We have been discussing the effort in Congress to punish dissenting viewpoints among members on issues ranging from the Jan. 6th riot to the pandemic …
“Remember It’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: Loudon Teacher Pushes To Ban Classic Book Due To Its “White Savior” : by jonathanturley
We have previously discussed efforts to ban classic books, including To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Lee’s book has been banned in states from …
Arizona Couple Arrested After Falsely Claiming The Kidnapping Of A Child To Get Police To Find Their Stolen Truck : by jonathanturley
We often discuss criminals who are standouts for their stupidity or audacity or savagery. When it comes to Stormee Wagner, 40, and James E. Wagner, …
Gosh Oshkosh: University of Wisconsin Bans Any Speech Deemed “Insulting” or Demeaning” : by jonathanturley
There is a new controversy over university speech codes with a “red light” rating given to the University of Wisconsin (Oshkosh) and its prohibition of …
Miami Woman Arrested After Allegedly Posing As Student To Get Kids To Follow Her On Instagram : by jonathanturley
Audrey Nicole Francisquini, 28, wanted people to check out her Instagram account so much that she dressed like a student to pass out flyers at …
Houston Man Arrested As Police Continue Search For Missing Tiger : by jonathanturley
A story in Houston has everything you would want in a legal controversy: a murder, a mysterious figure known only as “D”, a missing Bengal …
Bad Bet: Who Can Gamblers Sue For Losing Money On A Doped Horse? : by jonathanturley
Today Bob Baffert, the trainer of the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, admitted today that the now disqualified horse was treated with an anti-fungal ointment …
Fourth Circuit Overturns Conviction Of Retired Air Force Colonel For Using Racial Slur : by jonathanturley
In a major but likely controversial victory for free speech, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned the conviction of a …
CDC Admits That It Miscalculated The Risk Of Outdoor Covid Transmission : by jonathanturley
The New York Times is reporting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was relying on a faulty study in declaring a 10 percent …
Free Speech Inc.: How Democrats Have Found A New But Shaky Faith In Corporate Speech : by jonathanturley
Below is an updated version of my column in the Hill on Facebook’s decision to uphold the ban on former president Donald Trump. Notably, this …
Mount Allison University Professor Suspended For Denying Canada is a Racist County and Criticizing BLM : by jonathanturley
Mount Allison University Professor Rima Azar feels a strong identification to Canada. Born in Lebanon during a civil war, Azar developed a lasting appreciation for …
Happy Mother’s Day : by jonathanturley
Happy Mother’s Day to all! Today holds a special meaning for me because last year I was with my now 93-year-old mother, Angela Piazza Turley, …
Weekend Photos: Just Deserts : by Darren Smith
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor Semi-arid lands do not often come to mind when one envisions beautiful countryside. One attribute it affords the beholder is …
New York Court Orders Mother To Remove Confederate Flag Decoration or Risk Losing Custody of Her Daughter : by jonathanturley
There is an interesting First Amendment case brewing in New York after an appellate ruled that a mother identified as Christie could lose custody of …
“Keep As Much Money As You Can”: Hunter Biden Disclosures Offer New Details On His Chinese Financial Dealings And Associations : by jonathanturley
There are new disclosures from Hunter Biden’s laptop that offer an added perspective on his dealings with Chinese figures, including Patrick Ho, secretary general of …
The Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Indictments Against All Four Former Officers In Floyd Death : by jonathanturley
The Justice Department has secured indictments of the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest and death. The three-count indictment unsealed Friday …
“A Failure To Be Anti-Racist”: Faculty Denounce Cypress College Over Suspension Of Professor In Anti-Police Diatribe : by jonathanturley
We recently discussed the controversy at Cypress College involving a professor becoming irate after student, Braden Ellis, stated that he felt police officers are heroes …
New Jersey Police Officer Fired For Calling BLM Protesters “Terrorists” : by jonathanturley
We have been discussing the termination of public employees and others for their postings on social media or public displays. The latest case is out …
