With election day fast approaching on Tuesday, we've been working dilligently on behalf of democratic candidates, campaigns, and causes across the country. In Ohio, where the Republican Party controls state government, an upcoming referendum to codify the right to an abortion in the state constitution presents a rare opportunity to affirm reproductive rights in a red state. In Virginia, a narrow Democratic majority in the state senate is a crucial bulwark against full Republican control of the state. Elections on Tuesday put that majority in jeopardy, threatening the rights of millions of Virginians. Please reach out if you need help getting involved in defending our democracy.
Upcoming Events
On Monday, November 6th at 12pm in SLB 128, Roberta Kaplan and Rachel Tuchman will discuss their representation of E. Jean Carroll in her sexual battery and defamation suit against Donald Trump. Robbie Kaplan is a legendary litigator who successfully argued against DOMA in United States v. Windsor, which paved the way for Obergefell. Kaplan and Tuchman are attorneys with Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, a women-founded litigation boutique based in NYC with a commitment to serving the public interest. This event is being hosted by our incredible friends in ACS. Link here.
On Monday, November 6th at 12pm in SLB 120, Troy Edwards and Pat Fitzgerald will lead a conversation on prosecuting seditious conspiracy. For the past two years, Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Edwards has led the government's prosecution against Oathkeepers founder Stewart Rhodes (YLS '04) and his co-conspirators for their role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Pat Fitzgerald served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and is one of the only other attorneys in recent history to successfully charge seditious conspiracy. As U.S. Attorney, Pat oversaw a number of high-profile investigations including those into the corruption of Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan. As a special counsel, Pat investigated and prosecuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. After stepping down as U.S. Attorney, Pat began a career in private practice where he has handled a variety of matters including the defense of UNC's race-conscious admissions policies in SFFA v. Harvard. This event is sponsored by the Prosecution Externship, National Security Group, and Tsai Leadership Program. Link here.
On Monday, November 6th at 5:30pm, please join The Law and Racial Justice Center in exploring Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable with author and law professor, Joanna Schwartz. In her book, Schwartz exposed the many ways police abuse their power and are then shielded from accountability. In conversation with Joanna Schwartz will be James Jeter, Full Citizens Coalition Co-founder, and Daniel Dunn, Access to Law School Fellow and member of the police accountability commission in Hamden. Link here.
On Monday, November 6th at 7:30pm, Join JLSA for a conversation on various responses to Hamas's October 7th attacks and the ensuing Israel-Hamas War. Professor Sam Moyn will be moderating between Joshua Leifer and Gil Rubin. Just over a week after October 7th, Professor Moyn joined over 100 leading legal scholars in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, so this event presents an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with others conflicted about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestinian freedom, and the right of Israeli citizens to be free from terrorism. Dinner will be provided courtesy of Ropes & Gray. RSVP here.
Tuesday, November 7th is ELECTION DAY. There are so many ways to get involved. Click here for info on phonebanking, or email ylsdems@yale.edu for more info on how you can contribute. And don't forget to vote if you haven't already!
On Wednesday, November 8th at 12pm, please join Professors NeJaime, Orihuela, and Schleicher for a lively discussion centered on the topic “When I Changed My Mind.” The goal of the Crossing Divides program is to foster discourse across the political and ideological spectrum and reinforce the core values of lawyering, in part by discussing how we bridge differences and work to understand each other. RSVP here.
On Wednesday, November 8th at 12pm, The American Politics & Public Policy Workshop is hosting LaGina Gause, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California San Diego, for a workshop on her paper, “Black Lives Matter Protests Amidst a Global Pandemic: A Case for the Recognition of Unaligned Participants in Contemporary Social Movements.” The American Politics & Public Policy Workshop series is cosponsored by the Yale Center for the Study of American Politics (CSAP) and the Institution for Social and Policy Studies. Link here.
On Thursday, November 9th at 12pm, The Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership is pleased to present Lisa Monaco in conversation with Professor Cristina Rodríguez ’00, Leighton Homer Surbeck Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Ludwig Program in Public Section Leadership. As Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Lisa Monaco is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice and oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department. She previously served as Homeland Security Advisor under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. RSVP here.
Organizational Updates
Recent Activities
Several members of our Board participated in a community conversation on the Palestine-Israel conflict, hosted by the Civil Discourse Society on October 19th. Major thanks to Philip Geanakoplos for organizing the event and for championing the importance of listening to and learning from one another, even those we disagree with, on the most divisive issues of our time. Read more about it in this YDN article.
The Yale Law Democrats were honored to connect with so many distinguished graduates of the Law School at Alumni Weekend. We hope you were among the lucky few able to grab a selfie with Hillary Clinton '73 and Gina Raimondo '98.
Our lunch last Friday with Dani Isaacsohn '16 was a hit. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us, and huge thanks to Dani for making the trip to New Haven!
On Wednesday, November 1st, several of us participated in a panel for the Yale College Democrats on applying to law school, post-grad political careers, and political engagement while in school. It was inspiring to see so many motivated and passionate college students interested in how to best position themselves to foster positive change in their communities. We're always happy to continue strengthening our relationship with our undergraduate counterparts.
Several of us got the opportunity to join Tali Farhadian Weinstein '03 for lunch this past Thursday in the Alumni Reading Room. Tali was runner-up for Manhattan District Attorney and is currently Of Counsel at Kaplan Hecker & Fink (see above).
YLDems Board Applicants
Thank you to everyone who applied to join our Board. We are in the process of reviewing the applications we received and will be in touch with applicants and our members with any updates. Even if you are not on the Board, you are more than welcome to attend our board meetings, get involved, organize events, and offer input and suggestions.
VoPro Training Follow-up
Several of us have been engaging in Voter Protection work leading up to election day next week. Please reach out to Ben Friedman (ben.friedman@yale.edu) if you'd still like to get involved or if you encountered any issues while signing up. For a picture of Ben saving the world, please refer to our GroupMe.
Yale College Democrats Mentorship Program
We have finalized our list of participants for the Yale College Democrats Mentorship Program. Thank you to everyone who signed up and offered their time to the undergrads. The Yale College Democrats board is in the process of matching law students with undergrads, and we will be in touch with everyone who signed up as soon as we hear back. YLDems will reimburse reasonable coffee expenses for one mentor-mentee meeting per semester.
Longterm Projects
YLDems is in the process of updating our bylaws and our website. Please reach out if you'd like to assist with either of these projects.
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Please stay tuned for more from us as we plow through the end of the semester. We plan to hold a social in the coming weeks to welcome the newest members of our Board and reflect on the results of Tuesday's elections. Later this month, we're looking forward to bringing more democrats to New Haven, including a gubernatorial candidate and a recent White House alum. More information to come.
Best,
YLDems Board 2023-24