Leah Litman (@leahlitman.bsky.social)

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 12:02 PM

VERY important point from my colleague Sam Bagenstos - the 2026 Senate races will determine the future of the Supreme Court and federal courts more broadly. Which means the 2026 Senate race in MICHIGAN could determine the future of the Supreme Court

@jamalgreene.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 11:48 AMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

A massive, and massively underrated, threat to a functioning democracy. (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/10/11/u...

@gabrielmalor.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 8:18 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

5th Cir. issues a rare Saturday order. Holds that the Supreme Court's stay in D.V.D. forecloses a stay of removal for a Senegalese man with witholding of removal to Senegal who DHS intends to immediately deport to Sierra Leone.

www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub...

Separately, the Supreme Court has effectively ratified third-country removal of the sort that Gakou faces when it granted certiorari in a case raising the issue while still explicitly permitting the government to continue with third-country removals unabated pending full resolution on the merits. See DHS v. D.V.D., Nos. 26-426, 26A406 (U.S. Sept. 29, 2026) (per curiam). As a result, Gakou’s claim to an injunction against his removal to a country besides Senegal is unavailing and cannot be used to support the stay he currently seeks. Because Gakou has not demonstrated any meaningful probability of success on the merits, he is not entitled to a stay. The emergency motion for a stay pending appeal is DENIED.

@ericumansky.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 6:53 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

And the five-year-old boy who was in the car?

His mom says he's "traumatized" and hasn't spoken since the shooting.

www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/n...

@joshghiloni.me Oct 9, 2026, 12:52 AMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

When I read a book by an author whose voice I know I read it in their voice, so today I said fuck it and checked out Lawless by @leahlitman.bsky.social on Libby and she’s actually reading it to me.

Only a half hour in, but it’s fantastic.

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 8:43 AM

Thank you!

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 11:57 PM

Jon Ossoff:

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 10:44 PM

🙏

@murshedz.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 10:34 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

Supreme Court enabled that violent movement via United States v Cruickshank (a decision that Roberts #SCOTUS later echoed in Trump v United States [worth reading @leahlitman.bsky.social's Lawless where she lays this all out. pp 96-97, 139]

@iamstevenhale.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 10:10 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

Christa Pike’s attorneys have just released an update on her condition. Full release here:

UPDATE ON CHRISTA PIKE’S CONDITION

Statement from Randy Spivey and Kelly Gleason from the TN Office of the Post Conviction Defender, and Stephen Ferrell and Luke Ihnen from Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee, attorneys for Christa Pike

The turnaround in Christa Pike’s health in the last three days has been profound and a credit to the medical team caring for her. She woke up from unconsciousness Tuesday morning (Oct. 6) and began taking limited steps Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 7). Today, she is walking with some assistance, and her arms—which sustained significant injuries during the execution attempt—are healing and regaining movement and strength. Her lungs are clear, and she has started to eat a regular diet. Physicians are encouraged by her physical recovery.

While her physical recovery has been remarkable, significant questions remain about the long-term effects of what she endured. Christa is dealing with the profound psychological trauma of having survived a failed execution, including the terror, pain and uncertainty of believing she was about to die. We cannot yet know the full emotional and psychological toll of that experience or how long it will take her to begin to heal. Even as she struggles to process what has happened, she continues to express concern for others, particularly the family of her victim Colleen Slemmer.

Christa also continues to experience cognitive challenges with concentration and memory. Her physicians have cautioned that it may take months to fully understand whether she sustained lasting cognitive injuries.

Christa committed her crime at just 18 years old after a childhood marked by rape, sexual violence, physical abuse and neglect. Later into her incarceration, Christa was finally properly diagnosed and treated for bipolar disorder and PTSD caused by her upbringing.

Christa has endured more than enough. We continue to call on Gov. Lee to commute her death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She should never be subjected to another execution attempt.

@atrupar.com Oct 8, 2026, 6:34 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

Hegseth: "In every combat position, we've returned the standard to the highest male standard only"

@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 9:48 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

Haha wow is this comically corrupt. /he didn't end up paying her the money because he said he'd get in trouble with his wife.

By
Dana Mattioli
,
Drew Hinshaw
,
Rebecca Ballhaus
and
Joe Parkinson
Oct. 7, 2026 4:53 pm ET

Kimberly Guilfoyle was preparing for her congressional hearing to become U.S. ambassador to Greece when she reached out to a Trump donor with an urgent request: She needed $100,000 that she said she owed American Express—in a way that wouldn’t leave a paper trail.

“It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express,” she wrote on Signal, according to messages reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. “Please.”

Underneath is a screenshot of a text. First text is a link to an American Express instructions PDF. Next text says: "You can just send it here. It won't show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express that's all that will show." Final text: "Please."

@rickhasen.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 9:35 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

#ELB: “‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account” https://electionlawblog.org/2026/honey-please-kimberly-guilfoyle-pushed-donor-to-wire-100000-to-her-amex-account/

@soraya.press Oct 7, 2026, 6:08 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

This is sexual violence as a form of terrorism. It is political violence and it is chilling and horrific, and AOC was absolutely right to be terrified that the goons (now pardoned) laying siege to the capital would rape her if they found her. Small changes won't fix this. FLIP THE TABLE NOW

public health guy@publichealthguy1.bsky.socialOct 7, 2026, 5:34 PM

oh my GOD

phoenixnewtimes.comCongressional candidate is raped while repairing her campaign signsEmbarrassed, she initially didn’t want to report attack. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office's investigation is ongoing.

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 7:45 PM

schrodinger’s reflecting pool

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.comOct 6, 2026, 7:16 PM

Trump: "I think they're gonna fill it up this week. The Reflecting Pool is totally complete. I think it's almost complete."

@crooked.com Oct 6, 2026, 6:47 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

@leahlitman.bsky.social on Alito recusal: Vergogna occasionally still works.

@chrisgeidner.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 5:58 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

NEW: Following the Supreme Court OK'ing states' trans sports bans, ADF is now taking its targeting of states with pro-trans sports policies to SCOTUS — via the shadow docket in a case out of Washington. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

documentcloud.org26A458

@qjurecic.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 12:20 PMReposted by @leahlitman.bsky.social

Cool www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Alito holds up Edmund Burke’s teachings about prudence and tradition as “invaluable” guides for the “many times when originalist jurists must exercise judgment.” But he otherwise defends Burke’s relevance to American judging only by noting that he and many other conservatives esteem him. Unexpectedly, Alito also voices great respect for the work of the Harvard Law professor and fellow Catholic Adrian Vermeule, an arch critic of originalism. Vermeule argues that the theory’s moral skepticism, “defensive crouch,” and allergy to considering outcomes render it “an obstacle to the development of a robust, substantively conservative approach to constitutional law.” He favors interpretation aimed at “the common good,” a concept associated with Catholic social teaching.

@leahlitman.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 11:41 AM

Steve took one for the team - and read Justice Alito's book. And Steve's response? INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS Also, Steve to Justice Alito: