David Hills
@wanderingteacake.bsky.social
I wrote that book Transition 55, and if you're not careful I may write more.
Reposted by David Hills
Kagan: Court “announces that Texas may run next year’s elections with a map the District Court found to have violated all our oft-repeated strictures about the use of race in districting. Today’s order,” she continued, “disrespects the work of a District Cour that did everything one could ask..."
December 5, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Kagan: Court “announces that Texas may run next year’s elections with a map the District Court found to have violated all our oft-repeated strictures about the use of race in districting. Today’s order,” she continued, “disrespects the work of a District Cour that did everything one could ask..."
Reposted by David Hills
Democracy dies on the Supreme Court’s shadow docket. From Kagan’s dissent:
December 4, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Democracy dies on the Supreme Court’s shadow docket. From Kagan’s dissent:
Reposted by David Hills
Justice Kagan, writing for the three liberals: "The majority today loses sight of its proper role. ... We know better, the majority declares today. I cannot think of a reason why."
December 4, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Justice Kagan, writing for the three liberals: "The majority today loses sight of its proper role. ... We know better, the majority declares today. I cannot think of a reason why."
Reposted by David Hills
December 4, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by David Hills
This is such a mess. The HBO Max "remastered" version of The Simpsons reveals that Duff, Duff Lite, and Duff Dry all come from the same pipe. 🙄
December 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
This is such a mess. The HBO Max "remastered" version of The Simpsons reveals that Duff, Duff Lite, and Duff Dry all come from the same pipe. 🙄
Reposted by David Hills
While we were sleeping, a huge ruling:
Federal judge blocks the Trump administration from warrantless immigration arrests in Washington, D.C. “without a pre-arrest individualized determination … of probable cause.”
She addresses Kavanaugh stops head on.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Federal judge blocks the Trump administration from warrantless immigration arrests in Washington, D.C. “without a pre-arrest individualized determination … of probable cause.”
She addresses Kavanaugh stops head on.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
![Excerpt from ruling:
“Bluntly put, why the Court ruled as it did remains unclear-and without reasoning,
this order cannot even be considered as persuasive. Second, Justice Kavanaugh's conclusion that the plaintiffs lacked standing in Perdomo rested on the claims asserted in that case specifically, plaintiffs there sought to enjoin defendants from targeting individuals for immigration stops based on certain factors, such as race or ethnicity, their accent, and the type of work they did. Id. Justice Kavanaugh reasoned that plaintiffs in Perdomo likely lacked standing under Lyons, as defendants may "stop suspected illegal immigrants based on a variety of factors," and thus "plaintiffs ha[d] no good basis to believe that law enforcement will unlawfully stop them in the future" based "only on [prohibited] factors." Id. at *3 (emphases in original). In contrast, this case concerns an entirely different context, namely, civil immigration arrests rather than immigration stops, which were at issue in Perdomo, and a different type of challenge. Specifically, plaintiffs are not arguing which factors defendants may consider in their application of a legal standard, but rather contend that defendants have abandoned the proper legal standard entirely. See Pls.' Reply at 8. Thus, Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence in Perdomo, to the extent it has persuasive, let alone controlling, authority, is inapposite.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:jech7rem6vijss4euf4fijao/bafkreidy2tm2mkrt4kkxcnhlmc6uess22cabrg7b5juyauqoolvoqd7teu@jpeg)
December 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
While we were sleeping, a huge ruling:
Federal judge blocks the Trump administration from warrantless immigration arrests in Washington, D.C. “without a pre-arrest individualized determination … of probable cause.”
She addresses Kavanaugh stops head on.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Federal judge blocks the Trump administration from warrantless immigration arrests in Washington, D.C. “without a pre-arrest individualized determination … of probable cause.”
She addresses Kavanaugh stops head on.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by David Hills
![Meme image of Pete Hegseth's name plate at the televised Trump cabinet briefing today in the White House.
The original image is from the quoted post which says "Pete Hegseth SSecretary of War" - is this deliberate or incompetence or a valiant act if defiance from a staffer pushed too far?
This one says "Pete Hegseth ᛋᛋecretary of War", with Nazi SS Schutzstaffel just to ram home the fact that Donald Trump made a Neo-Nazi Fox TV host the Secretary of Defense and he sacked competent military staff and legal oversight, then renamed it the Department of War.
And did war crimes.
FFS America have you seen his tattoos?
The Schutzstaffel (German: [ˈʃʊtsˌʃtafl̩] ⓘ; lit. 'Protection Squadron'; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ᛋᛋ) was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schutzstaffel](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2kf2qj56o2vq7jfaq4x4ogp6/bafkreicd6i32g4nbglnvaymqbdpsdpnfmhiuxq4ny3l44fdxurr4g7j7ey@jpeg)
Mike Baum with the Stoppard story of the day.
Reposting with Alt text (this one is too good to miss!)
December 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Mike Baum with the Stoppard story of the day.
Reposted by David Hills
For my part, I would say that questioning the framing of some Times stories—for example, the highlighting of Trump’s putative emotions or the foregrounding of what he says (even when, as is often the case, what he says is false)—is not an indication that I want my “views validated.”
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
For my part, I would say that questioning the framing of some Times stories—for example, the highlighting of Trump’s putative emotions or the foregrounding of what he says (even when, as is often the case, what he says is false)—is not an indication that I want my “views validated.”
