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Katherine Franke

@katherinefranke.bsky.social

3.8K followers 520 following 120 posts

Avid flyfisher & lover of penguins. James L. Dohr Professor of Law, Columbia Law School (retired); Founding Director, Center for Gender & Sexuality Law. Author of Repair: Redeeming the Promise of Abolition, and Wedlocked: The Perils of Marriage Equality.

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Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Jun 11

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Jun 11

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Jun 10

The gov't doesn't have the exclusive power to (mis)interpret the law, the people can give it meaning too under the principle of popular sovereignty. The law doesn't treat protests ag immigration raids as a "rebellion" & I explain why (and provide signs!). youtu.be/bIEhD2hw2oM

Protest is Not Rebellion

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Jun 8

Calling in the National Guard in LA to suppress protests against ICE arrests: yes we shd protest, but with awareness that this is part of the gov't's plan - provoking protests as a manufactured "crisis" that then necessitates a suspension of "normal law". youtu.be/MsuGWFgNg14

Is this the tipping point?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Jun 2

Cuomo is running for Mayor while aggressively using the law to retaliate against women who accused him of sexual harassment. @columbiauniversity.bsky.social has done the same - uses the law to retaliate against whistleblowers. They're using the same lawyer, Theresa Trzaskoma. youtu.be/nnI506Fv58I

Andrew Cuomo and Columbia University Are Using the Same Lawyer to Retaliate Against Whistleblowers

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 30

New SCOTUS decision allowing a school to ban a student from wearing a trans-phobic t-shirt. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented, arguing that banning this t-shirt violated the student’s free speech rights. I explain, and connect the case to Brown v. Board of Ed. youtu.be/3CwaHjc7yiw

No First Amendment Right to Wear an Anti-Trans T Shirt

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 22

The "One Big Beautiful Bill" - the Repub Budget Bill - has a provision tucked into it on p. 562 that renders current fed'l court orders against the Trump Admin unenforceable. This renders the administration immune from legal accountability. I explain. youtu.be/aFntw5ZuLhQ

Limit of Federal Courts Tucked into Repub Buget Bill

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 20

@hassan.senate.gov - thank you for asking the question, you may want to share my short tutorial on the writ of habeas corpus with @secnoem.govpeeps.us‬:

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 20

Reposting yesterday's 'splainer on what "the writ of habeas corpus" is, for the benefit of Sec. Kristi Noem, who testified in the Senate today that it was "a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country" youtu.be/5flVKgk_J-0

Can Trump Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 20

Reposting yesterday's 'splainer on what "the writ of habeas corpus" is, for the benefit of Sec. Kristi Noem, who testified in the Senate today that it was "a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country" youtu.be/5flVKgk_J-0

Can Trump Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 20

As I was saying … he can’t do that.

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 20

Law School is in session: Can Trump suspend the writ of habeas corpus and eliminate the legal tool that has been successfully used to release students from ICE detention? I explain. youtu.be/5flVKgk_J-0

Can Trump Suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Reposted by Katherine Franke

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · May 20

Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman welcomed to Columbia College's graduation ceremony with sustained jeers and boos.

Minutes later, students break out in loud chants of "Free Mahmoud":

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 19

Student speakers at graduations across the country are compelled to bear witness to the genocide in Gaza. I join them in naming it as a genocide, and situate the annihilation of Palestinian life in Gaza in an historical context. youtu.be/UM7zLCf5GVw

Student speakers at graduations are compelled to bear witness to the genocide in Gaza. I join them.

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 16

Last Monday night I got to hang with these incredible legal advocates at the @IMEU dinner. This group is leading the charge in freeing students who've been kidnapped by ICE, in fighting the evils of fascism in the US, and in defending the rights and dignity of Palestinians.

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 15

Students are devoting graduation speeches to the genocide in Palestine. Logan Rozos, the graduation speaker at NYU bravely did so yesterday. We need to stand behind these students who bear witness to the defining human rights atrocity of a generation. youtu.be/p3zHes8IeS8

In Defense of Students at Graduation

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 14

Another student released from ICE detention by a federal judge: Badar Khan Suri!! With this winning streak in gaining freedom for detained students, why isn't Mahmoud Khalil being released? youtu.be/IQVUfdpV804

Another Student Released From ICE Detention!

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 13

Why is Mahmoud Khalil still in ICE detention when other students have been released by federal court judges? I offer some thoughts. youtu.be/gO6Gz8ivU30

Why Is Mahmoud Khalil Still In ICE Detention?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 12

The ACLU letter is here: www.aclu.org/documents/op...

Open Letter to College and University General Counsels on: 1) 8 U.S.C. § 1324 Harboring Liability, and 2) ICE Administrative Subpoenas | American Civil Liberties Union

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 12

Frankly, universities have received very bad advice from their General Counsels about how to handled student protests and ICE surveillance of students - I break down why, and call out some of the worst lawyers who have advised Columbia. youtu.be/swHM_C-p7lI

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 9

What if the @columbia students' occupation of Butler Library yesterday was leaked to the Columbia administration? We need to be thinking 2, 3, 4 steps ahead with our organizing in these times. youtu.be/Yk5U-PCKAlg

Three dimensional chess

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 6

Today's installment of: "Can he do that?" Can Trump pull Harvard's non-profit status? Spoiler alert: no. I explain. youtu.be/KVWf7fdOJd4

Can Trump Pull Harvard's Tax Exempt Status?

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 3

Today's: "How on Fire 🔥🔥 are things right now?" The Repubs in the House did NOT vote this week to give the gov't the power to deport US citizens, contrary to @ericswalwell.bsky.social's alarm bell. I explain why.
youtu.be/Fmkheq3Eo2Y

Congress Did Not Give Trump Power to Deport US Citizens

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 2

At @columbiauniversity.bsky.social, the call has been coming from inside the house & the callers are working closely w the Trump Admin: they're the authors of a new "report" today, whose WhatsApp texts show their disdain for Columbia's Senate, faculty, and students. youtu.be/xzZzkaVdM4g

What to make of the Columbia Sunshine Report

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · May 1

The federal judge released Mohsen Mahdawi today. I explain the ruling, what it means, how it relates to the immigration case, and the other students' cases. The 29 page decision is available here: drive.proton.me/urls/S14H3MQ...

youtu.be/57YHLBZH7fE

Splainer on Mahdawi Release Decision

YouTube video by Katherine Franke

Katherine Franke @katherinefranke.bsky.social · Apr 30

I break down Monday's EO that signals the Trump admin's plans to deploy federal and Nat'l Guard troops to quell public protests - violating the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, and what we might do to head this off. youtu.be/x7jInSCJrwM

Posse Comitatus Act Concerns

YouTube video by Katherine Franke