Niko Bowie
@nikobowie.bsky.social
Reposted by Niko Bowie
This is a genuinely huge, sweeping victory today for the University of California—or rather, for us, its faculty, acting through our faculty associations, while the UC itself maintained a strict policy of deer-in-headlights silence.
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
Trump administration drops appeal of court order blocking $1.2-billion UCLA settlement
The Trump administration dropped its appeal of a major higher education case in which a federal judge blocked its $1.2-billion settlement proposal to UCLA over alleged civil rights violations. It will...
www.latimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:57 AM
This is a genuinely huge, sweeping victory today for the University of California—or rather, for us, its faculty, acting through our faculty associations, while the UC itself maintained a strict policy of deer-in-headlights silence.
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
Reposted by Niko Bowie
a beautifully written and powerful piece from University of Minnesota Law professor Emmanuel Mauleón on the stakes of how the legal profession responds in this moment.
lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
Whistling at the Edge of Law
The whistle is sounding in Minneapolis. The question before the legal profession is whether we will hear it, amplify it, and act accordingly, or instead insist that the ground eroding beneath our feet...
lpeproject.org
February 12, 2026 at 2:07 PM
a beautifully written and powerful piece from University of Minnesota Law professor Emmanuel Mauleón on the stakes of how the legal profession responds in this moment.
lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
Reposted by Niko Bowie
This is all due to the incredible resistance of the people of Minnesota.
Their resilience - and their determination - helped enforce the Constitution in a way that political elites in Congress and the courts did not or could not.
I have never been prouder to be a Minnesotan.
Their resilience - and their determination - helped enforce the Constitution in a way that political elites in Congress and the courts did not or could not.
I have never been prouder to be a Minnesotan.
Homan in Minnesota: "I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue."
February 12, 2026 at 2:23 PM
This is all due to the incredible resistance of the people of Minnesota.
Their resilience - and their determination - helped enforce the Constitution in a way that political elites in Congress and the courts did not or could not.
I have never been prouder to be a Minnesotan.
Their resilience - and their determination - helped enforce the Constitution in a way that political elites in Congress and the courts did not or could not.
I have never been prouder to be a Minnesotan.
Reposted by Niko Bowie
“When Citizens United was decided in 2010, billionaires had spent $18 million on the 2000 election, $13M 2004 and $16M in 2008. Then came the deluge. In 2012 it was $231M, and nearly doubled again in next three election cycles —to $682M in 2016, $1.2 billion in 2020 and $2.6 billion in 2024.” Gift:
Opinion | Affordability and the ‘Epstein Class’ Will Define American Politics
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:57 AM
“When Citizens United was decided in 2010, billionaires had spent $18 million on the 2000 election, $13M 2004 and $16M in 2008. Then came the deluge. In 2012 it was $231M, and nearly doubled again in next three election cycles —to $682M in 2016, $1.2 billion in 2020 and $2.6 billion in 2024.” Gift:
Reposted by Niko Bowie
Reposted by Niko Bowie
Unmarked car, no lights or police insignia. Masked armed men leap out. Victim not in the act of committing any crime. This is not how a serious federal law enforcement agency acts in a free society.
How is this not supposed to be a “right wing paramilitary force loyal to the regime”?
How is this not supposed to be a “right wing paramilitary force loyal to the regime”?
This is just insane. It’s only a matter of time before DHS kills another innocent person here.
(clip via MPR and @davidjbier.bsky.social on X)
(clip via MPR and @davidjbier.bsky.social on X)
January 31, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Unmarked car, no lights or police insignia. Masked armed men leap out. Victim not in the act of committing any crime. This is not how a serious federal law enforcement agency acts in a free society.
How is this not supposed to be a “right wing paramilitary force loyal to the regime”?
How is this not supposed to be a “right wing paramilitary force loyal to the regime”?
Reposted by Niko Bowie
actually communicating “I’m here and I’m working for you and here’s how” is an aspect of governing that’s neglected by far too many people who think the work speaks for itself (or, frankly, don’t have the communication chops Zohran does)
this is how you combat the forces that want to make you fail
this is how you combat the forces that want to make you fail
We're getting a snowstorm tomorrow. But New York City is prepared.
January 25, 2026 at 6:21 PM
actually communicating “I’m here and I’m working for you and here’s how” is an aspect of governing that’s neglected by far too many people who think the work speaks for itself (or, frankly, don’t have the communication chops Zohran does)
this is how you combat the forces that want to make you fail
this is how you combat the forces that want to make you fail
Reposted by Niko Bowie
TikTok coverage seems to have become somewhat numb to this, but worth remembering that the President simply refusing to enforce a *crystal-clear* law of Congress for over a year to instead broker a deal on his own terms, & Congress just shrugging, is very much not how this was supposed to work
January 23, 2026 at 5:26 PM
TikTok coverage seems to have become somewhat numb to this, but worth remembering that the President simply refusing to enforce a *crystal-clear* law of Congress for over a year to instead broker a deal on his own terms, & Congress just shrugging, is very much not how this was supposed to work
Reposted by Niko Bowie
Newly unsealed evidence makes it even clearer that Rubio and Noem knew they were targeting students based solely on their political speech and that they knew this policy was unconstitutional. They just didn’t care. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...
January 23, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Newly unsealed evidence makes it even clearer that Rubio and Noem knew they were targeting students based solely on their political speech and that they knew this policy was unconstitutional. They just didn’t care. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...
One year in, a helpful summary
How Trump Is Pushing to Expand Presidential Power
A breakdown of the presidential powers President Trump has sought for himself, including what he did to obtain power and what’s next.
