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All Posts by Richard Primus

A Breathtaking Filing in the Census Case

7/5/19  //  Quick Reactions

That the Department of Justice could so transparently tell a court to hold on while it makes up a lie is shameful

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

To Save Obamacare, Repeal the Mandate

12/21/18  //  Commentary

If congressional intent is the key to the Texas decision invalidating the Affordable Care Act, Congress can intervene. And the best way for it to do so is not to enter the litigation. It’s to legislate.

Nick Bagley

University of Michigan Law School

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

More on the Unprincipled Nature of the Senate: Further Conversation with Professor Dorf

11/28/18  //  In-Depth Analysis

To persuade people that the Senate makes no sense, it’s necessary to shoot down a lot of possible defenses of the existing system

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Federalism and the Senate

11/15/18  //  In-Depth Analysis

Nothing valuable about our federalism depends on letting each state appoint the same number of representatives in the Senate

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

The Travel Ban and Inter-Branch Conflict

6/26/18  //  Commentary

The real problem is the Trump Administration itself. What feels like damage today is largely the echo of damage that already happened, rather than something new.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Shielding Mueller: Thoughts on Morrison v Olson

5/23/18  //  Commentary

Identifying a major flaw in arguments that Congress can't shield Mueller

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Magic-Words Thinking in Trump v. Hawaii -- or, How Not to Assess Governmental Motive

4/25/18  //  Commentary

Giving President Trump the benefit of the doubt is one thing. Fictionalizing an account of his motive so as to avoid reaching a certain conclusion is something else.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Can a Sitting President be Sued in a State Court?

12/21/17  //  Commentary

A pending defamation suit against President Trump in New York state court raises this important question.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Can Congress Call A Special Election if Trump and Pence Are Impeached?

9/11/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

Congress has the legal authority to remove the President and Vice-President and to call a special election to replace them. But the odds that it would ever do so are vanishingly small.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

An Open Letter to Sen. Ben Sasse

6/21/17  //  Latest Developments

I recently wrote an open letter to Senator Ben Sasse regarding the American Health Care Act. Here's the conclusion.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Two Thoughts on the Government's Motion to Dismiss in the CREW Emoluments Case

6/10/17  //  Quick Reactions

Here’s a brief note on two things that struck me on a quick read of the government’s motion to dismiss in CREW v. Trump, filed yesterday. The first is about Mississippi v. Johnson, which the government cites as limiting the power of courts to grant injunctions against the President. The second is about the government’s more general claim that the only proper relief for an emoluments violation is political rather than judicial.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

[UPDATED] Trump's Innocence and the Rule of Law

5/12/17  //  Commentary

Even if Trump fired Comey because Trump knows himself to be innocent of Russia-related wrongdoing, that would still be unacceptable.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

The Muslim Ban: Answering Tough Questions About Motive

4/21/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

The opinion by then-Justice Rehnquist in Hunter v. Underwood (1985), a case about denying the right to vote for racist reasons, offers thoughtful answers to many of the hardest questions that you might ask about motive and the Muslim Ban.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School

Motive Matters in Assessing the Travel Ban

3/20/17  //  Commentary

To the extent that Trump’s statements about the travel ban shed light on why the executive orders were issued—and they surely do—those statements are material to the constitutional analysis.

Richard Primus

University of Michigan Law School