Kim Lane Scheppele
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kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele
@kimlanelaw.bsky.social
37K followers 1.5K following 640 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

conunitucl.bsky.social
UCL Constitution Unit @conunitucl.bsky.social · 19h
We have a new blog platform!

The Constitution Unit's popular blog is now hosted at blogs.ucl.ac.uk/constitution..., which excitingly sits within @ucl.ac.uk's domain.

There are still some issues to sort out, so please bear with us, but also let us know what you think and if you have any problems 👇
The Constitution Unit's new blog.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

jacobtlevy.bsky.social
Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · 19h
Every Trump appointee is committed to ignoring the difference between holding a responsible office of the United States and being a partisan advocate hack. It's bad across the board, but it's catastrophically bad in the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and the Directors of the FBI & CIA.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

loevy.com
Loevy & Loevy @loevy.com · 19h
In issuing her opinion in CHC v. Noem, Judge Ellis wanted all the evidence she relied upon to be publicly available. As of now, ALL the bodycam videos from the case have been unsealed and posted for download. You can find links to the videos—along with other case filings—here under "Exhibits":
CHC v. Noem
Protesters, reporters, and clergy allege DHS federal agents under Operation Midway Blitz are violating their 1st Amendment rights.
www.loevy.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

socialmedialab.ca
Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · 1d
Wow, USCIS didn't even wait a hot minute. The U.S. Constitution guarantees individualized guilt and due process. Collective punishment (the harming or penalizing of people for actions they didn’t commit) violates these principles.

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 1d
Thanksgiving is a good time to recommit to the first principles of democratic government. open.substack.com/pub/protectd...
The oldest abuse in human government
Donald Trump and the ‘king’s justice’
open.substack.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, David H. Kaye

rondeibert.bsky.social
Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 1d
Politicized investigations against political enemies are a key feature of authoritarian systems

@reuters.com documented at least 470 targets of retribution under 🇺🇸 Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets.

www.reuters.com/investigates...
Trump’s campaign of retribution: At least 470 targets and counting
A Reuters investigation documents at least 470 acts of retribution under Trump’s leadership.
www.reuters.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

propublica.org
ProPublica @propublica.org · 1d
We found more than two dozen cases of immigration agents using "less lethal" weapons in ways that appear to flout the government's own rules, including by aiming at someone’s head, spine or groin or deploying chemical agents near children.

With @frontlinepbs.bsky.social
Trump’s Immigration Forces Deploy “Less Lethal” Weapons in Dangerous Ways, Skirting Rules and Maiming Protesters
Civil rights and weapons experts cite the consequences of federal agents’ use of crowd control weapons: religious leaders shot with pepper balls and noxious chemicals. A nurse nearly blinded by tear g...
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

thebulwark.com
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 1d
"He should just released the goddamn files, and stop playing games and pretending that he can say what's in there and what's not in there."

@weissmann.substack.com discusses the defamatory comments Trump has made toward him and implores the president to release the files.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

glennkirschner.bsky.social
Glenn Kirschner @glennkirschner.bsky.social · 1d
New Prosecutor DISMISSES Trump's Georgia Election Interference Case
youtu.be/DnHEVZNbXPY?...
New Prosecutor DISMISSES Trump's Georgia Election Interference Case
YouTube video by Glenn Kirschner
youtu.be

Reposted by Cas Mudde, Kim L. Scheppele, Lisa W. Fazio , and 25 more

killgrove.bsky.social
Kristina Killgrove @killgrove.bsky.social · 1d
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.

Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Today's biggest science news: Doomed comet explodes | Comet 3I/ATLAS course alteration | Dark matter detected?
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
www.livescience.com

Reposted by Laurent Pech

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 1d
On this Thanksgiving Eve, here's a good reminder of all of the resistance we've seen this year. A time to give thanks to all those who are rising up to defend American democracy and our constitutional values. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A year on from Trump’s victory, resistance is everywhere | Rebecca Solnit
Americans have shown a tremendous amount and variety of opposition – more than some may realize
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

truthout.org
Truthout @truthout.org · 1d
Security camera start-up Flock is estimated to consist of around 80,000 cameras in over 4,000 cities — with its key clients being law enforcement agencies, ranging from major metropolitan forces to small local police units, as well as private entities like retail corporations.
A Vast Camera System Now Feeds Information to Police on Drivers Across the US
Flock cameras have been called invasive, insecure, and unconstitutional. Can a grassroots movement beat them back?
truthout.org

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

freedomhouse.bsky.social
Freedom House @freedomhouse.bsky.social · 1d
As of 2025, a little under 16% of the world’s internet users live in countries ranked Free by Freedom on the Net.

More from #FreedomOnTheNet 2025: freedomhouse.org/report/freed...

Reposted by Laurent Pech

kimlanelaw.bsky.social
Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 1d
Social science takes time. Here, social scientists analyze a decade of evidence to show that a Supreme Court decision designed to suppress the black vote actually did. SCOTUS may soon obliterate the rest of the Voting Rights Act and we should not be shy about calling out what's going on here.
kevintmorris.bsky.social Kevin Morris @kevintmorris.bsky.social · 4d
As we all wait for Callais to come down, our piece showing that Shelby County increased the racial turnout gap in most of the covered parts of the country has cleared the replication check and is incoming at JOP.

Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Richard F. Catalano, Gerald Friedman , and 1 more

katmabu.bsky.social
Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 2d
Impeach, convict, remove.

And if our current leaders won’t do it, they need to step aside for people who will.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Brendan Nyhan, David R. Miller , and 1 more

rgoodlaw.bsky.social
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 2d
Abuse of power extending beyond Senator Kelly

"FBI has requested interviews with six Democratic U.S. lawmakers."

DOJ official "said the interviews were to determine 'if there's any wrongdoing and then go from there.'"

Note: For video accurately stating military law
www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi...

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

profpech.bsky.social
Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 2d
"Initially described as enabling the Council to have an in-depth exchange or assessment, the Council discreetly downgraded the purpose of hearings to the provision of an up-to-date picture."

A change of phrasing/practice which I think remains largely unnoticed.

cc @tinekestrik.bsky.social

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

theatlantic.com
The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 2d
Charges against James Comey and Letitia James were thrown out by a federal judge today. “The basic safeguards of the criminal-justice system are proving to be some of the most effective checks on Trump’s power,” Randall D. Eliason argues:
Why the Comey Prosecution Is Falling Apart
In the criminal-justice system, when the president’s bluster collides with facts and evidence, he keeps losing.
bit.ly

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

profpech.bsky.social
Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 2d
As outlined in my @ceudeminst.bsky.social paper, the Council has proactively sabotaged Art7(1) TEU procedure by applying in practice a new principle of effet inutile aka adopting interpretations of this Treaty provision making it as ineffective as possible
democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/articles/lau...

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

profpech.bsky.social
Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 2d
VG on Art 7(1) hearings: "... nor should such hearings be reduced to a mere boxticking exercise allowing a presidency to discharge its responsibilities by holding a
single formal meeting without pursuing meaningful follow-up; calls on the Council to publish comprehensive minutes after each hearing"
tinekestrik.bsky.social Tineke Strik @tinekestrik.bsky.social · 3d
Yes! A broad majority of the Parliament agrees: the EU must take more action against Orbán!

My report on the rule of law in Hungary was adopted with a majority of 415 votes, urging to take away Orbán's voting rights and to freeze EU funds.

We must stop his breakdown of democracy and human rights.

Reposted by Cas Mudde, Kim L. Scheppele, Laurent Pech

tinekestrik.bsky.social
Tineke Strik @tinekestrik.bsky.social · 3d
Yes! A broad majority of the Parliament agrees: the EU must take more action against Orbán!

My report on the rule of law in Hungary was adopted with a majority of 415 votes, urging to take away Orbán's voting rights and to freeze EU funds.

We must stop his breakdown of democracy and human rights.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

protectdemocracy.org
Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d
Today, Protect Democracy is going to court with @weareoversight.bsky.social to demand that the Trump admin release the "enemies lists" it is using to target nonprofits for investigation based on their political views and advocacy work. Full details: bit.ly/49yD2uk
Protect Democracy Sues for Records on Reported Trump Administration Efforts to Investigate and Target Nonprofits
bit.ly

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

kevintmorris.bsky.social
Kevin Morris @kevintmorris.bsky.social · 3d
We also have a non-academic version of the paper written up over here at the @brennancenter.org:
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Growing Racial Disparities in Voter Turnout, 2008–2022
The gap is increasing nationwide, especially in counties that had been subject to federal oversight until the Supreme Court invalidated preclearance in 2013.
www.brennancenter.org

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele

stevevladeck.bsky.social
Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 3d
Me on DOJ’s behavior: “it’s malevolence *exacerbated* by incompetence. That’s problematic enough for the government’s credibility before federal district judges. But at some point soon, one suspects that the Supreme Court itself may well have to grapple with its consequences—or risk being duped.”
194. Another Bad Week for the Presumption of Regularity
Three different flashpoints highlight how much the Trump administration has done, in such short order, to undermine its own litigation efforts and to damage—perhaps irreparably—DOJ's credibility.
www.stevevladeck.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Dimitry Kochenov, Steve Peers , and 2 more

profpech.bsky.social
Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 3d
Paper now available here democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/articles/lau...
For those of you familiar with the EU's rule of law toolbox, you can go straight to the section offering concrete/multiple examples of timid use, misuse and non-use of the main EU prevention/monitoring & response/enforcement tools

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Kim L. Scheppele, Linda J. Skitka , and 9 more

kevintmorris.bsky.social
Kevin Morris @kevintmorris.bsky.social · 4d
As we all wait for Callais to come down, our piece showing that Shelby County increased the racial turnout gap in most of the covered parts of the country has cleared the replication check and is incoming at JOP.

Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.