Pat Sobkowski
@patsobkowski.com
Political Science Professor at Marquette. APD, Constitutional Law + history & Administrative Law. Writing a book on the Steel Seizure case. Contributor, @liberalcurrents.com
https://patsobkowski.com/
https://patsobkowski.com/
Pinned
Pat Sobkowski
@patsobkowski.com
· May 6
The Unitary Executive and Politics
The Unitary Executive Theory has inspired debate for nearly half a century. The meaning of Article II of the Constitution has been debated within the academy, t
papers.ssrn.com
My article, "The Unitary Executive and Politics," is forthcoming in the Ohio Northern University Law Review!
I'm very excited to work with the student editors at ONU.
Link to the paper below; comments are welcome.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
I'm very excited to work with the student editors at ONU.
Link to the paper below; comments are welcome.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
I think we’re going to start to see candidates actively campaign on pardons. Not great when you consider the president can basically overrule statutes and Congress can’t do anything about it.
New reporting says Don Jr. directly facilitated the pardon of a crypto whale who had promoted the Trump's family crypto. Jr. brought the pardon lawyer to the White House, and introduced him directly to his Dad. Pardon occurred right after. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/pardon-the...
December 27, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I think we’re going to start to see candidates actively campaign on pardons. Not great when you consider the president can basically overrule statutes and Congress can’t do anything about it.
*go to newspapers dot com*
Ctrl+F
BANG,
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\( (> Public
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BANG,
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Prof. Wurman is now tossing about bits of historical evidence for his mission to undermine the 14th Amendment. Far from useful, this tells us nothing.
To start, this unsigned newspaper blurb was published in 1862– years before the 14th Amendment.
To start, this unsigned newspaper blurb was published in 1862– years before the 14th Amendment.
December 26, 2025 at 5:53 PM
*go to newspapers dot com*
Ctrl+F
BANG,
(•_•)
<) )╯ original
/ \
(•_•)
\( (> Public
/ \
(•_•)
<) )╯ meaning
/ \
Ctrl+F
BANG,
(•_•)
<) )╯ original
/ \
(•_•)
\( (> Public
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(•_•)
<) )╯ meaning
/ \
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
It has been a bracing moment for American federalism, with both unprecedented efforts to extend executive control over state and local govts, novel forms of subnational resistance. Where is federalism going? Paul Nolette and I have edited a new issue of Publius on that question. Short thread:
December 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
It has been a bracing moment for American federalism, with both unprecedented efforts to extend executive control over state and local govts, novel forms of subnational resistance. Where is federalism going? Paul Nolette and I have edited a new issue of Publius on that question. Short thread:
Polish Christmas Eve involves a lot of fried seafood, dough in various forms, and very few vegetables. It’s great, but I can hear my ventricles slamming shut.
December 25, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Polish Christmas Eve involves a lot of fried seafood, dough in various forms, and very few vegetables. It’s great, but I can hear my ventricles slamming shut.
For a libertarian, big-bad-government-out-to-get-the-little-guy, guy, Gorsuch doesn’t seem to have a problem with the president illegally federalizing the national guard to detain and deport brown people, without due process of law.
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
![The Government asked this Court to stay the District Court's order. After the response and reply were filed, JUSTICE BARRETT referred the application to the Court. We directed the parties to file supplemental letter briefs on an issue that the District Court had addressed but the parties' initial briefs had not: the meaning of the term "regular forces" in §12406(3). In its supplemental brief, the Government argues that the term refers to civilian law enforcement officers, such as those employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Federal Protective Service.
Respondents, echoing the District Court, maintain that the term refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary.
We conclude that the term "regular forces" in §12406(3) likely refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary. This interpretation means that to call the Guard into active federal service under §12406(3), the President must be "unable" with the regular military "to execute the laws of the United States." Because the statute requires an assessment of the military's ability to execute the laws, it likely applies only where the military could legally execute the laws. Such circumstances are exceptional: Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is prohibited from "execut[ing] the laws" "except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress."
18 U. S. C. §1385. So before the President can federalize the Guard under §12406(3), he likely must have statutory or constitutional authority to execute the laws with the regular military and must be "unable" with those forces to perform that function.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6h7b2i6ttw3l4t7pvbvxdith/bafkreiftbhzwvn3vgwhqsi7k2paizvdw4t26ailljvovso3chqupnmj364@jpeg)
December 23, 2025 at 8:31 PM
For a libertarian, big-bad-government-out-to-get-the-little-guy, guy, Gorsuch doesn’t seem to have a problem with the president illegally federalizing the national guard to detain and deport brown people, without due process of law.
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
December 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
We went from Walter Cronkite to this coward who does nothing but drag his legacy through the mud.
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
Bari Weiss Praised El Salvador’s Dictator Before Spiking '60 Minutes' Story on His Torture Prison
Weiss touted El Salvador’s brutal leader while her blog published jokes about Trump sending immigrants to the CECOT prison.
zeteo.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:38 AM
We went from Walter Cronkite to this coward who does nothing but drag his legacy through the mud.
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
Self owns are becoming part of Heritage’s heritage.
The thing to do when a large chunk of your organization is fleeing because you’re cozying up to anti-Semites is to wish everybody of all faiths a merry Christmas.
December 23, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Self owns are becoming part of Heritage’s heritage.
Bondi is a disgrace to the DOJ and the country.
