Donald Clarke
@donaldcclarke.bsky.social
Professor emeritus, George Washington University Law School, specializing in modern Chinese law. Gradually shifting over from Twitter/X.
Website: http://donaldclarke.net
Twitter: @donaldcclarke
Website: http://donaldclarke.net
Twitter: @donaldcclarke
Reposted by Donald Clarke
The answer is "no," but her response is not completely wrong. McClain is deliberately threading a needle of military lingo to confuse viewers.
Oaths of ENLISTMENT and oaths taken by OFFICERS are DIFFERENT. Anyone commenting on this needs to read Hertling's piece: www.thebulwark.com/p/what-ameri...
Oaths of ENLISTMENT and oaths taken by OFFICERS are DIFFERENT. Anyone commenting on this needs to read Hertling's piece: www.thebulwark.com/p/what-ameri...
BLITZER: I want to be precise. Should members of the US military obey clearly illegal orders?
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
November 24, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The answer is "no," but her response is not completely wrong. McClain is deliberately threading a needle of military lingo to confuse viewers.
Oaths of ENLISTMENT and oaths taken by OFFICERS are DIFFERENT. Anyone commenting on this needs to read Hertling's piece: www.thebulwark.com/p/what-ameri...
Oaths of ENLISTMENT and oaths taken by OFFICERS are DIFFERENT. Anyone commenting on this needs to read Hertling's piece: www.thebulwark.com/p/what-ameri...
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Once again, I remind you that this woman cannot be allowed anywhere near the strategy or leadership of the Democratic Party:
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Also, stop it with this BS. Biden correctly said the economy in 2024 was good, because it was. Yes, no one believed it. That wasn't his fault.
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Also, stop it with this BS. Biden correctly said the economy in 2024 was good, because it was. Yes, no one believed it. That wasn't his fault.
Slotkin: "He's trying to distract us from the big stories of last week, the Epstein files and economy. He's tweeting 'the economy is the best it's ever been' -- amazing considering the public isn't stupid. It reminded me of Joe Biden. Biden tried to tell us for a year that the economy was great."
November 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Once again, I remind you that this woman cannot be allowed anywhere near the strategy or leadership of the Democratic Party:
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Also, stop it with this BS. Biden correctly said the economy in 2024 was good, because it was. Yes, no one believed it. That wasn't his fault.
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Also, stop it with this BS. Biden correctly said the economy in 2024 was good, because it was. Yes, no one believed it. That wasn't his fault.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
They line up perfectly.
November 22, 2025 at 2:32 AM
They line up perfectly.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
“His determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy“. For fucks sake. Choose words that mean things. “his determination to challenge science”. “Deny scientific reason”. “His determination to kill untold numbers of healthy children.”
Breaking News: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally instructed the CDC to abandon its position that vaccines do not cause autism. The move underscores his determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy — in this case, that vaccines save lives — and bend the health department to his will.
RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website
In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.
nyti.ms
November 21, 2025 at 9:07 PM
“His determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy“. For fucks sake. Choose words that mean things. “his determination to challenge science”. “Deny scientific reason”. “His determination to kill untold numbers of healthy children.”
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Trump is so obviously happy to actually be spending time with a cool dude instead of the vile shit-nosed flunkies that are constantly squirming between his toes. It must be incredibly refreshing to breathe even one lungful of air that doesn't have the fetid taste of Stephen Miller thick upon it.
November 21, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Trump is so obviously happy to actually be spending time with a cool dude instead of the vile shit-nosed flunkies that are constantly squirming between his toes. It must be incredibly refreshing to breathe even one lungful of air that doesn't have the fetid taste of Stephen Miller thick upon it.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
a 34-year old DSA legislator turned mayor has MAGA's god emperor at heel like a geriatric puppy, what a world
Q: Just days ago you referred to Trump as a 'despot.' Will you retract?
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
November 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
a 34-year old DSA legislator turned mayor has MAGA's god emperor at heel like a geriatric puppy, what a world
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Reposted by Donald Clarke
DOJ is now recruiting for immigration judges by calling them “deportation judges.”
That’s seems really bad.
That’s seems really bad.
