- Erwin Chemerinsky
Remember back in Sept. 2007, all the hullaballoo over the University of California at Irvine Law School’s outspoken new dean? Turns out a whole shitload of powerful OC Republicans, along with busybody LA Supervisor Mike Antonovich and hanging Judge Ronald George, were working hard behind the scenes to derail the outspoken legal scholar’s appointment, and the Chancellor caved to the pressure and chickened out.
And remember how that craven action created an even greater firestorm as conservative and liberal scholars across the nation heaped criticism on UCI and its weak-kneed chancellor for compromising its academic freedom to outside political meddling, and unanimously sang the praises of this scholar’s brilliance and fair-mindedness, until Chancellor Drake had a second change of heart, begged him to come back, and the rest is history?
Well, that was Erwin Chemerinsky, and since that turbulent beginning, he’s turned UCI into a world-class law school, while continuing to create controversy, write books, speak out for justice and liberty, and do plenty of pro bono work including for Guantanamo prisoners.
Apparently he’s been giving a free annual talk, and question and answer session, looking back at each year of the Supreme Court term, for three years now. This year’s talk – Tuesday at 1pm sharp in Laguna Woods’ spacious Clubhouse 5, will be entitled “The New Supreme Court and American Democracy.” For more details — location, and links to directions, map, flyer and the gate pass you’ll need — Facebook users click here, and, if not a Facebook member, click here!
Says my wise and feisty lawyer pal Jonathan Adler, “”His 2009 talk, to over 400 of us, was the same clear, incisive, news-making event we’ve come to expect from this leading constitutional scholar, Supreme Ct. litigator, and national media analyst / debater. And the Q&A again crackled with well-informed questions and the often-witty, always sharp, down-to-earth responses be Dean Chemerinsky.
“His focus and our Q&A likely will include Citizens United v. FEC, our elections with unlimited corporate spending (thus “Democracy” in his title), and the political spin and myths, from the last two confirmation hearings, on “judicial activism,” “agendas” and “mere umpires calling balls and strikes.
Named one of “the top 20 legal thinkers in America,” Chemerinsky is a widely-published leading constitutional scholar, Supreme Court and appellate litigator, national TV-radio analyst/debater and print media voice, and civic leader. Before UCI drew him to found its new law school, he taught law at Duke and USC. As his big, highly-appreciative, audiences here in 2008-09 know, he’s also very clear, witty and down-to-earth.
In his topic title, “Democracy” reflects the Court’s basic shake-up of all elections in at least two huge rulings, and Congress’ remedial efforts. In Citizens United v. FEC, Justice Kennedy joined the 4 conservatives to hold corporations (even multi-nationals) are “persons” with rights to spend without limit to impact elections (since “money is speech”), even secretly. Many Court-watchers fear that 5-4 ruling threatens our very democracy, by raising corporate influence to ability now to “buy” elections and legislators. A Senate filibuster just blocked the DISCLOSE Act, Congress’ effort at a remedy.
In another case, barely-reported, the majority blocked Arizona’s “Clean Money Elections” law (public financing) in mid-primary; the Court will decide it on the merits this Term.
And, as we know, many hot public policy issues are headed for the Supreme Court – healthcare reform, gay marriage, Arizona’s immigration law, more rules burdening abortions, etc.
Chemerinsky is also likely to try to de-bunk political rhetoric myths about the “new” Court, such as Justices being just “umpires calling balls and strikes,” and that no judicial conservatives are “activists” with “agendas.”
“he’s turned UCI into a world-class law school”……. not so fast comrade Vern.
I grant you that Dean Chameleonsky created world-class law madrasa pro bolševiky and ACLU terrorists but hardly a law school.
Put down that ganja comrade Vern.
Vern,
Thanks for this article. He is perhaps this nation’s foremost expert on Constitutional law. I think he deserves more press than he gets. For far too long we’ve ignored true thinkers like Chemerinsky in favor of true idiots like Beck and Palin. Keep up this level of writing Vern!
Yeah, Mr. Chumorstinky is a compete and utter waste of tax payer money! He is just another idiot who was born in a time that seemed to have created nothing but idiots and now US payers are paying for him to indoctrinate vulnerable minds with his ridioulous ideology. He should have NEVER been made Dean of a LAW school. Because the law is about Equal justice and not social justice!
My dream is to have a debate with Mr. Chumorstinky about justice for all!
Hey Quinny, why don’t you come? It’s only 2 bucks and there IS a question and answer session, I’m sure he can handle whatever you could throw at him! And I’ll report on it all!
Seriously, come. Quinn and Chemerinsky, I’d love to see that. It’s time he had his turn, the rest of us have been suffering long enough.
If I have the time, I surely will!
What shall we ask about first… The law suit he is envolved with regarding the kid who was harrased by his teachers for being a Christian or the homeless nut jobs in Laguna Beach who spit on and harrass families?
Yes Folks YOU pay for this idiot to sue you!
Tiocfaidh ar la…..:)
He was the best and most-respected law professor at USC in the late 80s. Brilliant, inspiring, personable, and destined for something great. I wouldn’t have pictured a Q&A at Laguna Woods, but that is perfect. God love him! Wish I’d been there!
The only thing this man would insprire in anyone that had half a brain is anger!
The reaons for laws is to protect and insure jusice for all. It was NEVER meant to be a way to attack and take!
Mr. C is an elitist who has nothing but distain for this country and its people. like most liberals he can not stand the majority rule and see’s the court room as a way to attack the majority of this country. He is a social Justice nut, who happens to be financed by the very people he detests!
Chemerinsky. a Duke law prof in 2006, remained silent during “Scottsboro II”, the attempt to blatantly railroad three innocent Duke lacrosse players for a crime which never happened. That case involved witness intimidation,
manufacture of evidence, false statements by police to obtain warrants, ex-parte conversations between judges and the District Attorney, evidence tampering, alteration of police reports, death threats inside a courtroom, and much else besides.
Had there been a law school in Scottsboro in 1932, and had its nationally-known expert on constitutional law–a man reputed for speaking up on the issues–chosen to remain silent; when his speaking up could have helped stopped the railroading of innocents–I would have had a few harsh judgments to make about his character, IMHO.
Exactly!