Julie Novkov
@jnovkov.bsky.social
Academic (poli sci, law, and US political development), administrator, gymnastics fan, resident of upstate New York. Go Great Danes! Views expressed here are solely my personal opinions. Born at 321 PPM CO2. #polisky #skystorians
Reposted by Julie Novkov
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
Last week @runforsomething.net helped elect a socialist in Atlanta, a former Republican in rural PA & at least 122 others, (including 35 red to blue flips). We’ve been building the big tent - tight on values, flexible on policy, and most importantly, centered on community.
November 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Last week @runforsomething.net helped elect a socialist in Atlanta, a former Republican in rural PA & at least 122 others, (including 35 red to blue flips). We’ve been building the big tent - tight on values, flexible on policy, and most importantly, centered on community.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
A leading federal judge quits in protest of Trump's corruption-- & to fight it
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why I Am Leaving the Federal Bench
A judge explains his reasons for resigning.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
A leading federal judge quits in protest of Trump's corruption-- & to fight it
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Julie Novkov
OutKast is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
November 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
OutKast is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
“We started in a little room. Great things start in little rooms”
Reposted by Julie Novkov
The Heritage Foundation is making it clear exactly whose heritage matters, in their eyes.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 12:50 PM
The Heritage Foundation is making it clear exactly whose heritage matters, in their eyes.
This is really good.
For @teenvogue.com I wrote about the death of trans athlete Lia Smith and how trans youth kind themselves with central pillars of their lives being constantly ripped away from them because of politics. www.teenvogue.com/story/politi...
Politicizing Transgender Athletes Is Dangerous. Lia Smith Deserved Better.
"Let her passing be an inflection point for how you think about trans rights and trans people more generally."
www.teenvogue.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM
This is really good.
Like others last night, I initially jumped to the conclusion that SCOTUS was once again merely siding with the Trump administration and allowing them to stop food AID.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
But this interevenyion is more complicated.
Justice Jackson took the lead, in order to prevent worse outcomes.
November 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Pour one out for everyone, including me, who will spend the weekend compulsively checking news, FlightAware, and their airline apps to see if they'll be able to make it to DC for the American Society of Criminology meeting next week.
November 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Pour one out for everyone, including me, who will spend the weekend compulsively checking news, FlightAware, and their airline apps to see if they'll be able to make it to DC for the American Society of Criminology meeting next week.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
OK, as promised, here's my thread about the links between tear gas/pepper spray and the arms trade and gun industry.
November 5, 2025 at 10:39 AM
OK, as promised, here's my thread about the links between tear gas/pepper spray and the arms trade and gun industry.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
My new article "Immigration is Not Invasion" is now up on SSRN. It comprehensively explains why illegal migration and drug smuggling do not qualify as "invasion" under the Constitution and the Alien Enemies Act of 1798: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Immigration is Not Invasion
<div>
In recent years, state governments and the second Trump Administration have increasingly advanced the argument that illegal migration and cross-border dr
papers.ssrn.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:42 PM
My new article "Immigration is Not Invasion" is now up on SSRN. It comprehensively explains why illegal migration and drug smuggling do not qualify as "invasion" under the Constitution and the Alien Enemies Act of 1798: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Every time you are doing one of those mandatory HR trainings and thinking to yourself "OMG, why am I wasting my time? No one is this clueless," remember that yes, yes, they are.
Reporting this story, I heard near universal concern from Heritage staff of discrimination against unmarried women.
Then I obtained a letter to the Heritage board from anonymous staffers that alleged the same thing — and more.
Heritage is aware that alleged behavior could create legal trouble.
Then I obtained a letter to the Heritage board from anonymous staffers that alleged the same thing — and more.
Heritage is aware that alleged behavior could create legal trouble.
November 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Every time you are doing one of those mandatory HR trainings and thinking to yourself "OMG, why am I wasting my time? No one is this clueless," remember that yes, yes, they are.
Winning: when you are so disorganized that you think you're DELIVERING an hour-long lifelong learning session on the Bill of Rights and prep the hell out of it, only to discover that the meeting in your calendar is to DISCUSS delivering an hour-long lifelong learning session on the Bill of Rights.