November 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
DOJ is now recruiting for immigration judges by calling them “deportation judges.”
That’s seems really bad.
That’s seems really bad.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
As this clearly relates, the explanation given is that this was done by US contractors confused about the boundary location, and the US and Mexico communicated about this through diplomatic channels and seem to have resolved it.
Does NOT appear to some kind of ominous prelude.
Does NOT appear to some kind of ominous prelude.
After Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s offer to start U.S. strikes against cartels on Mexican soil...
men arrived in a boat at a beach in northeast Mexico and installed signs that say the U.S. Department of Defense is restricting access to the land
Reports @cbsnews.com
men arrived in a boat at a beach in northeast Mexico and installed signs that say the U.S. Department of Defense is restricting access to the land
Reports @cbsnews.com
Warning signs appear on Mexican beach declaring area restricted by U.S. as Mexico rejects Trump offer to strike cartels
The signs read in English and Spanish, "Warning: Restricted Area," and had been declared restricted by "the commander."
www.cbsnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:11 AM
As this clearly relates, the explanation given is that this was done by US contractors confused about the boundary location, and the US and Mexico communicated about this through diplomatic channels and seem to have resolved it.
Does NOT appear to some kind of ominous prelude.
Does NOT appear to some kind of ominous prelude.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Remember that all of our tech billionaires think this is what the “light of consciousness” looks like
November 20, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Remember that all of our tech billionaires think this is what the “light of consciousness” looks like
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Willingly scarring your body to own the libs. These people are straight up insane. This is Manson Family shit
November 19, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Willingly scarring your body to own the libs. These people are straight up insane. This is Manson Family shit
Blakemore Fellowships for Asian language study: deadline December 30. More information here: www.blakemorefoundation.org
Blakemore Foundation
www.blakemorefoundation.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Blakemore Fellowships for Asian language study: deadline December 30. More information here: www.blakemorefoundation.org
Hey, Bluesky losers - look what you’re missing on Twitter!
November 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Hey, Bluesky losers - look what you’re missing on Twitter!
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Matt Gaetz's OAN producer Vish Burra deleted wildly antisemitic tweets and videos he shared earlier today, which showed a "Scheming Room" with a Star of David that depicted Jews as cockroaches who burned and ran when exposed to light.
I've asked OAN president Charles Herring and Gaetz for comment.
I've asked OAN president Charles Herring and Gaetz for comment.
November 14, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Matt Gaetz's OAN producer Vish Burra deleted wildly antisemitic tweets and videos he shared earlier today, which showed a "Scheming Room" with a Star of David that depicted Jews as cockroaches who burned and ran when exposed to light.
I've asked OAN president Charles Herring and Gaetz for comment.
I've asked OAN president Charles Herring and Gaetz for comment.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
We know the Chinese regime have been cultivating NY city & state politicians, fooling them with United Front "community group" outfits that coerce voters for them. They've been planting spies. And so on.
So, is this the explanation why no NY politicians are stepping up now?
2/2
So, is this the explanation why no NY politicians are stepping up now?
2/2
November 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
We know the Chinese regime have been cultivating NY city & state politicians, fooling them with United Front "community group" outfits that coerce voters for them. They've been planting spies. And so on.
So, is this the explanation why no NY politicians are stepping up now?
2/2
So, is this the explanation why no NY politicians are stepping up now?
2/2
In case you're wondering what's going on with the SNAP case: www.stevevladeck.com/p/190-snap-wtf
190. SNAP WTF?
A very quick explainer on what (and why) Justice Jackson issued an "administrative stay" in the SNAP case late on Friday night, and on what's likely to happen next
www.stevevladeck.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:45 AM
In case you're wondering what's going on with the SNAP case: www.stevevladeck.com/p/190-snap-wtf
Transnational repression at the IndieChina Film Festival: Transnational repression at the IndieChina Film Festival: open.substack.com/pub/donaldcl...
Transnational repression at the IndieChina Film Festival
Some distressing news from New York: a festival of independent Chinese films scheduled for November 2025 has been crippled by Chinese government threats against participants and others connected with ...
