Walter Olson
@walterolson.bsky.social
Writer on law etc.; Cato Institute. Election law, Maryland civic stuff, cooking. Blogged at Overlawyered back when. No kings, no tyrants.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) says the values that prevail in Minnesota and Minneapolis are "totally antithetical to America." But as @joelmathis.bsky.social points out, America is many things and places, and Minnesota counts just as much as Tennessee as constituting America.
Minneapolis is America
This country is too big to be one thing.
joelmmathis.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) says the values that prevail in Minnesota and Minneapolis are "totally antithetical to America." But as @joelmathis.bsky.social points out, America is many things and places, and Minnesota counts just as much as Tennessee as constituting America.
Reposted by Walter Olson
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.
January 19, 2026 at 3:46 PM
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.
Reposted by Walter Olson
The reason the “paid protestor” accusation is so popular is that these are people who cannot imagine doing something because it’s right, to stand up for a principle, talking to other people like that.
Rep. Byron Donalds: "These agitators -- who by the way are paid, folks. America, they are paid to do this kind of mess."
January 19, 2026 at 3:18 PM
The reason the “paid protestor” accusation is so popular is that these are people who cannot imagine doing something because it’s right, to stand up for a principle, talking to other people like that.
Reposted by Walter Olson
Wow: “Good thinks she’s still in the normative state. She has no idea of the peril she’s in. She seems relaxed. She [tells] the agent that she’s not mad at him.” But she’d unknowingly crossed “the border to the prerogative state [where] you can be shot dead recklessly..and no one will pay the price”
Opinion | An Old Theory Helps Explain What Happened to Renee Good
www.nytimes.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Wow: “Good thinks she’s still in the normative state. She has no idea of the peril she’s in. She seems relaxed. She [tells] the agent that she’s not mad at him.” But she’d unknowingly crossed “the border to the prerogative state [where] you can be shot dead recklessly..and no one will pay the price”
New avatar for a while
January 19, 2026 at 1:21 PM
New avatar for a while
Reposted by Walter Olson
For a Monday in January, the Swedish mitten museum digitaltmuseum.se/search?descn...
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
January 19, 2026 at 12:23 PM
For a Monday in January, the Swedish mitten museum digitaltmuseum.se/search?descn...
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Reposted by Walter Olson
Another very good analysis of Renee Macklin Good's shooting from the New York Times visual team. Slightly dry but worth it for the analysis.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Video: Video Analysis of ICE Shooting Sheds Light on Contested Moments
Newly available videos and existing footage synchronized and assessed by The Times provides a millisecond-by-millisecond look at how an ICE officer ended up shooting and killing a motorist in Minneapo...
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Another very good analysis of Renee Macklin Good's shooting from the New York Times visual team. Slightly dry but worth it for the analysis.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
As a result of a local police officer's actions, a teenager spent more than two years behind bars for a crime she did not commit. Eighth Circuit says officer was "cross-deputized" to the feds and therefore can't be sued. Cato cert amicus in Mohamud v. Weyker urges SCOTUS review [Matt Cavedon]
Brief Filed in Mohamud v. Weyker: State Officers on Federal Task Forces Should Not Be Immune from Accountability
Based on Weyker’s false testimony, Mohamud, a 16-year-old girl, languished in prison for over two years for a crime she did not commit. The government eventually abandoned its case.
www.cato.org
January 19, 2026 at 2:18 AM
As a result of a local police officer's actions, a teenager spent more than two years behind bars for a crime she did not commit. Eighth Circuit says officer was "cross-deputized" to the feds and therefore can't be sued. Cato cert amicus in Mohamud v. Weyker urges SCOTUS review [Matt Cavedon]
"A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense, usually for territorial gain and subjugation, in contrast with the concept of a just war." It was a key target of the Nuremberg Tribunal. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_...
January 19, 2026 at 2:05 AM
"A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense, usually for territorial gain and subjugation, in contrast with the concept of a just war." It was a key target of the Nuremberg Tribunal. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_...
Reposted by Walter Olson
“Commuting Tina Peters’ sentence would tell future election officials that the risks of subverting democracy are mitigated if they align themselves with the right political patron.”
