Kim Lane Scheppele
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kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele
@kimlanelaw.bsky.social
37K followers 1.5K following 660 posts

Tracking autocratic legalism around the world from Princeton University.

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Kim Lane Scheppele is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. Scheppele works on topics related to comparative constitutional ethnography within the sociology of law. .. more

Political science 58%
Law 31%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

contrariannews.org
The Contrarian @contrariannews.org · 2h
“Potential war crime or murder.” @jenrubin.bsky.social digs deeper into Hegseth in her latest column—and it’s absolutely worth the read: https://contrarian.substack.com/p/war-crimeor-murder

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Daxton R. Stewart

lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com
lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 2h
day 1 is "penzeys revolution blend" and i cant stop laughing at "we have to GET RID of this lying, cheating, CORRUPT SCUMBAG PRESIDENT!! RESIST! REVOLT! REVOLUTION NOW!! good on roast poultry and carrots"
small red bag with the following text: Look at him. Imagine waking up every day knowing we lost the greatest democracy in the history of the world to such a corrupt, pathetic, lying, cheating, teenage girl creeping, bankrupt in every vay "man."No, just No. 250 years go we held a Revolution against men like him. Keep it alive. Roast meats, carrots, cauliflower, eggs, popcorn, burgers, hummus, wings.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Woodrow Hartzog

404media.co
404 Media @404media.co · 2h
One thing we're vvv proud of: 404 Media independent + journalist-owned. Here's a rundown of some of our recent work:

After months of 404 Media reporting and pressure from lawmakers, US airlines will shut down a program that sold millions of YOUR flight records to the government.
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
www.404media.co

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

teapainusa.bsky.social
Tea Pain @teapainusa.bsky.social · 3h
Every major importer and retailer should follow suit.

www.nbcnews.com/business/bus...
Costco sues the Trump administration, seeking a refund of tariffs
The wholesaler is the latest company to sue a federal agency over the president's signature economic policy.
www.nbcnews.com

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 9h
If you're going to read one thing about unlawful orders and the boat strikes, this is it:

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 10h
when someone feels he is above the law (and the highest court has told him so) . . .

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 10h
Before speculating on the alleged Washington DC shooters' motives, consider his friends' accounts. Early days and more investigation could tell a different story. But could this have been prevented by getting Mr. Lakanwal the work permit he was entitled to have? The US can do better than this.

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 10h
Those of us in NJ owe Norm, Abbe, Gerald and the team a debt of gratitude. Thanks for fighting to defend democracy, even in NJ!
normeisen.bsky.social Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 10h
Here's our joint @democracydefendersfund.org statement with Abbe Lowell & Gerald Krovatan on the significance of this win. In a word: huge both in New Jersey & nationally. That includes further grounding the dismissals in the Comey & James cases 👉https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/prs/12.1.25-pr

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

maxboot.bsky.social
Max Boot @maxboot.bsky.social · 10h
The vetting process was so successful that Zero Units never suffered an insider attack — when Afghan soldiers turned against U.S. advisers. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Fellow Unit Member Says Alleged D.C. Shooter Felt Abandoned by CIA
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan who allegedly shot two National Guard members, felt abandoned by the CIA, according to a former Zero Unit member.
www.rollingstone.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Scott L. Greer

the-independent.com
The Independent @the-independent.com · 10h
Trump told crews working on White House ballroom to ignore zoning conditions: report
Trump told crews working on White House ballroom to ignore zoning conditions: report
Trump told crews working on White House ballroom to ignore zoning conditions: report
www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

normeisen.bsky.social
Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 10h
Here's our joint @democracydefendersfund.org statement with Abbe Lowell & Gerald Krovatan on the significance of this win. In a word: huge both in New Jersey & nationally. That includes further grounding the dismissals in the Comey & James cases 👉https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/prs/12.1.25-pr

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Kim L. Scheppele, Mark D. White

stevevladeck.bsky.social
Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 12h
There's a lot going on, and immigration law is notoriously labyrinthine. But it's still wild both that (1) the Trump administration is trying to treat millions of non-citizens who have lived here for years/decades as "arriving aliens"; & (2) *hundreds* of courts have (almost unanimously!) said "no":
195. The Immigration Detention Flood
The Trump administration's attempt to quietly—but massively—expand who can be detained pending their removal has been met with overwhelming pushback from a remarkably large number of district courts.
www.stevevladeck.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Gerald Friedman, Mary L. Dudziak , and 1 more

tribelaw.bsky.social
Laurence H. Tribe @tribelaw.bsky.social · 13h
Department of Defense Law of War Manual, Sec. 18.3.2.1 states the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders.

