Sign in Subscribe

Austin Sarat

A justice department opinion arguing the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional could revert the nation to a time when presidents freely burned their papers

A justice department opinion arguing the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional could revert the nation to a time when presidents freely burned their papers

(AMHERST, MASS.) Prior to 1978, U.S. presidents could do what they pleased with the records from their time in office. They owned them. But in 1978, the Presidential Records Act established new rules for the official records of a president. Passed in the wake of Watergate, when President Richard

Pam Bondi’s extreme political loyalty to Trump wasn’t enough to save her job

Pam Bondi’s extreme political loyalty to Trump wasn’t enough to save her job

(AMHERST, MASS.) After President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026, news reports suggested that she fell from grace, not for being too independent, but for not being effective enough at defending him and prosecuting his political enemies. As The New York Times reported the previous

From moral authority to risk management: How university presidents stopped speaking their minds

From moral authority to risk management: How university presidents stopped speaking their minds

(AMHERST, MASS.) Throughout the 20th century, college and university presidents spoke out on everything, from wars to civil rights struggles, with a sense of moral authority attempting to guide the course. Their language was typically direct and free of jargon. “Democracy is the best form of government. It is worth