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Transnational repression at the IndieChina Film Festival: Transnational repression at the IndieChina Film Festival: open.substack.com/pub/donaldcl...
More proof that rich people are incredibly cheap. Cuomo had $4.9 million AGI in 2024; he donated $75K (1.53%!) to charity. He’s way below even the other cheapskates in his income bracket.
October 30, 2025 at 3:22 PM
More proof that rich people are incredibly cheap. Cuomo had $4.9 million AGI in 2024; he donated $75K (1.53%!) to charity. He’s way below even the other cheapskates in his income bracket.
It’s ridiculous that it should need to be said that the US becoming less trustworthy does not make China more trustworthy. It’s the same China it was before Trump came back to the White House.
Angus: Canada is reconsidering that relationship with China. Why? Because we can no longer trust the US.
And we know that we have 150, maybe more, Canadians in custody at ICE detention centers. We had two Canadians under Chinese custody and it caused a huge outcry. We now have over 150 in the US.
And we know that we have 150, maybe more, Canadians in custody at ICE detention centers. We had two Canadians under Chinese custody and it caused a huge outcry. We now have over 150 in the US.
October 25, 2025 at 3:14 AM
It’s ridiculous that it should need to be said that the US becoming less trustworthy does not make China more trustworthy. It’s the same China it was before Trump came back to the White House.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
It's official: Trump is insane
All these events he claims happened in 2020 - when none of these people were in any position of power and when Trump, not Biden, was president
There are no documents, just the things Crazy Trump hallucinates
All these events he claims happened in 2020 - when none of these people were in any position of power and when Trump, not Biden, was president
There are no documents, just the things Crazy Trump hallucinates
October 25, 2025 at 2:33 AM
It's official: Trump is insane
All these events he claims happened in 2020 - when none of these people were in any position of power and when Trump, not Biden, was president
There are no documents, just the things Crazy Trump hallucinates
All these events he claims happened in 2020 - when none of these people were in any position of power and when Trump, not Biden, was president
There are no documents, just the things Crazy Trump hallucinates
Reposted by Donald Clarke
"Xilinhot, a city in Inner Mongolia, announced plans to collect blood samples to update an identification database [...]"
China collected DNA and blood samples in the Uyghur Region in 2017, building a highly problematic database for surveillance.
www.business-standard.com/world-news/c...
China collected DNA and blood samples in the Uyghur Region in 2017, building a highly problematic database for surveillance.
www.business-standard.com/world-news/c...
www.business-standard.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:22 PM
"Xilinhot, a city in Inner Mongolia, announced plans to collect blood samples to update an identification database [...]"
China collected DNA and blood samples in the Uyghur Region in 2017, building a highly problematic database for surveillance.
www.business-standard.com/world-news/c...
China collected DNA and blood samples in the Uyghur Region in 2017, building a highly problematic database for surveillance.
www.business-standard.com/world-news/c...
Reposted by Donald Clarke
Vandalism.
Dramatic photos show construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows, though the federal agency that oversees such projects has not approved President Trump's 90,000-square-foot, $250 million ballroom. n.pr/48AUON2
The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump's ballroom
Dramatic photos show construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows, though the federal agency that oversees such projects has not approved President Trump's 90,000-square-foot, $250 million ballroom.
n.pr
October 21, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Vandalism.
Reposted by Donald Clarke
How many classes today were canceled because a whole suite of EdTech services are built atop AWS?
You know what platform never crashes?
You know what platform never crashes?
October 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
How many classes today were canceled because a whole suite of EdTech services are built atop AWS?
You know what platform never crashes?
You know what platform never crashes?
reason.com/volokh/2025/... Here we go again. Giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they didn't affirmatively intend to mislead the court, there's still no excuse for this kind of stupidity and laziness.
Court Concludes Filings (from >250-Lawyer Firm) Contained AI Hallucinations
Tovar v. American Automatic Fire Suppression Inc., decided Oct. 3 by San Diego County Superior Court Judge Carolyn M. Caietti,...
reason.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:01 AM
reason.com/volokh/2025/... Here we go again. Giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they didn't affirmatively intend to mislead the court, there's still no excuse for this kind of stupidity and laziness.