Posts October 30,
2017
These are the posts
that are accumulated in our weekly newsletter which goes out throughout the
school year. The posts are organized by the major units in our Constitutional
Law (5th ed.) student
textbook.
I.
Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS
1-10 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are
relevant to this unit:
Thurgood Marshall movie
faithful to the facts, and the man [AP / Connecticut Post, 10/29/17]: Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall’s widow,
Cecilia, has seen two showings of the new movie “Marshall” about her late
husband. She liked it, but had one observation about actor Chadwick Boseman,
who plays the civil rights pioneer and legal giant.
II.
Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are
recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
The
American Presidency [TOPIC 15]
Special Counsel charges 3 individuals over Russia probe [Jurist, 10/30/17]: Special
Counsel Robert Mueller on Monday revealed charges against two former Trump
campaign officials, and a plea agreement with a third, marking the first
criminal charges to come from a probe into possible Russian influence in US
political affairs.
http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2017/10/special-counsel-charges-3-individuals-over-russia-probe.php
Trump campaign adviser admitted to lying about Russian
contacts[Wash Post, 10/30/17]: George Papadopoulos, a former campaign adviser
to President Trump, pleaded guilty earlier this month to lying to federal
officials about contacts he had with people he believed had ties to the Russian
government while he was affiliated with Trump’s campaign.
III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns
[See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5th edition o
of Constitutional
Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
Legislation and the Legislative
Process (TOPIC 20)
Sexual Misconduct in California’s Capitol Is Difficult to
Escape [NY Times, 10/29/17]: There were the demeaning personal chores
she said her boss assigned her, like buying a shower curtain and blankets. And
there was the time that he appeared at the door of his apartment with his pants
open, she said, exposing himself to her when she went to pick him up for a
vote.
GOP Tax Bill to Include Property Tax Deduction, Brady
Says [Roll Call, 10/29/17[: Keeping the property tax deductions is a
nod to Republicans from high-tax states like New York and New Jersey who have
threatened to oppose the GOP tax bill if the plan would eliminate deductions
for state and local taxes. It’s unclear how many of those members will be
satisfied by the announcement as it appears the deduction for state and local
income taxes will still be eliminated, under the GOP plan.
IV. Criminal Law and Procedure
(4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th amendments)
[See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5th
edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that
are relevant to this unit :
‘Restorative Justice’
for Shoplifting? A Court Calls It Extortion [Marshall
Project, 10/29/17]: A company’s
program, used by Walmart and others, bypasses the cops.
V. 1st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and
Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5th edition
of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are
relevant to this unit:
VI. 14th
Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to
this unit:
Court rejects Trump's transgender troop ban [Politico,
10/30/17]: The Pentagon cannot enforce the Trump administration’s ban on
transgender troops serving in the military, a federal court ruled in a decision
released Monday that advocates called a “colossal victory.”
