Category: Selected Faculty Media

Event Recap: Impeachment 101

Impeachment Trial 101 flyerOn January 23, our American Constitution Society hosted a panel of three Chicago-Kent Constitutional Law professors to provide context and history about the current impeachment trial.

Professor Schmidt began the event with video clips of the opening statements from senators that quoted from the framers of the constitution before opening it up for more discussion and student questions.

Thanks to our student leaders for providing notes from the discussion and livetweeting the event, this recap is edited from their contributions.

ACS Leaders with Chicago-Kent Constitutional Law Professors
Chicago-Kent Constitutional Law professors Carolyn Shapiro, Christopher Schmidt, and Steven Heyman with ACS student leaders

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Professor Shapiro discusses the prospect of SCOTUS reviewing President Trump’s EO on immigration on “Chicago Tonight”

Professor Carolyn Shapiro was a guest panelist on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” on May 30, 2017, to discuss the prospect of the U.S. Supreme Court reviewing president Trump’s second executive order on immigration. The executive order, which would temporarily ban travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries, is blocked by an injunction recently upheld by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Professor Shapiro also commented on cases on the Supreme Court docket related to gerrymandering and whether religious institutions have a right to receive government funds.

Professor Shapiro discusses Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on “Chicago Tonight”

Professor Carolyn Shapiro was a guest panelist on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” on March 22, 2017, to discuss Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch’s responses to the intense questioning from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee as the hearings continued into the second day. Michael Scodro, a former Chicago-Kent professor, also appeared on the program.

Professor Shapiro writes about the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings for SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch

Professor Carolyn Shapiro wrote an op-ed for The Hill titled “What Brown can do for Democrats in examining Gorsuch” about Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch’s upcoming Senate confirmation hearings. She suggests that Senate Democrats could question Judge Gorsuch about Brown v. Board of Education and other historical cases to get a better sense of his judicial philosophy and his views on judicial independence.

Professor Shapiro discusses challenge to temporary restraining order against immigration travel ban on “Chicago Tonight”

Professor Carolyn Shapiro was a guest on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” on February 8, 2017, for a discussion about the arguments heard by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for and against lifting a temporary restraining order that halted the controversial travel ban imposed by one of President Trump’s recent executive orders.

Professor Birdthistle discusses how the banking and financial industries might change under President Trump on “Chicago Tonight”

Professor William Birdthistle was a panelist on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” on February 7, 2017, for a discussion about how the Trump administration’s deregulation agenda may affect the Dodd-Frank Act and the fiduciary rule.

Professor Shapiro discusses Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on “Politics Tonight”


Professor Carolyn Shapiro was a guest on CLTV’s “Politics Tonight” on February 1, 2017, to discuss President Trump’s nomination of Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. She highlighted key questions senators might have for Judge Gorsuch and explained weaknesses of originalism.

Professor Shapiro comments on Supreme Court’s role in limiting executive power to NBC 5


Professor Carolyn Shapiro spoke with NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern on January 31, 2017, about the role of the Supreme Court in explaining the limits of presidential authority in advance of President Trump’s announcement of his nominee to fill the vacant seat left by former Justice Antonin Scalia.

Professor Shapiro quoted in Slate about consequences of ignoring a federal court order

Professor Carolyn Shapiro was quoted in a January 30, 2017, Slate article about what happens if federal employees or officials from the executive branch ignore a federal court order.