University of California, Los Angeles
Adam Winkler is a professor of constitutional law at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America. His forthcoming book is We the Corporations.
Adam Winkler: We The Corporations The UCLA Law professor discusses his newest book about the rights of corporations.
Parkland students take the lead on gun control Young people around the country are all fired up after the Parkland shooting. Veteran observers say they’re changing the atmosphere of debate about gun control. How realistic are their expectations about one of America’s most controversial issues?
What does the Second Amendment have to do with race? There has been a rush of new gun buyers since the 2016 election — specifically, black and LGBTQ gun buyers, who fear for their safety. But do these gun owners truly have the same Second Amendment rights as the mostly white NRA base?
How are mass shootings and domestic violence linked? As law enforcement tries to figure out what led to Sunday’s attack at a Baptist church in rural Texas, debate over preventing mass shootings continues. In more than half of mass shootings, one of the victims was an intimate partner or relative of the shooter. In the Texas case, the shooter was court-martialed for abusing his wife and child. And he sent threatening texts to his mother-in-law, who attended the church.
When is it okay to talk about gun control? A lot of folks this week are wondering what can be done about the gun violence that plagues this country especially when people have access to weapons that can be enhanced.
Why is it so difficult to pass gun control laws? After Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, Democrats on Capitol Hill have renewed their push for tighter gun laws. Republicans say this is not the time to talk about that, and have temporarily shelved a bill that would have made it easier to buy gun silencers.
The US Supreme Court is back in business Justice Neil Gorsuch has the US Supreme Court at full strength after more than a year with just eight members: four conservatives and four tending liberal. After avoiding important cases that might have produced tie votes, the Court is expected to come up with some blockbuster decisions in its next term. Partisan gerrymandering, gay rights, free speech, religion and immigration are all on the docket… after the court takes three months off. Is Gorsuch even more to the right than Antonin Scalia, the man he replaced? And…how come the court gets such a long vacation?
Trump’s travel ban and the system of checks and balances A federal judge in Washington State issued a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Friday, exercising the country’s system of checks and balances. Now the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals here in California will decide whether the ban should be suspended while legal issues are worked out. The case could very well reach the Supreme Court, which still only has eight judges, and the stakes are high.
Tracking mass shootings nationwide On average, there’s more than one mass shooting per day in the U.S. Ten happened last week, according to the website Mass Shooting Tracker.
The AR-15 and Mass Shootings Gun control is being debated following the shooting in Orlando that left 49 people dead. The gunman used an AR-15, as well as a handgun. Assault-style rifles were also used in the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, and the killing of schoolchildren in Sandy Hook. Adam Winkler, law professor at UCLA and author of “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America” explains why the AR-15 one of the weapons seen again and again in mass shootings.
Presidential Politics and the US Supreme Court President Obama today named a distinguished judge to fill the vacancy on the US Supreme Court. The nominee is a veteran, Merrick Garland , Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, who is well regarded by Senators of both parties. Nevertheless, Republicans were ready to Just Say "No" — not to the judge himself but to his nomination by an outgoing president. They accuse Obama of politicizing the court — the same charge Democrats have leveled against Republicans under similar circumstances. That's intensifying this year's race for the White House just one day after another round of primary elections.
Executive Action on Guns? The president spoke from the Oval Office last night about terrorism and gun control. Polls show a significant majority of Americans support universal background checks. But last Thursday, the day after the San Bernardino shootings, the Senate voted down a universal background check bill. The Senate also voted down a measure that would prevent people on the terrorist watch list from being able to buy guns. A few Republicans joined the Democrats supporting background checks. But the votes were largely along partisan lines. Obama now is considering taking some kind of executive action on gun control.
Is Gun Control an Answer to Homegrown Terror? Investigators report that the female killer in San Bernardino pledged allegiance to ISIS on Facebook on the day the mass shooting occurred. It's not clear if the couple was directed by ISIS or only inspired, but it's more evidence that homegrown terrorism in the United States is a reality. The FBI and other agencies are monitoring hundreds of people in the hope of preventing similar crimes. Will all this increase the pressure for gun control, or will more Americans arm themselves in preparation for their worst nightmares?
How Many Bullets Are Too Many? Last summer, the LA City Council voted unanimously to prohibit magazines that hold more than 10 bullets. Then, the Police Protective League demanded exemptions, so retired officers and active reservists could carry more. A Council committee has approved that change — setting off a battle about ammunition. We hear from both sides.
Badger Guns Held Liable In Wisconsin six years ago, an 18-year-old was caught on video in a gun store pointing to the gun he wanted while someone else filled out the paperwork and paid for the gun. This is known as using a “straw buyer.” A month later, the 18-year-old shot two police officers, leaving one partially blind and with brain damage. Last night, after years in court, a jury found that the gun store is liable. Badger Guns, in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been ordered to pay $5 million dollars in damages for “serious negligence.”
Supreme Court Is Back in Session The Supreme Court is back in action hearing arguments today, and California figures in a couple of significant cases that will come up before the court. A group of teachers is suing the California Teachers Association arguing that they shouldn’t have to pay union fees if they don’t join the union. And there’s a case against DirecTV involving those online legal contracts we all agree to without reading them.
George Saunders: Lincoln in the Bardo (Part I) Lincoln in the Bardo dramatizes a grieving President Lincoln as he visits the grave of his beloved son Willie, who died at age eleven. In the novel, the buried dead believe they're not dead -- "they're sick and refer to their coffins as "sick boxes."
Previewing James Comey's blockbuster testimony Former FBI director James Comey testifies Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but his opening statement has been released. In it, he says he felt pressured by Donald Trump to declare loyalty to him and publicly clear him of any wrongdoing in the Russia investigation.