Society for the Rule of Law

Trump’s $1.8 billion fund exemplifies the corrupt abuse of government power to punish his enemies and reward his friends, including those willing to break the law for him.

"In Scalia's eyes, the Constitution was neither living nor dead. It was an enduring and binding legal text.”
 James Rosen, author of Scalia: The Supreme Court Years, 1986–2001, joined Society for the Rule of Law Executive Director @greggnunziata.bsky.social to discuss his latest book.

"He was so kind and gracious to a green reporter that I decided someday I will write about this man." James Rosen yesterday on Justice Scalia at our "The Life and Legacy of Justice Scalia" webinar. Rewatch the full conversation here or read our recap linked below. youtube.com/watch?v=xn4p...

Aziz Huq, from the University of Chicago, explains how nobody needs tanks in the streets anymore. Today's autocrats use legal tools to unravel the rule of law and democracy from within.

During our Iran, Congress, and the Future of War Powers webinar, Scott R. Anderson discusses why courts avoid these cases.

The rule of law depends on "hydraulic pressure" between the branches of government. When Congress fails to push back, the judiciary cannot either. Power naturally shifts to the president. That's the warning from national security lawyer Jamil Jaffer at SRL's war powers panel.

Justice Jackson highlighted a key point in today’s Watson v. RNC arguments: historically, casting a ballot and receiving it are not the same thing. As our amicus brief explains, Congress understood that votes could be cast on one day and received by officials later. That history matters here.

“The lower federal courts have honored their oaths to the Constitution over the past 10 months.” — Judge Michael Luttig, at the SRL Summit

ICYMI: Judge Michael Luttig spoke powerfully at last month’s Summit about the Supreme Court. “The only power it has, and the only power it has to wield on behalf of the American people, is the power of its persuasion.” Today, that principle matters more than ever. 🎥 Watch the clip:

@greggnunziata.bsky.social joined @amanpourcopbs.bsky.social to discuss his new op-ed arguing for close scrutiny of Trump’s nominees:

“When the founders wrote the Constitution...The idea was that by involving the Senate in this process, you would make sure that the president couldn't appoint people who were unqualified.” @greggnunziata.bsky.social on @amanpourcopbs.bsky.social

 “The confirmation process is just a critical check and balance in our constitutional system, and it should not be minimized or pushed aside lightly.” — @greggnunziata.bsky.social,Former Chief Nominations Counsel, Senate Judiciary Committee, featured on @amanpourcopbs.bsky.social

“Some of his allies in the Senate that maybe the FBI process is not necessary...These nominations, these names are being floated without even preliminary diligence as far as I can tell on the part of the president's team.” — @greggnunziata.bsky.social on @amanpourcopbs.bsky.social

@greggnunziata.bsky.social: “The question that the Senate should be asking of nominees is…whether they are the type of men and women who will be faithful to their oath of office.” @nowhari.bsky.social @amanpourcopbs.bsky.social

Jonathan Adler on the Roberts Court: "The one area where it's been more active ... standing up to the Executive Branch, saying no to arrogations of power by the Executive Branch, the assertion of authority by administrative agencies that was not delegated to them by Congress."

@comstockb.bsky.social: “This just absurd nomination of Matt Gaetz as Attorney General—” @gtconway.bsky.social: “He couldn't make it here tonight because he had a hot date.” “It's called a recess appointment.”

@comstockb.bsky.social on the change elections to come: “Do not despair. We go back and forth, and in the 21st Century, we have had 11 change elections out of 13. Meaning either the House, the Senate, or the White House has changed hands in each election every two years.”

@comstockb.bsky.social: “These are not serious people being appointed.”

Alberto Gonzales on the importance of DOJ independence: “It's very, very important for the Attorney General to set an example for everyone within the Department of Justice about that clear delineation of power and authority.”

@gtconway.bsky.social on the Trump’s Cabinet picks: “It's just a dangerous mix of beliefs that is contrary to what used to be the civic education that we all received about the importance of the American legal system, however imperfect it may be.”

Kermit Roosevelt III on Trump v. US: “The law should apply to everyone. So what is that? That's Trump v. United States, the recent immunity decision. And I think that is such a bizarrely wrongheaded decision that it's hard to know where to start even talking about it.”