Jim Oleske
@jimoleske.bsky.social
Professor, Lewis & Clark Law School. Teach constitutional law and torts, write on religious liberty and equal protection.
Pinned
Jim Oleske
@jimoleske.bsky.social
· Oct 18
Portland No Kings, before the March, from the Morrison Bridge
Reposted by Jim Oleske
We have spent more than 1,000 years trying to separate the awesome prosecutorial powers of the state from the personal whims and vendettas of the head of state.
Trump’s actions and ideology seek to reverse those gains.
Here’s the history he’d like to reverse www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-oldest...
Trump’s actions and ideology seek to reverse those gains.
Here’s the history he’d like to reverse www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-oldest...
The oldest abuse in human government
Donald Trump and the ‘king’s justice’
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:33 AM
We have spent more than 1,000 years trying to separate the awesome prosecutorial powers of the state from the personal whims and vendettas of the head of state.
Trump’s actions and ideology seek to reverse those gains.
Here’s the history he’d like to reverse www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-oldest...
Trump’s actions and ideology seek to reverse those gains.
Here’s the history he’d like to reverse www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-oldest...
Another #KavanaughStop
Apex landscaper says Border Patrol saw his REAL ID and still detained him
Fernando Vazquez, 18, was detained by Border Patrol agents at a worksite in Cary Tuesday. Vazquez, a U.S. citizen, was born in Raleigh.
www.newsobserver.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Another #KavanaughStop
Reposted by Jim Oleske
After breaking his car window, ICE detained a high school student who is a US citizen. This is outrageous and inexcusable.
High school senior, a U.S. citizen, detained by ICE in Oregon
The 17-year-old was held more than five hours Friday in an ICE facility, his brother said.
www.oregonlive.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
After breaking his car window, ICE detained a high school student who is a US citizen. This is outrageous and inexcusable.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
PSU’s study enlists 90 households from the Oregon Coast: Cannon Beach, Depoe Bay, Yachats and Pacific City. Researchers attached filters to participants’ washing machines and dryers to see how many microplastics they are releasing.
PSU study looks at curbing microplastic releases from washers and dryers
Residents from 90 homes on the Oregon Coast are taking part in a Portland State University study that looks at reducing the microplastics released from household appliances.
www.opb.org
November 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
PSU’s study enlists 90 households from the Oregon Coast: Cannon Beach, Depoe Bay, Yachats and Pacific City. Researchers attached filters to participants’ washing machines and dryers to see how many microplastics they are releasing.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
Reposted by Jim Oleske
The teenager is heard on a video telling an officer that he is a citizen & the officer replies, “Get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”
By Yesenia Amaro &
Fedor Zarkhin
@oregonian.com
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
By Yesenia Amaro &
Fedor Zarkhin
@oregonian.com
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
High school senior, a U.S. citizen, detained by ICE in Oregon
The 17-year-old was held more than five hours Friday in an ICE facility, his brother said.
www.oregonlive.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:10 AM
The teenager is heard on a video telling an officer that he is a citizen & the officer replies, “Get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”
By Yesenia Amaro &
Fedor Zarkhin
@oregonian.com
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
By Yesenia Amaro &
Fedor Zarkhin
@oregonian.com
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
Reposted by Jim Oleske
All the religious liberty clinics/litigation shops rushing to file amicus briefs opposing EEOC’s demand for lists of Jews, right?
Federal Suit Seeking Names of Some Jewish Employees at Penn Sparks Backlash
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
All the religious liberty clinics/litigation shops rushing to file amicus briefs opposing EEOC’s demand for lists of Jews, right?
Reposted by Jim Oleske
If you had told me Mamdani and MTG would both be in the news today, and gave me eleventy thousand guesses as to why, I’d … still be guessing.
November 22, 2025 at 1:39 AM
If you had told me Mamdani and MTG would both be in the news today, and gave me eleventy thousand guesses as to why, I’d … still be guessing.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
This is super important.
