Rachel Rothschild
@profrrothschild.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Law School
https://michigan.law.umich.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/our-faculty/rachel-rothschild
Author of Poisonous Skies: Acid Rain and the Globalization of Pollution (Chicago, 2019)
https://michigan.law.umich.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/our-faculty/rachel-rothschild
Author of Poisonous Skies: Acid Rain and the Globalization of Pollution (Chicago, 2019)
Brilliant, beautifully written, and devastating to read: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Third Red Scare
The Trump administration is cracking down on Americans’ freedom of speech with a new viciousness, but the First Amendment won’t go down without a fight.
www.theatlantic.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Brilliant, beautifully written, and devastating to read: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud
But no one heard a thing
Rain came pouring down
When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe
And by morning
Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean
But no one heard a thing
Rain came pouring down
When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe
And by morning
Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud
But no one heard a thing
Rain came pouring down
When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe
And by morning
Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean
But no one heard a thing
Rain came pouring down
When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe
And by morning
Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
A brave and powerful piece by Judge Wolf.
A brave and powerful piece by Judge Wolf.
Why I Am Resigning
A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
A brave and powerful piece by Judge Wolf.
A brave and powerful piece by Judge Wolf.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
What is Ezra Klein going to do
November 5, 2025 at 2:36 AM
What is Ezra Klein going to do
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
This is the President openly announcing that he will violate court orders - two courts had concluded that the Trump regime withholding SNAP funding was illegal - and that the government had to pay out (at least reduced) SNAP benefits starting this week
This is the President openly announcing that he will violate court orders - two courts had concluded that the Trump regime withholding SNAP funding was illegal - and that the government had to pay out (at least reduced) SNAP benefits starting this week
November 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
This is the President openly announcing that he will violate court orders - two courts had concluded that the Trump regime withholding SNAP funding was illegal - and that the government had to pay out (at least reduced) SNAP benefits starting this week
This is the President openly announcing that he will violate court orders - two courts had concluded that the Trump regime withholding SNAP funding was illegal - and that the government had to pay out (at least reduced) SNAP benefits starting this week
With the caveat that Jonathan and I may not agree on whether Congress was worried/thinking about climate change when it enacted the 1970 Clean Air Act, this is an excellent analysis of the many problems with Attorney Barr’s WSJ op ed. Grateful to Jonathan for responding with a corrective.
In which I respond to William Barr's arguments for preempting climate suits.
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
William Barr Discovers the Economics of Tort Law (and Misrepresents the Law Governing Interstate Pollution)
Another reply to the former attorney general on climate litigation that may end up in the Supreme Court.
reason.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:56 AM
With the caveat that Jonathan and I may not agree on whether Congress was worried/thinking about climate change when it enacted the 1970 Clean Air Act, this is an excellent analysis of the many problems with Attorney Barr’s WSJ op ed. Grateful to Jonathan for responding with a corrective.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Climate experts are being silenced, harassed, and discredited for doing their jobs. Hear from three people at the center of these attacks — about fear, resilience, and why they keep fighting for climate truth in an age of denial, disinformation, and erasure.
🎧 Listen now on Climate One:
🎧 Listen now on Climate One:
When Climate Work Comes at a Cost: Dispatches From the Upside Down
Human-caused climate change is fueling extreme floods, wildfires, rising seas, and record-breaking heat all around the world. At the same time, some of the most senior U.S. government officials and…
play.megaphone.fm
October 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Climate experts are being silenced, harassed, and discredited for doing their jobs. Hear from three people at the center of these attacks — about fear, resilience, and why they keep fighting for climate truth in an age of denial, disinformation, and erasure.
🎧 Listen now on Climate One:
🎧 Listen now on Climate One:
As many of you may know, a fossil fuel funded NGO is currently suing the University of Michigan to obtain my personal communications with environmental groups.
I recently went on the @climateone.org podcast to talk about my work and the toll the lawsuit has taken: www.climateone.org/audio/when-c...
I recently went on the @climateone.org podcast to talk about my work and the toll the lawsuit has taken: www.climateone.org/audio/when-c...