December 20, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Bondi is a disgrace to the DOJ and the country.
The committee thought this Alabama team deserved to be in over Notre Dame. What a joke.
December 20, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The committee thought this Alabama team deserved to be in over Notre Dame. What a joke.
Man I hope Oklahoma beats the crap out of Alabama.
December 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Man I hope Oklahoma beats the crap out of Alabama.
Congratulations to Cristina Rodriguez on being named the next Dean of Yale Law School.
December 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Congratulations to Cristina Rodriguez on being named the next Dean of Yale Law School.
Matthew Stafford has been unreal this season. Career year at 37.
December 19, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Matthew Stafford has been unreal this season. Career year at 37.
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
My forthcoming book—
For which I began research in 2006.
Is now posted on the website for Princeton University Press.
Cover will be added soon.
The King’s Slaves: The British Empire & the Origins of American Slavery
For which I began research in 2006.
Is now posted on the website for Princeton University Press.
Cover will be added soon.
The King’s Slaves: The British Empire & the Origins of American Slavery
The King's Slaves
A provocative account of how empire and absolutism institutionalized slavery in America
press.princeton.edu
December 18, 2025 at 11:14 PM
My forthcoming book—
For which I began research in 2006.
Is now posted on the website for Princeton University Press.
Cover will be added soon.
The King’s Slaves: The British Empire & the Origins of American Slavery
For which I began research in 2006.
Is now posted on the website for Princeton University Press.
Cover will be added soon.
The King’s Slaves: The British Empire & the Origins of American Slavery
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
NB: When I, a professor of law, profess that an act is unlawful, I am not doing it to inform the lawbreaker, but rather to inform you, the reader.
So the question “what, like you think he cares?” is inapposite. The question is whether *you* care. I think you should, which is why I bother.
So the question “what, like you think he cares?” is inapposite. The question is whether *you* care. I think you should, which is why I bother.
December 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
NB: When I, a professor of law, profess that an act is unlawful, I am not doing it to inform the lawbreaker, but rather to inform you, the reader.
So the question “what, like you think he cares?” is inapposite. The question is whether *you* care. I think you should, which is why I bother.
So the question “what, like you think he cares?” is inapposite. The question is whether *you* care. I think you should, which is why I bother.
Both my fantasy teams are playing for a trip to the championship this weekend. My teams are on the left.
December 18, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Both my fantasy teams are playing for a trip to the championship this weekend. My teams are on the left.
I woke up to this yesterday.
December 18, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I woke up to this yesterday.
I submitted a verification form to @bsky.app @support.bsky.team a long time ago. Has anyone who submitted one actually gotten verified?
December 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
I submitted a verification form to @bsky.app @support.bsky.team a long time ago. Has anyone who submitted one actually gotten verified?
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
Here's the piece (again) if you want to read it: muse.jhu.edu/pub/275/arti...
Project MUSE - Negotiated Federalism: Intergovernmental Relations on the Maritime Frontier, 1789–1815
muse.jhu.edu
November 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Here's the piece (again) if you want to read it: muse.jhu.edu/pub/275/arti...
Hey, guys! If you need a reason to *not* go back to Twitter, see below.
I QT’d the first post with what I think is an uncontroversial historical point. It blew up, and out of the woodwork came the neoconfederates, antisemites, white nationalists, and other racists.
I QT’d the first post with what I think is an uncontroversial historical point. It blew up, and out of the woodwork came the neoconfederates, antisemites, white nationalists, and other racists.
December 17, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Hey, guys! If you need a reason to *not* go back to Twitter, see below.
I QT’d the first post with what I think is an uncontroversial historical point. It blew up, and out of the woodwork came the neoconfederates, antisemites, white nationalists, and other racists.
I QT’d the first post with what I think is an uncontroversial historical point. It blew up, and out of the woodwork came the neoconfederates, antisemites, white nationalists, and other racists.
Good discussion between @jedshug.bsky.social and Tom Berry of Cato. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
Can President Trump Fire a Federal Trade Commissioner Without Cause?
Podcast Episode · We the People · 12/11/2025 · 1h 7m
podcasts.apple.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Good discussion between @jedshug.bsky.social and Tom Berry of Cato. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
Student eval:
"Sobkowski served and left no crumbs."
"Sobkowski served and left no crumbs."
December 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Student eval:
"Sobkowski served and left no crumbs."
"Sobkowski served and left no crumbs."
Reposted by Pat Sobkowski
"Burkeanism and the Administrative State"
I really enjoyed doing this podcast episode with Sarah Isgur, @williambaude.bsky.social, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social. It was framed around separation of powers debates, but the conversation ranged much more widely. thedispatch.com/podcast/advi...
I really enjoyed doing this podcast episode with Sarah Isgur, @williambaude.bsky.social, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social. It was framed around separation of powers debates, but the conversation ranged much more widely. thedispatch.com/podcast/advi...
Burkeanism and the Administrative State
A debate on unitary executive power.
thedispatch.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:18 PM
"Burkeanism and the Administrative State"
I really enjoyed doing this podcast episode with Sarah Isgur, @williambaude.bsky.social, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social. It was framed around separation of powers debates, but the conversation ranged much more widely. thedispatch.com/podcast/advi...
I really enjoyed doing this podcast episode with Sarah Isgur, @williambaude.bsky.social, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social. It was framed around separation of powers debates, but the conversation ranged much more widely. thedispatch.com/podcast/advi...