President Trump is building a “shadow budget” outside of Congressional control. @scott-levy.bsky.social explains why it is unlawful and how Congress should respond:
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
How to End Shadow Budget, Protect Congress’s Power of Purse
Unless Congress reasserts control over federal spending, the balance the framers designed could collapse into a self-financing presidency.
www.justsecurity.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:18 PM
This is super important.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
It is particularly galling that Trump is calling for the execution of people who actually served honorably in the military, while he took a bone spur exemption and famously boasted that his Vietnam was dodging syphilis in 70s New York.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
November 20, 2025 at 5:16 PM
It is particularly galling that Trump is calling for the execution of people who actually served honorably in the military, while he took a bone spur exemption and famously boasted that his Vietnam was dodging syphilis in 70s New York.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN CONGRESS should be pressed about Trump calling for their colleagues to be killed
November 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN CONGRESS should be pressed about Trump calling for their colleagues to be killed
Reposted by Jim Oleske
In Skrmetti, Justice Barrett's concurrence rejected heightened scrutiny for transgender status discrimination for several reasons, including that it is not ascertainable at birth. In an amicus brief I summarize on the blog, 10 con law scholars (including me) explain why that's mistaken. Blog post👇
Ascertainability at Birth is Not a Requirement for Suspect Classification Status
In January, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox . The cases present the question wheth...
www.dorfonlaw.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:17 PM
In Skrmetti, Justice Barrett's concurrence rejected heightened scrutiny for transgender status discrimination for several reasons, including that it is not ascertainable at birth. In an amicus brief I summarize on the blog, 10 con law scholars (including me) explain why that's mistaken. Blog post👇
Reposted by Jim Oleske
If you want to know the antecedents of the surge in (no longer "far-")right antisemitism, you could do worse than look at Judge Smith's "George Soros is blame" dissent in the Texas gerrymandering case.
As glad as I am that some conservatives are recognizing the problem, it didn't come from nowhere.
As glad as I am that some conservatives are recognizing the problem, it didn't come from nowhere.
Shocked To Find Antisemitism in this Establishment
The decision of the Heritage Foundation to defend platforming an unabashed and unrepentant antisemite like Nick Fuentes has caused a burblin...
dsadevil.blogspot.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:36 AM
If you want to know the antecedents of the surge in (no longer "far-")right antisemitism, you could do worse than look at Judge Smith's "George Soros is blame" dissent in the Texas gerrymandering case.
As glad as I am that some conservatives are recognizing the problem, it didn't come from nowhere.
As glad as I am that some conservatives are recognizing the problem, it didn't come from nowhere.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
As always, good analysis from Prof Sandberg: lawandreligionuk.com/2025/11/20/r...
Religious Education in Northern Ireland: the Supreme Court decision and its impact | Law & Religion UK
lawandreligionuk.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM
As always, good analysis from Prof Sandberg: lawandreligionuk.com/2025/11/20/r...
Reposted by Jim Oleske
Yikes.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Yikes.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
My “my 17 references to George Soros aren’t political” footnote is raising a lot of questions answered by my footnote.
But worry not, he has a footnote explaining why his fixation on Soros "is not political."
November 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM
My “my 17 references to George Soros aren’t political” footnote is raising a lot of questions answered by my footnote.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
Just absurd this person is the top civil rights official in this great nation. An embarrassment.
November 18, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Just absurd this person is the top civil rights official in this great nation. An embarrassment.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
![It’s challenging to unpack the DOJ Letter because it contains so many factual, legal, and typographical errors. Indeed, even attorneys employed by the Texas Attorney General—who professes to be a political ally of the Trump Administration54—describe the DOJ Letter as “legally[] unsound,”55 “baseless,”56 “erroneous,”57 “ham-fisted,”58 and “a mess.”59](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:otyo64strtchmam3zhhm5tr7/bafkreifkrnf4xch375j6qsztvabi5uee64vpsyvfg6g3ukbhc5rmpqlo4q@jpeg)
Reposted by Jim Oleske
I recognize litigating imposes serious costs, but Trump has to be stood up to, because his claims are *always* meritless.