When Climate Work Comes at a Cost: Dispatches From the Upside Down
Human-caused climate change is fueling extreme floods, wildfires, rising seas, and record-breaking heat all around the world. At the same time, some of the most senior U.S. government officials and ot...
www.climateone.org
October 31, 2025 at 3:39 PM
As many of you may know, a fossil fuel funded NGO is currently suing the University of Michigan to obtain my personal communications with environmental groups.
I recently went on the @climateone.org podcast to talk about my work and the toll the lawsuit has taken: www.climateone.org/audio/when-c...
I recently went on the @climateone.org podcast to talk about my work and the toll the lawsuit has taken: www.climateone.org/audio/when-c...
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
October 31, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
anyone who boosts AI has to explain to me why this is worth it
October 31, 2025 at 1:31 AM
anyone who boosts AI has to explain to me why this is worth it
This.
We have a growing antisemitism problem in America, but the federal government is controlled by Republicans, so instead of addressing it, the response is (a) to exacerbate it with messaging and (b) to exploit it as a pretext for attacks on academia, particularly women and minorities in academia.
A person in Alabama was arrested with a suitcase full of ammunition, body armor, and other items, intending to attack synagogues across the US South. www.cnn.com/2025/10/28/u...
October 29, 2025 at 12:40 PM
This.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Wow. "Months after law firms made deals with President Trump to ward off punitive executive orders, the ethics committee of the District of Columbia Bar is warning that such arrangements may require firms to drop or obtain waivers from all clients who have interests at odds with the government."
After Law Firm Deals With Trump, D.C. Bar Warns of Ethical Jeopardy
www.nytimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Wow. "Months after law firms made deals with President Trump to ward off punitive executive orders, the ethics committee of the District of Columbia Bar is warning that such arrangements may require firms to drop or obtain waivers from all clients who have interests at odds with the government."
This brilliant essay deserves a wide readership, including within legal academia: open.substack.com/pub/clayjak/...
Fear and Loathing at the 6th Circuit Judicial Conference
The Court is less a deliberative body than a cartel: six butt-hurt ideologues with lifetime tenure, laundering billionaire ideology through grievance-based constitutional reinterpretation.
open.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 5:21 PM
This brilliant essay deserves a wide readership, including within legal academia: open.substack.com/pub/clayjak/...
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Another bit of good news -- clean energy stocks are significantly outperforming the S&P500, and outperforming oil stocks by even more
October 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Another bit of good news -- clean energy stocks are significantly outperforming the S&P500, and outperforming oil stocks by even more
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
If the federal Executive Branch is going to repeatedly violate the law by withholding appropriated funds that they owe to state and local governments, and the other federal branches don't stop them, at some point the state and local govts will feel compelled to withhold money they owe the feds.
This is functionally a robbery of New York City and New York State taxpayers, who contribute billions more to the federal government annually than we get back.
Stealing our money, blocking our bus lanes.
Stealing our money, blocking our bus lanes.
NEW: White House announces it's going to pause, and potentially cancel, $11 billion in infrastructure funding (via the Army Corps of Engineers), specifically citing cities, like New York, represented or led by Democrats. More to come.
October 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
If the federal Executive Branch is going to repeatedly violate the law by withholding appropriated funds that they owe to state and local governments, and the other federal branches don't stop them, at some point the state and local govts will feel compelled to withhold money they owe the feds.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
America in 2025: In online chats, the aspiring young leaders of the party in charge wish longingly for Jim Crow and Nazism. In public, Brett Kavanaugh wonders whether the time has passed when it’s appropriate to take special measures to assure fair representation for racial minorities.
October 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
America in 2025: In online chats, the aspiring young leaders of the party in charge wish longingly for Jim Crow and Nazism. In public, Brett Kavanaugh wonders whether the time has passed when it’s appropriate to take special measures to assure fair representation for racial minorities.
I am so proud of my Origins of the Major Questions doctrine paper and very grateful to have it acknowledged in this way by fellow scholars and practitioners of environmental law.
