The Fight Over $15: The Debate on Increasing the Minimum Wage

Authored by: Matt Wathen, staff editor The debate over the federal government’s minimum wage has seen an increase in intensity over the past few months. The debate came to the forefront when the Biden administration included a $15-an-hour minimum wage increase in the $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan.[1] While the proposal made it through the House of Representatives, it did not meet the Senate’s guidelines for … Continue reading The Fight Over $15: The Debate on Increasing the Minimum Wage

Looking to History as Inspiration for Evolving Refugee Resettlement Policies

by  Madeline Culbreth, Staff Editor President Biden has announced that he will be raising the annual cap on the number of refugees the United States will take in to as many as 125,000.[1] This is a stark turnaround from the Trump administration, which cut the annual cap to 15,000[2]. However, while President Biden’s plan would accept more than eight times the number of refugees accepted … Continue reading Looking to History as Inspiration for Evolving Refugee Resettlement Policies

The Unconstitutionality of Ag-gag Laws

by Enzo Chiariello, Staff Editor In 2020, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (“ALDF”) released footage from the Dick Van Dam Dairy, a California dairy farm which supplies milk to corporations producing well known products such as the DairyPure and TruMoo brands.[1] The video contained images of “newborn calves . . . left to die or decompose in the same pens with mother cows,” “workers poking … Continue reading The Unconstitutionality of Ag-gag Laws

A Global Pandemic Highlights the Need for Robust Local Government

Authored by: Andrew Mullen; Staff Editor  As the United States struggles to get control over the COVID-19 outbreak and a consequential presidential election in three weeks, local government is a vital, often overlooked function of American society. While many people may be tempted to focus on national politics and national policy, most of the decisions relating to the pandemic have been made by mayors, school boards, county … Continue reading A Global Pandemic Highlights the Need for Robust Local Government

From the Streets to the Court: Virginia’s Fight for Environmental Justice Has Just Begun

Authored by: Kelley Flint; Staff Editor As America faces a racial reckoning, renewed interest in tackling systemic inequality is pressuring courts and legislatures alike. Environmental Justice is one such movement gaining popularity both with lawmakers and challengers in court.[1] The concept sits at the intersection of civil rights and environmentalism. It is a bridge between the technical aspects of regulating pollution and the human element … Continue reading From the Streets to the Court: Virginia’s Fight for Environmental Justice Has Just Begun

How Political Parties Divided the Supreme Court

Authored by: Chris Davis, Staff Editor  President Trump celebrates his appointments to the Supreme Court as political victories.[1] At a rally he boasted to his supporters that “Justice Kavanaugh now sits alongside Justice Gorsuch to defend your rights, your Constitution, and your God-given freedom.”[2] Trump recently released a list of people he is considering appointing if he gets reelected and there’s a vacancy on the … Continue reading How Political Parties Divided the Supreme Court

New Weapon of Choice? Foreign Tax Authority Armed with Letters Rogatory Goes After U.S. Tax Fraud Scheme

Reprint from the International Enforcement Law Reporter (Aug. 2020). By Mitchell Beebe (Staff Editor) and Bruce Zagaris (Attorney)   In the past it has been notoriously difficult for foreign tax authorities to go directly after U.S. persons who are or were involved in fraudulent tax schemes. These lawsuits often fail on jurisdictional grounds as the people involved and the evidence needed to substantiate a claim … Continue reading New Weapon of Choice? Foreign Tax Authority Armed with Letters Rogatory Goes After U.S. Tax Fraud Scheme