Reposted by David Hills
NEWS: A unanimous Third Circuit panel rules that Alina Habba is not U.S. Attorney, cannot be Acting U.S. Attorney, and cannot have the powers delegated to her. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
NEWS: A unanimous Third Circuit panel rules that Alina Habba is not U.S. Attorney, cannot be Acting U.S. Attorney, and cannot have the powers delegated to her. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by David Hills
Ooooh, new FRE 801(d)(2)(B) hypo just dropped for all you law students studying for your evidence final!
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.
KRISTI NOEM: This is an activist judge. We comply with all federal orders that are lawful and binding.
November 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Ooooh, new FRE 801(d)(2)(B) hypo just dropped for all you law students studying for your evidence final!
Reposted by David Hills
i semi-regularly think about this concept and way of describing it and crack up. absurd
November 28, 2025 at 5:31 PM
i semi-regularly think about this concept and way of describing it and crack up. absurd
Reposted by David Hills
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
Reposted by David Hills
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
Reposted by David Hills
“No-one will talk about the disaster of Brexit”, says the segment of the media that bullied and ridiculed anyone who warned or talked about the disaster of Brexit.
November 30, 2025 at 9:53 AM
“No-one will talk about the disaster of Brexit”, says the segment of the media that bullied and ridiculed anyone who warned or talked about the disaster of Brexit.
Reposted by David Hills
This play. This passage. Simply the best ever – or at lesst most succinct – defence and justification for the very idea of Civilisation ever written.
This is why we’re here. Because of what this means. And because someone can put it into words like this.
open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...
This is why we’re here. Because of what this means. And because someone can put it into words like this.
open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...
We shed as we pick up.
[farewell to the master]
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:50 PM
This play. This passage. Simply the best ever – or at lesst most succinct – defence and justification for the very idea of Civilisation ever written.
This is why we’re here. Because of what this means. And because someone can put it into words like this.
open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...
This is why we’re here. Because of what this means. And because someone can put it into words like this.
open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...
Reposted by David Hills
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
November 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
Reposted by David Hills
Like 30% of the country is absolutely enraged because they thought they were going to be able to be utter shitbirds without anyone being allowed to call them shitbirds, but here we are, calling them shitbirds.
November 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Like 30% of the country is absolutely enraged because they thought they were going to be able to be utter shitbirds without anyone being allowed to call them shitbirds, but here we are, calling them shitbirds.
Reposted by David Hills
The deranged madman now threatens to blow up commercial airliners flying in and out of Venezuela.
November 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The deranged madman now threatens to blow up commercial airliners flying in and out of Venezuela.
Reposted by David Hills
Thing is, we DID hear about it at his confirmation hearing.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Everyone should read this terrifying thread about Hegseth’s published views wrt war crimes. It’s pretty fucking radical …. We needed to hear about this in his confirmation hearing.
A chapter in Hegseth’s book is literally titled “More Lethality, Less Lawyers.”
It’s almost as if there were signs!
It’s almost as if there were signs!
November 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Thing is, we DID hear about it at his confirmation hearing.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Reposted by David Hills
Harvard Law School’s Jack Goldsmith:
“In short, if the Post’s facts are correct, it appears that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the ‘two men were blown apart in the water, as the Post put it.’”
open.substack.com/pub/executiv...
“In short, if the Post’s facts are correct, it appears that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the ‘two men were blown apart in the water, as the Post put it.’”
open.substack.com/pub/executiv...
November 29, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Harvard Law School’s Jack Goldsmith:
“In short, if the Post’s facts are correct, it appears that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the ‘two men were blown apart in the water, as the Post put it.’”
open.substack.com/pub/executiv...
“In short, if the Post’s facts are correct, it appears that Special Operations Forces committed murder when the ‘two men were blown apart in the water, as the Post put it.’”
open.substack.com/pub/executiv...
Reposted by David Hills
A running theme of Trump II is cautious, level-headed, mainstream, career professional experts sounding existential alarms about how we aren't panicking nearly enough.
I know you already know, but for other folks who don't, Goldsmith was previously head of OLC, is a genuinely brilliant mind on executive authority and separation of powers, and is usually very cautious about making claims this unqualified and direct. That he is saying it so starkly is v significant
November 29, 2025 at 6:05 AM
A running theme of Trump II is cautious, level-headed, mainstream, career professional experts sounding existential alarms about how we aren't panicking nearly enough.
Reposted by David Hills
November 29, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Reposted by David Hills
Trump claims “any document” signed by Joe Biden is “hereby terminated.”
He calls out executive orders later but obviously “any document” would be much broader and include legislation.
(He can’t legally do that but, as always, we get to watch how far he can push this without repercussions)
He calls out executive orders later but obviously “any document” would be much broader and include legislation.
(He can’t legally do that but, as always, we get to watch how far he can push this without repercussions)
November 28, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Trump claims “any document” signed by Joe Biden is “hereby terminated.”
He calls out executive orders later but obviously “any document” would be much broader and include legislation.
(He can’t legally do that but, as always, we get to watch how far he can push this without repercussions)
He calls out executive orders later but obviously “any document” would be much broader and include legislation.
(He can’t legally do that but, as always, we get to watch how far he can push this without repercussions)