Protesters Deface Billy Goat Trail With Anti-Police Graffiti : by jonathanturley
As many on this blog know, I am a lifelong hiker and backpacker. I often do dawn hikes on the Billy Goat trail along the …
If Congress Truly Supports Our Troops, It Must End The Feres Doctrine : by jonathanturley
Below is my column in The Hill on the Supreme Court’s rejection of the case of a former West Point cadet who was barred from …
Facebook Upholds Trump Ban But Admits Permanent Ban Lacked Any Objective Standard : by jonathanturley
Facebook’s Oversight Board just voted that the company may want to give Trump back his boots. The decision of the board to uphold the decision …
“Kierstien Hening Refused To Kneel”: Virginia Tech Sued By Student Who Alleges Abuse Over Her Refusal To Support BLM and Diversity Displays : by jonathanturley
The lawsuit of Virginia Tech student Kierstien Hening begins with a simple statement: “Kierstien Hening refused to kneel.” The lawsuit filed this week against Virginia Tech …
Juror 52: Does Chauvin Have A New Challenge Over Juror Brandon Mitchell? : by jonathanturley
The conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was undermined this week after the previously anonymous Juror #52 went public with interviews to discuss …
BYOC: Teacher’s Racist Diatribe Highlights Failure To Equip Officers With Body Cameras : by jonathanturley
For years, I and others have argued for body camera (and police interrogation cameras) to be used in every jurisdiction. Despite the obvious value of …
The Biden Administration Drops Dozens of Charges Against Violent Protesters in Portland : by jonathanturley
We recently discussed how the plea agreement with a BLM protester (who tried to cut the brake lines on a police vehicle) may indicate a …
Learning To Love “Content Modification”: Facebook’s New Campaign Should Have Free Speech Advocates Nervous : by jonathanturley
In 1964, Stanley Kubrick released a dark comedy classic titled “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” The title …
Chopped: Will Seattle Officials Now Claim Immunity From Lawsuits After Opposing Such Defenses For Police Officers? : by jonathanturley
Below is my column in The Hill on the new lawsuit against Seattle for its allowing the establishment of an autonomous zone within the city …
Police Groups Ask The University of Minnesota To Investigate Student’s Call To Make Life “Hell” For Officers : by jonathanturley
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association and the Law Enforcement Labor Services has taken the unusual (if not unprecedented) step of asking the University of …
BLM Protester Pleads Guilty To Trying To Cut The Brake Lining Of NYPD Van : by jonathanturley
There is a plea in the case of a Black Lives Matter protester, Jeremy Trapp, 24, who tried to cut the brake line of a …
California Professor Triggers Controversy Over Anti-Police Comments Captured On Videotape : by jonathanturley
There are growing complaints about faculty using classes for raw advocacy or political diatribes. The most recent such complaint arose at Cypress College where an …
Tennessee Coach Sues After Being Fired For Tweet Insulting Stacey Abrams : by jonathanturley
We have been discussing disciplinary actions taken against faculty and students for statements made outside of their respective schools. The latest involves Chris Malone who …
Why Didn’t The FBI Agents Take Hard Drives In Seizing Electronic Devices? : by jonathanturley
I have been a long critic of Rudy Giuliani going back years, including interviews and press conferences that I have condemned for making unsupported statements …
Georgetown Professor Under Fire For Reading The “N-Word” In A Class On Free Speech and Racism : by jonathanturley
We have been discussing professors who have been investigated or sanctioned for the use of the “n-word” in classes or tests at Duquesne, John Marshall, …
University of North Carolina Awards NYT Reporter Hannah-Jones A Chair In Investigative Journalism : by jonathanturley
We have been writing about the assault on foundational concepts of neutrality in journalism in academia. This includes academics rejecting the very concept of objectivity in …
University of Rhode Island Condemns Faculty Member For Publishing Criticism Of “Trans-Sex/Gender Ideology” : by jonathanturley
This week Women’s Studies Professor Donna Hughes was publicly condemned by the University of Rhode Island for writing an op-ed that criticized what she called …
“I Don’t Like Barriers”: New York Woman’s Podcast Could Be Weighed In Trial Of Killing Of NYPD Officer : by jonathanturley