Many thanks to @umichlaw.bsky.social for the write up and to my colleague Ekow Yankah for his incredibly kind comments 😊
Many thanks to @umichlaw.bsky.social for the write up and to my colleague Ekow Yankah for his incredibly kind comments 😊
“The Origins of the Major Questions Doctrine” by Professor @profrrothschild.bsky.social has been selected as one of the top 10 environmental law papers published in 2024.
michigan.law.umich.edu/news/rothsch...
michigan.law.umich.edu/news/rothsch...
Rothschild Paper on Major Questions Doctrine Named Among Top Environmental Law Articles | University of Michigan Law School
An article by Professor Rachel Rothschild has been selected as one of the top 10 environmental law papers published in 2024.
michigan.law.umich.edu
October 15, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I am so proud of my Origins of the Major Questions doctrine paper and very grateful to have it acknowledged in this way by fellow scholars and practitioners of environmental law.
Many thanks to @umichlaw.bsky.social for the write up and to my colleague Ekow Yankah for his incredibly kind comments 😊
Many thanks to @umichlaw.bsky.social for the write up and to my colleague Ekow Yankah for his incredibly kind comments 😊
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Going to be a bit ironic if what saves us from the Federalist Society is federalism.
Same time that Pritzker is telling city and state officials to start arresting and prosecuting federal officials for assaulting Illinois citizens.
OT1H, this is clearly really bad.
OTOH, our federalized design might end up being an absolute godsend.
OT1H, this is clearly really bad.
OTOH, our federalized design might end up being an absolute godsend.
JB Pritzker looking at prosecuting ICE agents in Chicago
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has suggested that state prosecutors might examine the conduct of ICE agents.
www.newsweek.com
October 15, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Going to be a bit ironic if what saves us from the Federalist Society is federalism.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
October 14, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
I know some will say this is just the reality of the world. Nothing matters anymore. Law is for suckers, etc. But this is nuts--it's DOGE getting an academic whitewash.
October 14, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I know some will say this is just the reality of the world. Nothing matters anymore. Law is for suckers, etc. But this is nuts--it's DOGE getting an academic whitewash.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
Exactly this. And if you care about academic freedom, you should really subscribe to this newsletter.
open.substack.com/pub/academic...
open.substack.com/pub/academic...
Acting Now to Protect the Future
We should not be curious about the Trump higher ed "compact."
open.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Exactly this. And if you care about academic freedom, you should really subscribe to this newsletter.
open.substack.com/pub/academic...
open.substack.com/pub/academic...
Agree with Nick that what has happened to the Washington Post in recent months is extremely concerning. His thread on the bad editorial about the shutdown is worth reading in full.
This editorial from @washingtonpost.com is disappointing because it is sloppy and misleading---if not factually wrong. As a piece by the Editorial Board (the voice of the paper), it threatens Washington Post's credibility and integrity. 1/15
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | Government shutdowns wouldn’t happen if they caused more pain
Democratic leaders play a dangerous game as Trump threatens not to pay furloughed federal workers.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Agree with Nick that what has happened to the Washington Post in recent months is extremely concerning. His thread on the bad editorial about the shutdown is worth reading in full.
Reposted by Rachel Rothschild
So now we have court filings in which cases are allegedly hallucinated by *check notes* LEXIS NEXIS, THE EFFING LARGEST, MOST USED LEGAL DATABASE BY LAWYERS, COURTS, AND LEGAL SCHOLARS.
Seems bad.
Seems bad.
Lawyer Blames AI Tool for Inaccurate Citations in Court Filing | Jeff Bazinet posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Is this the first case in which a major provider has been blamed for AI-hallucinated cites?
New York.
Trial court.
AI hallucination-containing filing.
(But you knew that.)
Attorney subscribes to...
www.linkedin.com
October 6, 2025 at 12:55 AM
So now we have court filings in which cases are allegedly hallucinated by *check notes* LEXIS NEXIS, THE EFFING LARGEST, MOST USED LEGAL DATABASE BY LAWYERS, COURTS, AND LEGAL SCHOLARS.
Seems bad.
Seems bad.