November 5, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Winning: when you are so disorganized that you think you're DELIVERING an hour-long lifelong learning session on the Bill of Rights and prep the hell out of it, only to discover that the meeting in your calendar is to DISCUSS delivering an hour-long lifelong learning session on the Bill of Rights.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
I've gotten this question a bunch.
Of the races I was watching on my cheat sheet, here are the GOP wins:
—Nassau County executive & DA
—mayor of Columbia, SC
—mayor of Binghamton, NY
—mayor of Manchester, NH
—prosecutor of Virginia Beach
—a special election for NH state House
note: all holds
Of the races I was watching on my cheat sheet, here are the GOP wins:
—Nassau County executive & DA
—mayor of Columbia, SC
—mayor of Binghamton, NY
—mayor of Manchester, NH
—prosecutor of Virginia Beach
—a special election for NH state House
note: all holds
I’m inspired to ask—did Republicans win ANYWHERE??
November 5, 2025 at 6:43 AM
I've gotten this question a bunch.
Of the races I was watching on my cheat sheet, here are the GOP wins:
—Nassau County executive & DA
—mayor of Columbia, SC
—mayor of Binghamton, NY
—mayor of Manchester, NH
—prosecutor of Virginia Beach
—a special election for NH state House
note: all holds
Of the races I was watching on my cheat sheet, here are the GOP wins:
—Nassau County executive & DA
—mayor of Columbia, SC
—mayor of Binghamton, NY
—mayor of Manchester, NH
—prosecutor of Virginia Beach
—a special election for NH state House
note: all holds
tell me you are not a regular NY voter without telling me you are not a regular NY voter
Every day is a new day to learn something New York voters have known their whole lives. Actually curious about the audience for this tweet.
November 4, 2025 at 2:52 PM
tell me you are not a regular NY voter without telling me you are not a regular NY voter
This, 1000 times.
Graber also believes law matters, but not that only law matters. We need more sophisticated analysis that detail the place between blind faith and pure cynicism.
November 4, 2025 at 12:59 PM
This, 1000 times.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
On why judicial biographies are almost always bad, unless you collect cliches. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/11/02/a...
Justice Barrett’s Campaign Biography
Amy Coney Barrett’s book, "Listening to the Law," claims the Supreme Court is above politics. Its very existence proves otherwise.
washingtonmonthly.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:12 PM
On why judicial biographies are almost always bad, unless you collect cliches. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/11/02/a...
Waking up too early because of the time change: 😭
Finishing all my grading before class so I don't have to face my students and tell them I'm two weeks behind: 👍
Finishing all my grading before class so I don't have to face my students and tell them I'm two weeks behind: 👍
November 3, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Waking up too early because of the time change: 😭
Finishing all my grading before class so I don't have to face my students and tell them I'm two weeks behind: 👍
Finishing all my grading before class so I don't have to face my students and tell them I'm two weeks behind: 👍
I'm really trying to stay out of the NYC mayoral race discourse because I don't live in NYC, but I have to admit that this made me laugh very hard. A+ social media, Mr. Mamdani.
Congratulations, Andrew Cuomo!
I know how hard you worked for this.
I know how hard you worked for this.
![Red Trump-style graphic with images of Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo.
At the top it says, "I'm going to pick [Cuomo]." - Donald Trump, 60 Minutes Interview, 11-2-25
Then beneath it
TRUMP ENDORSES CUOMO](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:j5hrotody26iqi24hcusufxu/bafkreib7wnor7hl45ryvmifde4sov74rrnexa3iecbyu7zxjx6brrslsiy@jpeg)
November 3, 2025 at 12:52 PM
I'm really trying to stay out of the NYC mayoral race discourse because I don't live in NYC, but I have to admit that this made me laugh very hard. A+ social media, Mr. Mamdani.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
Also please steer them away from the anxiety-producing, often misinformed reddit forums on law school admissions. Here's the AccessLex link. (Don't confuse with LexFellowship, which has spammed all of your students with their pay-to-play internship program.)
www.accesslex.org/aspiring-law...
www.accesslex.org/aspiring-law...
www.accesslex.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Also please steer them away from the anxiety-producing, often misinformed reddit forums on law school admissions. Here's the AccessLex link. (Don't confuse with LexFellowship, which has spammed all of your students with their pay-to-play internship program.)
www.accesslex.org/aspiring-law...
www.accesslex.org/aspiring-law...