An arrest in the death of NYPD officer Anastasio Tsakos could raise some challenging evidentiary questions in the trial of Jessica Beauvais, 32. Before Beauvais …
Barnard Professor Triggers Free Speech Controversy After Writing About “Detonating” and Gassing White People : by jonathanturley
A book by a Barnard College English instructor named Ben Philippe has caused a firestorm due to his depiction of a fantasy of gassing white …
“Outraging Public Decency”: Australian Convicted After Filming And Mocking Dying Officers In Crash : by jonathanturley
Supporting free speech is often a difficult task that demands defending the most despised individuals or offensive views in our society. That is certainly the …
Twitter Suspends Cornell Student For Showing Embarrassing Picture Of Hunter Biden : by jonathanturley
The conservative site College Fix has an account from a Cornell student that caught my eye today in light of the lawsuit yesterday against Twitter …
Project Veritas Sues CNN In Latest Media Defamation Lawsuit : by jonathanturley
Project Veritas has followed through with the pledge of its founder James O’Keefe to sue CNN over coverage of the ban imposed by Twitter (The …
The Difficult Realities Of Lethal Force : by jonathanturley
Below is my column in the Hill on the spate of recent police shootings and the resulting calls for reforms and criminal charges. Two new …
Res Ipsa Hits 50,000,000 : by jonathanturley
Last night, we passed the 50,000,000 mark in views on the blog. I would never have imagined that this little blog (started in a beach …
Portland Mayor Belatedly Condemns Anarchists But Stops Short Of Condemning Antifa : by jonathanturley
Last year, I testified in the Senate on Antifa and the growing anti-free speech movement in the United States. I specifically disagreed with the statement of House …
ABC-Washington Post Poll: Biden Supported By Bare Majority Of Americans : by jonathanturley
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that President Joe Biden has thus far failed in unifying the nation. His approval level stands at just …
Twitter Admits To Censoring Criticism of The Indian Government : by jonathanturley
On Saturday, Twitter admitted that it is actively working with the Indian government to censor criticism of its handling of the pandemic as the number …
Suspect Who Dragged NYPD Officer Was Previously Released Pending Trial For Attempted Murder : by jonathanturley
The recently released video of a NYPD officer being dragged by a fleeing suspect took an even more controversial turn when it was disclosed that …
This Carriage does it Justice: My New and Bizarre Typewriter : by Darren Smith
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor It had been a while since my latest purchase of strange technology pieces, the most recent being a telephone having …
Hits and Misses: HuffPost and Washington Post Ridiculed Over Attack Pieces On GOP Senators : by jonathanturley
Public trust in the media has hit an all-time-low in polling and the reason was evident this week with controversies over partisan and erroneous pieces …
Two Professors Face Discipline After Posting Flyers Denouncing a Conservative Colleague : by jonathanturley
There is an interesting and difficult free speech controversy brewing at Tennessee Tech University. Two professors, Julia Gruber and Andrew Smith circulated a flyer accusing …
“State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth”: House Democrats Set To Approve D.C. As The 51st State : by jonathanturley
The House Democrats, with the support of President Joe Biden, are set to vote to approve the establishment of the “State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth” …
Norfolk Police Officer Fired For Making Anonymous Donation To Kyle Rittenhouse : by jonathanturley
Norfolk Police Department Sgt. William Kelly, the second highest-ranking official in the Norfolk Police Department’s internal affairs division, has been fired for making an anonymous …
Columbus Shooting Sparks Protests Despite Videotape Showing Knife Attack : by jonathanturley
The shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, 16, in Columbus, Ohio has sparked protests despite the police releasing a videotape that appeared to show Bryant moving to …
The Chauvin Appeal: How The Comments Of The Court and The Prosecutors Could Raise Challenges Going Forward : by jonathanturley
Below is my column in the Hill on two issues that arose on the final day of the trial of Derek Chauvin that could now …
Pelosi Refuses To Criticize Waters Despite Court Denouncing Her Remarks For Undermining The Chauvin Trial : by jonathanturley
