcome (cf. Libya). I do know that the President should not tell protestors that "help is coming" and then do nothing.
New report from doctors shows the Iranian regime slaughtered 16,500 protesters during the communications shutdown.
Iran report says 16,500 dead in ‘genocide under digital darkness’ — The Times and The Sunday Times
‘You have ten minutes to cry,” came the officer’s curt command to the couple as he revealed the corpse of their twentysomething daughter, gunned down in the historic streets of Isfahan. After searchin...
apple.news
January 18, 2026 at 6:23 PM
I have no idea whether the US helping the protestors would lead to a good outcome (cf. Libya). I do know that the President should not tell protestors that "help is coming" and then do nothing.
If the next president is a Democrat, their AG should consider prosecuting Trump for bribery just so we can find out what Trump v. US footnote 3 means.
Investigate and prosecute political opponents, sell pardons to your rich friends so they can commit crimes with impunity. Authoritarianism isn’t coming, it’s here, whether people realize it or not.
January 17, 2026 at 4:50 AM
If the next president is a Democrat, their AG should consider prosecuting Trump for bribery just so we can find out what Trump v. US footnote 3 means.
So after Slaughter, the PCAOB gets its for-cause removal protections back, right?
January 15, 2026 at 11:28 PM
So after Slaughter, the PCAOB gets its for-cause removal protections back, right?
Reposted by Christian Mott
Got a DM if we were really serious about closing, and yes, we've reached that inflection point.
But we’re trying to stop that from happening! We need help connecting to funders or sponsors who might provide bridge funds as we design the next chapter.
Who in your network would be open to a chat?
But we’re trying to stop that from happening! We need help connecting to funders or sponsors who might provide bridge funds as we design the next chapter.
Who in your network would be open to a chat?
January 15, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Got a DM if we were really serious about closing, and yes, we've reached that inflection point.
But we’re trying to stop that from happening! We need help connecting to funders or sponsors who might provide bridge funds as we design the next chapter.
Who in your network would be open to a chat?
But we’re trying to stop that from happening! We need help connecting to funders or sponsors who might provide bridge funds as we design the next chapter.
Who in your network would be open to a chat?
This opinion allows the government to re-detain Khalil (see p. 18 of the dissent) and to choose the forum that will hear his constitutional challenges (i.e., the Fifth Circuit), which will only occur after months (or more) of detention -- detention that a judge found was retaliation for speech.
JUST IN: Big win for the Trump administration in the 3rd Circuit, ruling that a federal judge in NJ never had jurisdiction to consider Mahmoud Khalil's challenge to his detention.
Unclear what immediate effect it will have given tangle of other issues/rulings.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
Unclear what immediate effect it will have given tangle of other issues/rulings.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
January 15, 2026 at 2:42 PM
This opinion allows the government to re-detain Khalil (see p. 18 of the dissent) and to choose the forum that will hear his constitutional challenges (i.e., the Fifth Circuit), which will only occur after months (or more) of detention -- detention that a judge found was retaliation for speech.
Docket, with link to a complaint, is up on CourtListener. Primary causes of action are violation of 10th amendment, violation of equal sovereignty principle (per Shelby County), violation of APA, and 1st amendment retaliation & viewpoint discrimination.
January 12, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Docket, with link to a complaint, is up on CourtListener. Primary causes of action are violation of 10th amendment, violation of equal sovereignty principle (per Shelby County), violation of APA, and 1st amendment retaliation & viewpoint discrimination.
If anyone wants to read the complaint in Kelly's suit against Hegseth, it is available on the courtlistener docket below.
KELLY v. HEGSETH, 1:26-cv-00081 - CourtListener.com
Docket for KELLY v. HEGSETH, 1:26-cv-00081 — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information.
www.courtlistener.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:07 PM
If anyone wants to read the complaint in Kelly's suit against Hegseth, it is available on the courtlistener docket below.
There is an interest rate cap for national banks in federal law. It appears at 12 USC 85. There's a cause of action for violating it at 12 USC 86.
Generally, a president who wanted to change this law would try to convince Congress to do so.
Generally, a president who wanted to change this law would try to convince Congress to do so.
January 12, 2026 at 2:06 AM
There is an interest rate cap for national banks in federal law. It appears at 12 USC 85. There's a cause of action for violating it at 12 USC 86.
Generally, a president who wanted to change this law would try to convince Congress to do so.
Generally, a president who wanted to change this law would try to convince Congress to do so.
Powell's term as Fed Chair ends in May, but his term as a governor ends in January 2028. Trump seems to be creating a pretext to try to remove him from the latter.
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Powell's term as Fed Chair ends in May, but his term as a governor ends in January 2028. Trump seems to be creating a pretext to try to remove him from the latter.
Sen. Murphy is right, and the headlines about this story should be "Trump Plans War with Europe" not, e.g., "Trump Eyes Greenland" or some other phrasing making it seem like the fate of Greenland is all that's at stake.
I can't believe I'm posting this video - but we actually have to have a conversation about the real world implications of America going to war over Greenland.
Let me walk you through it. It doesn't turn out well for us.
Let me walk you through it. It doesn't turn out well for us.
January 11, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Sen. Murphy is right, and the headlines about this story should be "Trump Plans War with Europe" not, e.g., "Trump Eyes Greenland" or some other phrasing making it seem like the fate of Greenland is all that's at stake.
Reposted by Christian Mott
Really feels like just telling military to draw up plans to invade an ally should be an impeachable offense regardless of party
January 11, 2026 at 2:21 AM
Really feels like just telling military to draw up plans to invade an ally should be an impeachable offense regardless of party
Reposted by Christian Mott
European Union preparing sanctions on US companies if President Trump rejects EU proposal to deploy European military force to Greenland as an alternative to US control.-Telegraph
January 11, 2026 at 2:29 AM
European Union preparing sanctions on US companies if President Trump rejects EU proposal to deploy European military force to Greenland as an alternative to US control.-Telegraph
US states should also consider passing laws imposing liability on X unless it bans CSAM and NCII, including digital CSAM and NCII generated using images of real people. Such materials are distinguishable from those at issue in Ashcroft v Free Speech Coalition, which this Court may not want to extend
BREAKING: The UK Government is working with Canada and Australia to launch a coordinated ban on X, per the Telegraph
January 11, 2026 at 2:57 AM
US states should also consider passing laws imposing liability on X unless it bans CSAM and NCII, including digital CSAM and NCII generated using images of real people. Such materials are distinguishable from those at issue in Ashcroft v Free Speech Coalition, which this Court may not want to extend
Daily Mail is not trustworthy, but a lot of people seem to think Trump's military designs on Greenland are genuine. If this is true, congressional leaders' obligation is clear: They should be telling Trump that ordering US special forces into Greenland would lead to his impeachment and removal.
NEW: U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered his special forces commanders to draw up a plan for the invasion of Greenland - but is being resisted by senior military figures, Daily Mail claims, citing sources.
January 11, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Daily Mail is not trustworthy, but a lot of people seem to think Trump's military designs on Greenland are genuine. If this is true, congressional leaders' obligation is clear: They should be telling Trump that ordering US special forces into Greenland would lead to his impeachment and removal.
A good habeas opinion from SCOTUS!
January 9, 2026 at 3:07 PM
A good habeas opinion from SCOTUS!
Reminder what an early ruling in Callais could enable the GOP to do before the midterms, as we wait to find out which cases SCOTUS will decide today.
The Supreme Court Case That Could Hand the House to Republicans
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Reminder what an early ruling in Callais could enable the GOP to do before the midterms, as we wait to find out which cases SCOTUS will decide today.