Hi, fellow faculty teaching undergrads. As we are getting into law school application season, please encourage your students to interact with good data sources. Steer them away from USNWR. They should instead be doing comparisons through lawschooltransparency.com.
LawHub — Law School Transparency
Find the best law school for you using the most comprehensive source of law school data.
lawschooltransparency.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Hi, fellow faculty teaching undergrads. As we are getting into law school application season, please encourage your students to interact with good data sources. Steer them away from USNWR. They should instead be doing comparisons through lawschooltransparency.com.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
November 2, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
I shall not enter the fray, but if you want to debate about which party has shifted in which direction over time, there are some nice tools available at voteview.com using DW-Nominate scores that will enable you to do this with something other than hand-waving.
Voteview | Search
View, map, and investigate congressional votes throughout history, classify legislators as liberal or conservatives.
voteview.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I shall not enter the fray, but if you want to debate about which party has shifted in which direction over time, there are some nice tools available at voteview.com using DW-Nominate scores that will enable you to do this with something other than hand-waving.
Reposted by Julie Novkov
BREAKING: Federal judge rules that the Trump administration likely illegally suspended SNAP benefits, ruling that at least reduced distribution is required to go forward under law using the $6 billion reserve fund.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
![UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ET AL.,
Plaintiffs,
V.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ET AL.,
Defendants.
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*
*
*
*
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*
Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-13165-IT
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
October 31, 2025
TALWANI, D.J.
Pending before the court is Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order [Doc.
No. 3] seeking to enjoin, on an emergency basis, Defendants' November 1, 2025 suspension of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP"). For the reasons stated
below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that
Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful. Where that suspension of benefits rested
on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants
to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report
back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiczapq36myqhzcrdp4jfodg5rkso7nuvlta4e5b5r4l5upce7b3le@jpeg)
![As both parties acknowledge, Congress has not yet appropriated any new funds for SNAP
benefits for Fiscal Year 2026, which began on October 1, 2025. Pls.' Mem. 6 [Doc. No. 4];
Defs.' Opp'n 7 [Doc. No. 18]. But Congress took steps to protect against the deprivation of
SNAP assistance. In the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 118-42, § 6, 138
Stat. 25, 93-94, Congress separately appropriated $6 billion to the SNAP program "to remain available through September 30, 2026" and "be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations." See also Pub. L.
No. 119-4, § 1101(a), 139 Stat. 9, 10 (2025). As Plaintiffs point out, given the mandatory nature
of SNAP benefits under 7 U.S.C. § 2014(a) and the appropriation of these funds to be available
10
Case 1:25-cv-13165-IT
Document 26 Filed 10/31/25
Page 11 of 15
through this current fiscal year, the government is obligated to use this contingent reserve
account to fund SNAP "as may become necessary to carry out program operations." 138 Stat. at
93-94; Pls.' Mem. 11 [Doc. No. 4].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiac7aa6icx44x5xjkilpwj7il5oriyttttnrslzrhkwvw6b32cbnm@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 5:59 PM
BREAKING: Federal judge rules that the Trump administration likely illegally suspended SNAP benefits, ruling that at least reduced distribution is required to go forward under law using the $6 billion reserve fund.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
<deep sigh> Law school privileges and rewards the ability to construct clever arguments. If you can come up with something that creatively reinterprets a line of doctrine to expand or contract it in surprising ways, you will be applauded. The dynamic starts in the law school seminar.
October 31, 2025 at 1:38 PM
<deep sigh> Law school privileges and rewards the ability to construct clever arguments. If you can come up with something that creatively reinterprets a line of doctrine to expand or contract it in surprising ways, you will be applauded. The dynamic starts in the law school seminar.