The fallout over the comments of Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Cal.) continued as Democrats were asked to condemn her call for protesters to stay in …
“Believe Your Eyes, Chauvin’s Knee Killed Floyd”: How The Line Between The Press and The Prosecution Disappeared In The Chauvin Trial : by jonathanturley
I previously wrote a column warning that media coverage of the George Floyd trial of Derek Chauvin was dangerously incomplete and slanted. The concern was …
Protesters Deface The Former Home Of Defense Witness In Chauvin Trial : by jonathanturley
We recently discussed the reckless rhetoric of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Cal., in Minnesota, including declaring that she and protesters would not accept an acquittal in …
America’s Micro State: Why Congress Should Consider Retrocession Rather Than Statehood : by jonathanturley
A vote is expected this week in the House for granting the District of Columbia full statehood. The bill will reach the floor without a …
Trump’s Surprise Witness: Rep. Waters Becomes A Possible Witness Against Her Own Lawsuit : by jonathanturley
With rioting continuing in Brooklyn Center, Minn. and around the country, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-CA, went to Minnesota and told the protesters that they “gotta …
Chicago Prosecutor Suspended For Stating Adam Toledo Was Armed Before The Shooting : by jonathanturley
Chicago prosecutor, James Murphy, has been placed on leave Saturday after he noted in court hearing this month that Adam Toledo, 13, had a gun …
What Is The Difference Between The Wright And Bobbitt Shootings? : by jonathanturley
Photo: Brooklyn Center Police Department Below is column in USA Today on charging decisions in the Wright and Bobbitt shootings. The sharp contrast in the …
“How Much Does The Current Structure Benefit Us?”: AOC Questions Role Of Supreme Court In Defending Court Packing : by jonathanturley
It often seems that our politics of rage has created a new age of berserkers, warriors revered for their blind destructive fury. In order to …
“Terror By White Supremacists”: BLM Denounces Coverage Of Co-Founder’s Real Estate Purchases While Facebook Censors Story : by jonathanturley
We recently discussed the move by Twitter to block the account of locking the account of sports journalist Jason Whitlock after he criticized the BLM …
Turley To Debate The Constitutionality Of The Wealth Tax : by jonathanturley
Today, I will be debating the constitutionality of the wealth tax. The Federalist Society has organized today’s debate with Indiana Law Professor David Gamage who …
Hostile Takeover: Democrats To Introduce Bill To Pack The Supreme Court : by jonathanturley
We recently discussed the controversial commission created by President Joe Biden to discuss calls to pack the Supreme Court as well as a number of …
Sixth Circuit Upholds Ohio Law Banning Aborting Babies With Down Syndrome : by jonathanturley
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit this week upheld an Ohio law that bans doctors from performing abortions when they know …
Former Officer Kim Potter Charged With Second Degree Manslaughter : by jonathanturley
The former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter has been arrested and charged with second degree manslaughter in the shooting of Daunte Wright. The charge allows …
Politicians Again Choose Politics Over Process In The Wright Shooting : by jonathanturley
Photo: Brooklyn Center Police Department Below is my column in the Hill on the Wright shooting and the continuing prejudicial statements made by political figures. …
IG Report: Congress Restricted The Capitol Police’s Use of Material And Tactics Before Capitol Riot : by jonathanturley
A new report from Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton has sent congressional leaders scrambling after finding that Capitol police were told that they could …
Called At The Plate: Umpire Joe West Wins $500,000 Judgment Against Former Catcher Paul Lo Duca : by jonathanturley
We previously discussed the defamation lawsuit brought by Major League Baseball Umpire Joe West against former catcher Paul Lo Duca after Lo Duca suggested that …
“Don’t Do That”: Reporters Tell Police Chief Not To Use The Term “Riot” : by jonathanturley
We have been discussing the long-standing effort of many in the media to avoid referring to “rioting” in states like Minnesota and Oregon. Even with …
‘Intentionally Racist”: Rep. Tlaib Declares Wright Shooting “Wasn’t An Accident” : by jonathanturley
Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib wasted no time in declaring that the shooting of Daunte Wright was a racist shooting and no accident. The long advocate …