Chris Seaman
@cbseaman.bsky.social
Law professor at W&L teaching IP, property, election law and remedies. Husband of @elyons822. Childhood cancer dad.🎗️Pro-public education. All opinions my own.
This (from Jim Ryan's letter) comes pretty close to accusing outside counsel of not acting in UVA's best interests -- which, if true, would be a massive ethical violation (duty of loyalty, potential conflict of interest).
November 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
This (from Jim Ryan's letter) comes pretty close to accusing outside counsel of not acting in UVA's best interests -- which, if true, would be a massive ethical violation (duty of loyalty, potential conflict of interest).
This is remarkable -- Miyares's office blocked UVA from hiring one of its preferred outside attorneys!
November 14, 2025 at 3:58 PM
This is remarkable -- Miyares's office blocked UVA from hiring one of its preferred outside attorneys!
This is also highly relevant (from Rector Sheridan's letter) - Jason Miyares's office basically hung UVA out to dry.
November 14, 2025 at 3:52 PM
This is also highly relevant (from Rector Sheridan's letter) - Jason Miyares's office basically hung UVA out to dry.
Holy crap (this is from Jim Ryan's letter). No wonder UVA has stonewalled me for months on producing billing records from McGuireWoods - their lawyers have been in the middle of all this.
November 14, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Holy crap (this is from Jim Ryan's letter). No wonder UVA has stonewalled me for months on producing billing records from McGuireWoods - their lawyers have been in the middle of all this.
And here's the General Counsel's office at UVA confirming receipt of my FOIA request. The last communication from them was Aug. 14. Since then, radio silence.
November 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM
And here's the General Counsel's office at UVA confirming receipt of my FOIA request. The last communication from them was Aug. 14. Since then, radio silence.
Here’s the part of Rector Sheridan’s letter to UVA faculty about the major role McGuireWoods attorneys (including a former Trump I admin official) played in negotiating with DOJ.
November 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Here’s the part of Rector Sheridan’s letter to UVA faculty about the major role McGuireWoods attorneys (including a former Trump I admin official) played in negotiating with DOJ.
This is some shade thrown at the local GOP chair 😆
November 14, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This is some shade thrown at the local GOP chair 😆
Two years ago today. Landslide.
November 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Two years ago today. Landslide.
Conclusion from the 2019 ethics report, which found that Garrett violated ethics rules by “misuse of staff time to serve his personal whims” and “hindered the Committee’s investigation” through non-cooperation in an attempt to run out the clock until he left office.
November 6, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Conclusion from the 2019 ethics report, which found that Garrett violated ethics rules by “misuse of staff time to serve his personal whims” and “hindered the Committee’s investigation” through non-cooperation in an attempt to run out the clock until he left office.
Has Tom Garrett ever reimbursed the U.S. Treasury for misusing official resources (having congressional staff to conduct personal errands), as the bipartisan ethics report recommended?
November 6, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Has Tom Garrett ever reimbursed the U.S. Treasury for misusing official resources (having congressional staff to conduct personal errands), as the bipartisan ethics report recommended?
From plaintiffs’ brief, p. 2: over 190k Black Virginians were disenfranchised due to a felony conviction as of 2020–approximately 46% of the entire population of disenfranchised voters.
October 24, 2025 at 8:55 PM
From plaintiffs’ brief, p. 2: over 190k Black Virginians were disenfranchised due to a felony conviction as of 2020–approximately 46% of the entire population of disenfranchised voters.
Been listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl series on Audible! Currently on book 6 (of 7 so far).
October 12, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Been listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl series on Audible! Currently on book 6 (of 7 so far).
Love the convenience of early voting! In and out in just a couple of minutes. Get out the vote, Virginia!
October 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Love the convenience of early voting! In and out in just a couple of minutes. Get out the vote, Virginia!
See 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(1)
September 25, 2025 at 11:17 PM
See 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(1)
This is almost certainly BS. I cannot imagine that a child with metastatic kidney cancer could get appropriate treatment in Honduras.
August 13, 2025 at 10:27 PM
This is almost certainly BS. I cannot imagine that a child with metastatic kidney cancer could get appropriate treatment in Honduras.
There’s lots more data in the article — for instance, it finds that about 2/3rds of Section 2 challenges brought in jurisdictions that were formerly covered by Section 5, and that plaintiffs won more often in those jurisdictions.
August 13, 2025 at 9:01 PM
There’s lots more data in the article — for instance, it finds that about 2/3rds of Section 2 challenges brought in jurisdictions that were formerly covered by Section 5, and that plaintiffs won more often in those jurisdictions.
Most Section 2 claims in the 1980s and 1990s involved challenges to use of at-large elections for local govt’s that diluted minority voting strength. Many of these ended up adopting single member districting plans. Since 2010, the plurality of Sec 2 claims have involved redistricting plans.
August 13, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Most Section 2 claims in the 1980s and 1990s involved challenges to use of at-large elections for local govt’s that diluted minority voting strength. Many of these ended up adopting single member districting plans. Since 2010, the plurality of Sec 2 claims have involved redistricting plans.
In the decades that followed, over 1500 Section 2 challenges were made against discriminatory practices and policies related to voting, the overwhelming majority of which (>90%) were brought by private plaintiffs like civil rights organizations and voters.
August 13, 2025 at 8:04 PM
In the decades that followed, over 1500 Section 2 challenges were made against discriminatory practices and policies related to voting, the overwhelming majority of which (>90%) were brought by private plaintiffs like civil rights organizations and voters.
The Voting Rights Act is rightly regarded as one of the most effective civil rights laws ever. Enacted in the wake of the Selma march in 1965, it was incredibly effective at breaking down barriers to registration and voting, and later to remedy dilution against minority voters.
August 13, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The Voting Rights Act is rightly regarded as one of the most effective civil rights laws ever. Enacted in the wake of the Selma march in 1965, it was incredibly effective at breaking down barriers to registration and voting, and later to remedy dilution against minority voters.
This is the same Rachel Sheridan who donated $25k to Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign.
July 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
This is the same Rachel Sheridan who donated $25k to Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign.
The final letter dated 6/17 - addressed to incoming Rector Rachel Sheridan & cc'd McGuireWoods law firm - threatens to withold federal $$ unless "dramatic, wholesale changes" are made to UVA's "current administration" - is a clear demand to BoV to fire Jim Ryan. Youngkin appointees are complicit.
July 2, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The final letter dated 6/17 - addressed to incoming Rector Rachel Sheridan & cc'd McGuireWoods law firm - threatens to withold federal $$ unless "dramatic, wholesale changes" are made to UVA's "current administration" - is a clear demand to BoV to fire Jim Ryan. Youngkin appointees are complicit.
FOIA request incoming, UVA.
June 27, 2025 at 5:14 PM
FOIA request incoming, UVA.