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:12 PM
One year in, a helpful summary
Reposted by Niko Bowie
you know this guy is a FOR REAL photographer because he's telling the story of his brutal, unconditional arrest by federal goons and can't help but slip in a gear review
Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.
January 17, 2026 at 3:37 PM
you know this guy is a FOR REAL photographer because he's telling the story of his brutal, unconditional arrest by federal goons and can't help but slip in a gear review
From @jamellebouie.net: “All occupations resemble one another in some way, and it is striking to read descriptions and accounts of the occupation of Boston in light of events in Minnesota.”
January 17, 2026 at 4:46 PM
From @jamellebouie.net: “All occupations resemble one another in some way, and it is striking to read descriptions and accounts of the occupation of Boston in light of events in Minnesota.”
Do you know why you've heard of the Boston Massacre? Because in 1768, when the British military began occupying Boston, Bostonians syndicated a "Journal of Occurrences" in newspapers around the country to help Americans understand what abuse of power looks like. By the 1770s, readers understood.
January 16, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Do you know why you've heard of the Boston Massacre? Because in 1768, when the British military began occupying Boston, Bostonians syndicated a "Journal of Occurrences" in newspapers around the country to help Americans understand what abuse of power looks like. By the 1770s, readers understood.
Reposted by Niko Bowie
This is the sort of statement that was expected from every university president and law firm partner over the last year. That those statements weren’t made played a huge part in where we are now and people will remember.
Jerome Powell: "This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation."
January 12, 2026 at 1:45 AM
This is the sort of statement that was expected from every university president and law firm partner over the last year. That those statements weren’t made played a huge part in where we are now and people will remember.
Reposted by Niko Bowie
Wrote a piece for @slate.com explaining that states have a long history of prosecuting federal officers when they allegedly use excessive force. Federal officers are only immune from such prosecutions when they act reasonably in carrying out lawful duties.
Minnesota Could Prosecute the ICE Shooter. Trump Can’t Pardon Him.
Shortly after an ICE officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, city leaders began looking into whether the officer had violated state criminal law.
slate.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Wrote a piece for @slate.com explaining that states have a long history of prosecuting federal officers when they allegedly use excessive force. Federal officers are only immune from such prosecutions when they act reasonably in carrying out lawful duties.
Reposted by Niko Bowie
White House has filed its War Powers report for the attack on Venezuela.
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
January 6, 2026 at 1:21 AM
White House has filed its War Powers report for the attack on Venezuela.
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
Reposted by Niko Bowie
Administrations have come up with lots of flimsy rationales for why their wars don't need congressional authorization over the years, but this might be the most transparently bad faith and facially absurd.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Why wasn't congressional authorization necessary?
RUBIO: It wasn't necessary because this was not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was an arrest operation.
RUBIO: It wasn't necessary because this was not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was an arrest operation.
January 4, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Administrations have come up with lots of flimsy rationales for why their wars don't need congressional authorization over the years, but this might be the most transparently bad faith and facially absurd.
This is con artist constitutionalism. One weird trick they don’t want you to know about. As if no one until now has ever considered whether Congress can fund highways
I regret to inform you there’s a new post telling us we’re rubes who’ve missed the obvious & clear meaning of the Const’n for a century.
This is the type of post you make when your goal is to juice engagement from those who want nothing more than to be told their policy goals are const’l commands.
This is the type of post you make when your goal is to juice engagement from those who want nothing more than to be told their policy goals are const’l commands.
December 30, 2025 at 2:51 PM
This is con artist constitutionalism. One weird trick they don’t want you to know about. As if no one until now has ever considered whether Congress can fund highways
Not content to win in court, Harvard apparently keeps trying to pay a $500m “work force investment proposal”—but the bribe isn’t explicit enough for Trump
December 24, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Not content to win in court, Harvard apparently keeps trying to pay a $500m “work force investment proposal”—but the bribe isn’t explicit enough for Trump
Reposted by Niko Bowie
There's a mind boggling irony here that some might miss -
Whren is maybe THE WORST case for the proposition that law enforcement can't discriminatorily enforce. In Whren, SCOTUS held that the 4th amendment didn't bar pretextual stops actually based on race.
supreme.justia.com/cases/federa...
1/
Whren is maybe THE WORST case for the proposition that law enforcement can't discriminatorily enforce. In Whren, SCOTUS held that the 4th amendment didn't bar pretextual stops actually based on race.
supreme.justia.com/cases/federa...
1/
December 24, 2025 at 3:52 AM
There's a mind boggling irony here that some might miss -
Whren is maybe THE WORST case for the proposition that law enforcement can't discriminatorily enforce. In Whren, SCOTUS held that the 4th amendment didn't bar pretextual stops actually based on race.
supreme.justia.com/cases/federa...
1/
Whren is maybe THE WORST case for the proposition that law enforcement can't discriminatorily enforce. In Whren, SCOTUS held that the 4th amendment didn't bar pretextual stops actually based on race.
supreme.justia.com/cases/federa...
1/
The Trump administration’s position is apparently it would be “war” to kill Venezuelans on land but not on ships.
Famously, no US wars—not WWI, not WWII, not the Gulf of Tonkin or the USS Maine—began with attacks on US ships.
Famously, no US wars—not WWI, not WWII, not the Gulf of Tonkin or the USS Maine—began with attacks on US ships.
December 16, 2025 at 2:23 PM
The Trump administration’s position is apparently it would be “war” to kill Venezuelans on land but not on ships.
Famously, no US wars—not WWI, not WWII, not the Gulf of Tonkin or the USS Maine—began with attacks on US ships.
Famously, no US wars—not WWI, not WWII, not the Gulf of Tonkin or the USS Maine—began with attacks on US ships.