JUST IN: A federal appeals court panel (with 2/3 Trump appointees) calls his lawsuit against CNN — over use of the term Big Lie — "meritless" and affirms the decision by a lower court to throw it out. s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
November 18, 2025 at 3:33 PM
I recognize litigating imposes serious costs, but Trump has to be stood up to, because his claims are *always* meritless.
Reposted by Jim Oleske
What am I missing here? If Trump is all in favor of releasing the files, there's no need for the legislation--he can simply direct the AG to do so. How can the public reporting of this story not lead with this?
November 17, 2025 at 3:59 PM
What am I missing here? If Trump is all in favor of releasing the files, there's no need for the legislation--he can simply direct the AG to do so. How can the public reporting of this story not lead with this?
Reposted by Jim Oleske
👀Fitzpatrick said Halligan made two apparent "fundamental misstatements of law" to the grand jury that could threaten the case. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
👀Fitzpatrick said Halligan made two apparent "fundamental misstatements of law" to the grand jury that could threaten the case. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Jim Oleske
Is it bad if a sitting federal judge was (allegedly) part of a conspiracy to commit murder? It seems bad ....
OMFG-ex DOJ official (& now federal judge) Emil Bove was involved in the administration's plots to murder individuals via lethal strikes
"At a DOJ conference ... Bove told drug prosecutors the ... administration wasn't interested in interdicting ... Instead... the U.S. should "just sink the boats."
"At a DOJ conference ... Bove told drug prosecutors the ... administration wasn't interested in interdicting ... Instead... the U.S. should "just sink the boats."
November 17, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Is it bad if a sitting federal judge was (allegedly) part of a conspiracy to commit murder? It seems bad ....
Reposted by Jim Oleske
Are crimes against humanity an impeachable offense? Asking for an Article III judge. www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
Justice Department official told prosecutors that U.S. should 'just sink' drug boats
NPR interviews with current and former officials reveal more of the backstory around the military's strikes in the Caribbean.
www.npr.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Are crimes against humanity an impeachable offense? Asking for an Article III judge. www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
One of the highest profile of those decisions came from a Trump appointee in the Oregon National Guard case.
After issuing preliminary relief last month, the judge held a trial and issued a 106-page ruling against the Trump Admin earlier this month. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
After issuing preliminary relief last month, the judge held a trial and issued a 106-page ruling against the Trump Admin earlier this month. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
There have been at least 154 cases in which federal district courts have issued preliminary relief against a Trump administration policy.
Those rulings have come from 121 *different* judges appointed by seven presidents (including 15 appointed by Trump) sitting in 29 district courts in 10 circuits:
Those rulings have come from 121 *different* judges appointed by seven presidents (including 15 appointed by Trump) sitting in 29 district courts in 10 circuits:
193. The "War" on Judges
Deputy Attorney General Blanche's attack on lower courts is an impressive combination of light on substance; shamelessly hypocritical; and profoundly dangerous. More people should be condemning it.
www.stevevladeck.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
One of the highest profile of those decisions came from a Trump appointee in the Oregon National Guard case.
After issuing preliminary relief last month, the judge held a trial and issued a 106-page ruling against the Trump Admin earlier this month. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
After issuing preliminary relief last month, the judge held a trial and issued a 106-page ruling against the Trump Admin earlier this month. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Jim Oleske
“If you speak out in defense of judicial independence only to protect judges (or justices) who rule the way you want them to, then I respectfully submit that your definition of judicial independence is bollocks.”
Me in today’s “One First” on the Trump administration’s “war” on lower-court judges:
Me in today’s “One First” on the Trump administration’s “war” on lower-court judges:
193. The "War" on Judges
Deputy Attorney General Blanche's attack on lower courts is an impressive combination of light on substance; shamelessly hypocritical; and profoundly dangerous. More people should be condemning it.
www.stevevladeck.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:26 PM
“If you speak out in defense of judicial independence only to protect judges (or justices) who rule the way you want them to, then I respectfully submit that your definition of judicial independence is bollocks.”
Me in today’s “One First” on the Trump administration’s “war” on lower-court judges:
Me in today’s “One First” on the Trump administration’s “war” on lower-court judges: