Articles

Washington Examiner : Education Department turns a blind eye to universities’ continued racial discrimination

September 12, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it, as the Supreme Court held just two months ago in the Students for Fair Admissions cases striking down race-preferential admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Yet many universities have _ essentially revealed _ they plan to disregard the intent of the ruling and con ...

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The Messenger : Will a New Jersey Commercial Fishing Company Upend the Administrative State?

July 23, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

If you were looking for someone to strike a crippling blow against the administrative state, you might not think to start with a small, family-owned commercial fishing company in New Jersey. But constitutional heroes are often surprising. And that’s the case with Loper Bright Enterprises. Their case — which the Supreme Court will hear this ...

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Discourse Magazine : The End of Race Preference in College Admissions?

June 30, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Eliminating race discrimination means eliminating all of it. So holds the Supreme Court in two consolidated cases handed down yesterday, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. North Carolina. Writing for a six-justice majority, Chief Justice John Roberts answered the simple question at the heart of these case &# ...

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Reason : The Supreme Court Is Not in a ‘War on Science’

June 02, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Last fall, Robert Redford (yes, that Robert Redford) took to the pages of USA Today to offer a dire warning of the dystopian future awaiting us if the Supreme Court reined in the Clean Water Act in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a case argued by our firm, the Pacific Legal Foundation. The Supreme … ...

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The Hill : Race-preferential admissions offer only a mirage of opportunity

April 10, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Individuals should be treated as individuals and not on the basis of their membership in racial groups. Nonetheless, race preferences in college and graduate school admissions are sometimes defended as opening up valuable opportunities to racial and ethnic minority students. … ...

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Omaha World-Herald : End judicial bias in Nebraska, support LB 43

March 23, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Outside of many Nebraska courthouses stands Lady Justice, blindfolded and holding a set of evenly balanced scales. Both the blindfold and scales symbolize the importance of fairness and even-handedness in court proceedings. Unfortunately, in court proceedings involving state administrative agencies, what’s known as “judicial deference&# ...

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The Hill : New executive order will expand race preferences throughout the federal government

March 06, 2023 | By ALISON SOMIN

Individuals should be treated as individuals and not on the basis of their membership in racial groups, especially by our government. Unfortunately, a new executive order encourages federal agencies to focus on racial group identity rather than the character and qualifications of employees and contractors. It will result in racial quotas in hiring, ...

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Reason : The Respect for Marriage Act Shows That Congress Can Still Do Its Job

November 30, 2022 | By ALISON SOMIN

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s West Virginia v. EPA decision in June, prominent commentators complained that Congress is too broken to solve major problems, and thus, the executive branch must take action—even if it’s unlawful. … ...

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The Federalist : These Two SCOTUS Cases Could Put The Administrative State In Its Place

November 07, 2022 | By ALISON SOMIN

Justice delayed is justice denied — or so the old saying goes. And although swimming in complex factual and legal issues, two cases that will be argued at the Supreme Court on Monday will put that adage to the test. Start with Axon Enterprise v. Federal Trade Commission. The company makes police body cameras and digital evidence … ...