💯 @andycraig.bsky.social in @theunpopulist.net
💯 @andycraig.bsky.social in @theunpopulist.net
The Colorado Governor Should Reject Trump’s Demand to Pardon a Convicted Election Saboteur
Jared Polis will jeopardize our democracy by freeing Tina Peters
www.theunpopulist.net
January 17, 2026 at 10:39 PM
“Commuting Tina Peters’ sentence would tell future election officials that the risks of subverting democracy are mitigated if they align themselves with the right political patron.”
💯 @andycraig.bsky.social in @theunpopulist.net
💯 @andycraig.bsky.social in @theunpopulist.net
"You can always put that award where your heart ought to be."
Eve Harrington presents her Sarah Siddons Achievement award to someone less fortunate.
January 18, 2026 at 8:21 PM
"You can always put that award where your heart ought to be."
DHS has put out a story that Renee & Becca Good had "followed around" ICE agents "all day." That always raised questions since incident occurred circa 9:30 a.m. Family lawyers say they hadn't followed anyone but were driving home from school dropoff "when they spotted federal agents and stopped."
Renee Good Was Concerned About ICE, a Lawyer Says, but Wasn’t Following Agents
www.nytimes.com
January 18, 2026 at 7:43 PM
DHS has put out a story that Renee & Becca Good had "followed around" ICE agents "all day." That always raised questions since incident occurred circa 9:30 a.m. Family lawyers say they hadn't followed anyone but were driving home from school dropoff "when they spotted federal agents and stopped."
Reposted by Walter Olson
"I've been shaken by not just the horror of Renee Good’s killing but the cruel and soulless rush to paint her as evil and unworthy of our sympathy or understanding."
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-renee-...
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-renee-...
Why Renee Good Was, and Is, So Dangerous to Trump
There are many ways to define an enemy. One is someone who isn’t afraid of you.
www.thebulwark.com
January 18, 2026 at 4:09 AM
"I've been shaken by not just the horror of Renee Good’s killing but the cruel and soulless rush to paint her as evil and unworthy of our sympathy or understanding."
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-renee-...
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-renee-...
Reposted by Walter Olson
Every time the Trump regime uses the words "funded protesters" and "outside agitators" news outlets need to cut to this photo from last week.
ICE has invaded these communities. Outside agitators don't show up in their fucking bathrobes.
ICE has invaded these communities. Outside agitators don't show up in their fucking bathrobes.
January 18, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Every time the Trump regime uses the words "funded protesters" and "outside agitators" news outlets need to cut to this photo from last week.
ICE has invaded these communities. Outside agitators don't show up in their fucking bathrobes.
ICE has invaded these communities. Outside agitators don't show up in their fucking bathrobes.
Reposted by Walter Olson
This opens up wider questions about how far the UK and Canada in the 5 eyes intel sharing framework as well as other former allies of the United States can still provide the Americans with any sensitive intelligence information at all
January 18, 2026 at 12:44 PM
This opens up wider questions about how far the UK and Canada in the 5 eyes intel sharing framework as well as other former allies of the United States can still provide the Americans with any sensitive intelligence information at all
Reposted by Walter Olson
Also we all have our various issues with FIRE but: FIRE is literally representing the plaintiffs here lol
January 18, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Also we all have our various issues with FIRE but: FIRE is literally representing the plaintiffs here lol
Reposted by Walter Olson
9/ In exchange for a norm for severely limiting what it does do with its military, the US gets to live on a planet where most countries operate on the assumption that the US military isn't a direct threat to them.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
January 17, 2026 at 10:24 AM
9/ In exchange for a norm for severely limiting what it does do with its military, the US gets to live on a planet where most countries operate on the assumption that the US military isn't a direct threat to them.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
Reposted by Walter Olson
Did you see Gorsuch's concurrence in Case v. Montana on Wednesday? It seems to have telegraphed this cert grant.
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
Justice Gorsuch Reminds: The Fourth Amendment Isn’t Dead Yet
The Supreme Court released a few decisions this week. All of them are important for the parties involved, and ultimately for everyone, but not to the immediate degree that some of the other pending…
www.techdirt.com
January 17, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Did you see Gorsuch's concurrence in Case v. Montana on Wednesday? It seems to have telegraphed this cert grant.
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
From tariffs to attacks on free speech, from murder in the Caribbean to sending unaccountable paramilitaries to invade American cities: Brian Doherty for Reason magazine in a broad survey of why no one who calls themselves libertarian should countenance the actions of the current administration.
Trump 2.0, year 1: A libertarian nightmare
Trump's specific, documented exertions of state power over the past year should be enough to declare him a dangerous foe of American liberty.
reason.com
January 18, 2026 at 2:07 PM
From tariffs to attacks on free speech, from murder in the Caribbean to sending unaccountable paramilitaries to invade American cities: Brian Doherty for Reason magazine in a broad survey of why no one who calls themselves libertarian should countenance the actions of the current administration.
Reposted by Walter Olson
Rather than focusing on auditing welfare programs, the Trump admin is throwing away hundreds of billions on a mass deportation project that doesn't focus on fraudsters and will increase the deficit. www.cato.org/blog/nonciti...
Noncitizens Were Underrepresented in Welfare Fraud Convictions in 2024
Benefits fraud is a serious issue, and whoever commits it should be held accountable, including through deportation in the case of a noncitizen.
www.cato.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Rather than focusing on auditing welfare programs, the Trump admin is throwing away hundreds of billions on a mass deportation project that doesn't focus on fraudsters and will increase the deficit. www.cato.org/blog/nonciti...
Reposted by Walter Olson
The real value is spite. The economic losses are the Spite Premium we pay for the little thrill leaders get from inflicting setbacks on a foe or rival, even if it costs us as much as it costs them
January 18, 2026 at 1:07 PM
The real value is spite. The economic losses are the Spite Premium we pay for the little thrill leaders get from inflicting setbacks on a foe or rival, even if it costs us as much as it costs them
Chicago effectively bans most food carts, including the hot dog kind. Time for the city to legalize this street amenity while helping foster micro-businesses that can support families.
Opinion | Something is wrong in Chicago — and it concerns hot dogs
Chicago’s political culture prioritizes who you know, rather than how well you serve customers.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Chicago effectively bans most food carts, including the hot dog kind. Time for the city to legalize this street amenity while helping foster micro-businesses that can support families.
Study using U.S. historical data from 1840–2024 finds "tariff increases are consistently contractionary: imports fall sharply, exports decline with a lag, and output and manufacturing activity drop persistently. The shock transmits through both supply and demand channels." [den Besten / Känzig]
The Macroeconomic Effects of Tariffs: Evidence From U.S. Historical Data - Marginal REVOLUTION
We study the macroeconomic effects of tariff policy using U.S. historical data from 1840–2024. We construct a narrative series of plausibly exogenous tariff changes based on major legislative actions,...
marginalrevolution.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Study using U.S. historical data from 1840–2024 finds "tariff increases are consistently contractionary: imports fall sharply, exports decline with a lag, and output and manufacturing activity drop persistently. The shock transmits through both supply and demand channels." [den Besten / Känzig]
Under ancient legal norms, the charges against Greta Thunberg should be heard by a jury of her peers. Yet "the United Kingdom has recently escalated its long campaign to force more and more criminal defendants to be tried by judges alone." Jury rights here have been eroding too [Matt Cavedon]
Greta Thunberg Won’t Be Tried by a UK Jury—Why Not?
Like the UK’s, our ruling class may find that inconvenient. But that’s rather the point. Neither Greta Thunberg nor purported pilferers of whiskey should be put behind bars without conviction by a jur...
www.cato.org
January 18, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Under ancient legal norms, the charges against Greta Thunberg should be heard by a jury of her peers. Yet "the United Kingdom has recently escalated its long campaign to force more and more criminal defendants to be tried by judges alone." Jury rights here have been eroding too [Matt Cavedon]
Reposted by Walter Olson
Whoa whoa whoa buddy who is this Jesus Christ you’re expecting me to emulate and what exactly did you say happened to him.
The Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire told priests protesting ICE to get their wills and affairs in order. Some praise the bishop, while other priests say they never signed up to be martyrs. n.pr/45TIwwT
Amid ICE clashes, New Hampshire bishop urges clergy to prepare their wills
The Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire told priests protesting ICE to get their wills and affairs in order. Some praise the bishop, while other priests say they never signed up to be martyrs.
n.pr
January 18, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Whoa whoa whoa buddy who is this Jesus Christ you’re expecting me to emulate and what exactly did you say happened to him.