A coalition of Republican state lawmakers are floating legislation targeting big tech companies. The “Tech Accountability Bill” is in response to unsubstantiated claims of censorship toward conserative voices and politicians on social media platforms. The bill would, among other things, compel tech companies to publish their moderation standards and allow users to opt-out of post […]
Free Speech: A 2021 Explainer
There’s been a lot of talk lately about free speech and the First Amendment. What is—and what isn’t—protected free speech? Today on the show, legal expert Howard Schweber breaks it down for us and answers our questions. Howard Schweber is a professor of political science and legal studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is […]
Legal Options for Removing Trump
On Friday, January 6th, the newly sworn-in 117th U.S. Congress undertook the normally ceremonial task of certifying the votes of the Electoral College for the 2020 Presidential Election. This year, however, was anything but normal. Hundreds of Republican representatives and senators were prepared to object to the certification. Earlier in the day, President Trump spoke […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Takes Up Case to Undo Safer-At-Home
The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments this morning in a case brought by Republican legislative leaders to overturn the extension of Wisconsin’s safer at home order. Attorneys for the Republican legislature say the order’s extension is too broad, and circumvents the rule-making process of the legislature. In March, Department of Health Services Secretary-Designee Andrea […]
Howard Schweber on Wisconsin Primary
The status of Wisconsin’s presidential primary, originally scheduled for tomorrow, went back and forth throughout today. While Governor Tony Evers issued an order postponing the election, the state Supreme Court blocked that order. To learn more about the day’s rapidly changing action, WORT producer Shaun Soman spoke with Howard Schweber, Professor of American Politics and […]
Free Speech Forum
This month the UW Board of Regents approved a resolution that allows UW students who have “dismiss[ed] the expressive rights of others” to be suspended after having done so twice, and expelled after having done so three times. And — today the white supremacist Richard Spencer is scheduled to speak on the University of Florida campus […]
