Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 11h

Literally was just thinking: "Hmm, wonder what Mark Bray's up to these days."

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 14h

Who in the Democratic establishment is articulating what the "consequences" may be?

Who has stated: "Democrats will investigate and, if warranted, prosecute government officials for murder in connection with extrajudicial killings of 'drug mules'"?

Why should she fear consequences?

Andrea Junker @strandjunker.com · 1d

You can joke about Pam Bondi’s ridiculous unprofessionalism all you want, but I’m deeply shocked by it: She acts as if she fears absolutely no consequences, convinced that there will be no more political power transfers. — This should shake everyone to their core.

3

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 15h

Agreed, entirely.

But also, government officials telling artists what type of art they can/should produce is deeply depressing and disturbing.

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

A purported leader reacting angrily to a country song seems weak, not strong.

1 5

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 16h

6

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 1d

I had the privilege of helping moot these two and was incredibly impressed. (And, while I wasn't there, I heard they crushed it in court.)

Kelly Orians @yoyokellyo.bsky.social · 1d

So proud of the 8 law students (6 at @uvalaw.bsky.social and 2 at @gwlaw.bsky.social) who put 2+ years pursuing a sentence reduction for a client under D.C.’s Second Look Law. GW Law 3Ls Zoe Jacobs and Nick Teachenor’s professionalism and preparation during today’s 3 hour hearing was extraordinary.

5

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 2d

A subset of the South has spent ~150 years resenting the perceived unjustified deployment of federal troops in their communities during Reconstruction. Entire politics and worldviews have been shaped by it. Honestly curious how this is landing there culturally: Amnesia? Vengeance? Schadenfreude?

11 27

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 2d

Damnit you made me do a triple-take.

2

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 3d

I don’t know enough about the TX and AZ context, but UVA actually can’t sue (because our General Counsel reports to the State AG, not the university, and the State AG is very much a MAGA type). It’s unclear that our current Board of Visitors and President would sue, but that’s another matter.

1

Reposted by Thomas Frampton

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 4d

I thought I'd put the administration's proposed "compact" with universities in context, so I wrote the blog post below.

It's especially for journalists covering this story!

Many details about how the compact itself works and why the administration has retreated to this strategy.

Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

12 260 540

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 3d

I’ve only heard second-hand; but that’s deeply embarrassing if that’s actually where the university’s leadership is at.

1 4

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 3d

Even the Jefferson Council appears to recognize that UVA shouldn’t sign the “Compact.”

6 22

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 4d

🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅

NY Times header about how people are signing up for the Army because they were struggling to pay for food and shelter.

1 4

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 4d

This is critical. Reasonable people can disagree on "institutional neutrality" (i.e., internal policies about the issuance of statements on current events). UVA adopted one in August 2024.

But the U.S. government gagging universities if they want federal funding should offend us all.

Itai Sher @itaisher.bsky.social · 5d

I support institutional neutrality if autonomously adopted by universities.

But making it a condition for preferential access to federal funding is very problematic. It effectively requires universities to avoid criticizing the government to be prioritized for support.

8

Reposted by Thomas Frampton

Mary Lewis @profmarylewis.bsky.social · 5d

Excellent resolution from UVA. Well done, @uvahumanities.bsky.social

Now, friends at Dartmouth, MIT, Vanderbilt, Texas, etc need to step up.

6 46 170

Reposted by Thomas Frampton

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 5d

News coverage of the Trump administration's proposed "compact" with universities has been, so far, shockingly bad.

I hate to pick on NPR reporter Elissa Nadworny, who's usually a solid reporter, but almost every important thing I heard her say this morning about the proposed "compact" was false.

2 99 300

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 6d

Note the wording: "designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization." Not "Foreign Terrorist Organization."

As of 2 weeks ago, "Antifa" has been so designated.

So will universities that join the "Compact" be committing to adopt policies prohibiting "support" for antifascism?

3 11

Reposted by Thomas Frampton

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 6d

They folded the big First Amendment violations in with a bunch of other stuff, including things that are totally unobjectionable and that universities are already doing, in order to make the overall document read as reasonable to someone who doesn't know the ins and outs of it. Don't be that person.

1 20 94

Reposted by Thomas Frampton

Genevieve Lakier @genevievelakier.bsky.social · 6d

The admin’s efforts to get universities to agree to a list of demands in exchange for preferential access to federal funding isn’t just “troubling” as Ted Mitchell, prez of the @aceducation.bsky.social says in this article; it looks blatantly unconstitutional.🧵
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...

www.wsj.com

5 110 280

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 9d

Big day for SSRN though…

1 11

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 10d

Much appreciated! Just a dislocation (and MAYBE a small fracture); sore but fine now!

1 1

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 10d

Def seems seasonally appropriate, huh?

1

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 10d

I had a bogus Friday night.

Many thanks to the wonderful professionals at Washington Hospital Center, and to the other ER patrons, for their prompt diagnosis of "oh god, that finger's jacked up." And to @yoyokellyo.bsky.social for her ability to find joy in unpleasant circumstances.

X-ray of hand with obviously dislocated finger.

Selfie of me in pain and wife maniacally grinning.

6 21

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 10d

Every Supreme Court Justice should have to have a phone like this.

9 22

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 12d

Got it. Great catch! I'm curious if/when/whether a DoD lawyer will actually try to enter an appearance or purport to submit a pleading on behalf of the "Department of War." I suspect they'd be risking sanction, but I don't know.

Thomas Frampton @tframpton.bsky.social · 12d

No, I read the story (which is great, thank you!). I meant link to the pleadings? I went through the court dockets for the lawsuits and couldn't find it, but I didn't read everything!

1