What’s its key example? Wait for it . . . It’s "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Mark D. White

justsecurity.org
Just Security @justsecurity.org · 14h
Unlawful Orders and Killing Shipwrecked Boat Strike Survivors

An Expert Backgrounder by @mikeschmitt.bsky.social, @rgoodlaw.bsky.social and @tessbridgeman.bsky.social

www.justsecurity.org/125948/illeg...
Unlawful Orders and Killing Shipwrecked Boat Strike Survivors: An Expert Backgrounder
An expert backgrounder on the reported Hegseth "no quarter" order to kill everyone aboard a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean on Sept. 2.
www.justsecurity.org

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

contrariannews.org
The Contrarian @contrariannews.org · 14h
During a Caribbean military operation in September, Pete Hegseth reportedly issued a chilling command: kill everyone. Even the survivors.
War Crime...or Murder?
Killing shipwreck survivors is patently illegal and morally abhorrent
contrarian.substack.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

jrobin.bsky.social
John Robinson @jrobin.bsky.social · 16h
“And, as it also turns out, much of the reality-based press is doing a poor job of even acknowledging that they have a role in saving democracy, much less doing anything about it.” @sulliview.bsky.social brings the receipts. open.substack.com/pub/margaret...
Do better, Big Journalism. Please do much, much better
Low points from the New York Times, the BBC, the Washington Post and the New Yorker. And some highs.
open.substack.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Sebastiaan Faber, W Grant

propublica.org
ProPublica @propublica.org · 23h
Earlier this year, we documented nearly 50 incidents of immigration officers shattering car windows to make arrests — a tactic experts say was rarely used before Trump took office.

ICE claims its officers use a “minimum amount of force.”

You can judge for yourself.
“We’ll Smash the Fucking Window Out and Drag Him Out”
We’ve documented nearly 50 incidents of immigration officers shattering car windows to make arrests — a tactic experts say was rarely used before Trump took office. ICE claims its officers use a “mini...
projects.propublica.org

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

altnps.bsky.social
Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 23h
DHS’s internal watchdog system has been “gutted” the staff of Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties (CRCL) was cut from about 150 down to only 9 people. The cuts leave around 550 active investigations

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Tom Clark, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 2 more

reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 1d
Chief Bovino is not a political appointee. He is a civil servant, subject to the same requirements to be nonpartisan as any other employee. These messages are being broadcast from an official government account.
Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh •9h “BREAKING: Gov. Tim Walz says Somalians are ESSENTIAL to the Minnesota community - despite STEALING millions or even billions in taxpayer dollars. ‘They bring diversity and ENERGY to a place like Minnesota!’ Pathetic. Somalians LEECH - DEPORT THEM.” Response from Gregory Bovino’s official account: “Waltz is of the same class as newsome, stein, pritzker - gubners [governors] who choose illegal aliens over their own citizens. Amazing incompetence”

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social
Republicans Against Trumpism @rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social · 1d
Prime Minister Mark Carney: “We know that this decades-long process of our ever-closer economic relationship between Canada and the United States has ended.”🇺🇸🇨🇦

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 1d
Autocratic capture comes to cities in Texas if this law passes.
jennycohn.bsky.social Jenny Cohn @jennycohn.bsky.social · 6d
Texas Young Republicans are calling upon TX lawmakers to pass a law allowing Governor Abbott to put blue TX cities into receivership. They say the State Leadership Initiative (SLI)—co-founded by Nate Fischer of New Founding — suggested the idea. New Founding partner Nathan Halberstadt loves it. 1/

Reposted by Steve Peers, Laurent Pech, David R. Miller

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 1d
No - US govt officials have an obligation to follow all court orders and to appeal (rather than simply disobey) those orders if they disagree. That's what the rule of law is - and Noem's cagey response is precisely why the rule of law is in danger in the US now.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d
KARL: Did you know about the judge's order when you issued your order for the planes to continue?

KRISTI NOEM: This is an activist judge. We comply with all federal orders that are lawful and binding.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Daniel W. Drezner, Robert C. Richards

jacobtlevy.bsky.social
Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · 1d
When you've lost Andrew McCarthy...

(McCarthy has been a critic of the whole campaign, and correctly holds that none of this is warfare in a legal sense to begin with, but here also correctly holds that even if it *is* warfare, the actions described are illegal.)

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

attorneynora.bsky.social
Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 1d
The White House just launched a "Media Bias" tracker to supposedly monitor fake news. It's really a hit list of reporters & outlets covering issues in ways Trump & the admin dislike. Flagrant attack on independent thought, freedom of the press & free speech. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
White House launches website to excoriate media for ‘biased’ stories
Trump administration lists reporting it objects to in latest escalation of attacks on US journalism
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Jan W. Mueller, Pepper D. Culpepper

lrb.co.uk
London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 1d
‘Posner and Vermeule argued that “public opinion” would act as the ultimate constraint on a wayward president. That seemed a tad naïve.’

@jwmueller-pu.bsky.social on post-liberal political theory.

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jan-Werner Müller · Caesar wept: Trolling the Libs
All post-liberals have at one point or another declared themselves anti-libertarian. Why is it, then, that once in power...
www.lrb.co.uk