Dakota Rudesill
@dakotarudesill
Law prof at Ohio State. Write/teach national security (nukes, secrecy, surveillance, intel, use of force, political violence), legislation & democracy, professionalism. Former US Senate, IC, 8th Cir, CSIS. I love high civic standards & deep snow. My views.
The latest politician/media opinion product is a new Red Scare. As we all make the most of this new/old craze, remember that @theonion.com broke the story that heavy petting is linked to COMMUNISM
If you stand here, the following things will fall on you: a rock, a brick, a ball, and a microphone. Pick one to catch.
Great to present 2x in one day on Friday on law of US cyber attack (OCO), ethics, AI. First, Case Western Reserve U Law AI symposium. Second, Cybersecurity Law Seminar hosted by Ohio Dept of Commerce & Ohio Cyber Range Institute. Ended with usual ethics advice: lawyer job is courage & integrity.
After Yale Law next up presenting my research on Congress's secret law was Idaho State's annual Frank Church Symposium. Secret legislated law is an ironic result of his investigation of intelligence abuses.
This legislation prof can check off another Capitol: Utah. Amazing location, surrounded by mountains. Lovely neoclassical building. Sense of expansiveness and welcome. The rotunda reminds me of Wisconsin although smaller and less adorned. The beehive motifs are a symbol of hard work and community.
World gets scary and I get busier -- did @newsmax.com this morning, nuke pod yesterday, and AM talk radio on why (1) Trump Iran War is a war (Speaker Johnson contrary claims are unfounded) and (2) most egregious use of force violation of US Constitution and international law in US history. Yikes.
So great to re-create this pic from 20 yrs ago with Bill Eskridge. Then he was my prof @yalelawschool-yls.bsky.social . Now we are colleagues in the legislation tribe that Bill leads. He is a 1st class scholar, teacher, human, and champion of the right of queer people to be equally human under law.
Today's 6-3 Supreme Court decision striking down Trump's tariffs should have been 9-0. But it's a clear W for Constitution, rule of law, separation of powers, Congress, courts, and the public. WWWWWW. Big L for attempted autocracy. Left to litigation: how illegally taxed Americans can get $$ back.
For embattled, brave, resilient Minnesota, from our brilliant Minnesota artist friend Heather. 💙💙💙
Great to be interviewed by @newsweek.com in a deep dive posted this weekend on war powers regarding Venezuela and other uses of force by Trump or any other president. Extensive quotes of @bcfinucane.bsky.social, Geoffrey Corn, and me. @ohiostatelaw.bsky.social www.newsweek.com/trumps-licen...
Trump Admin deleted the intelligence ethics code. As I write here, this aligns with extensive evidence of attempted autocracy, which requires suspending ethics codes of intel, legal, military and other professions. @ohiostatelaw.bsky.social papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Good to be on Fox News LiveNow this morning to discuss the forthcoming DOD Inspector General report on Sec. Hegseth's infosec violations in the SignalGate scandal.
Not on my bingo card: being on a panel on the rule of law with one of the lawyers (Jane Davidson) who helped get Britney Spears out of her conservatorship 
Minneapolis looking good tonight as I arrive in town to present at a symposium tomorrow on the rule of law. My long-planned topic: the need for courts as necessary to speak plainly to civilian and military executive branch personnel about their obligation to refuse plainly illegal orders.
In new essay just I write up the theory I outlined at the Federal Bar Association in Aug: Trump Admin is trying to force an exception to professional ethics for Exec Branch service. Autocracy/ethics clash is inherent & happening 24/7 now in govt. nationalsecurity.law.georgetown.edu/journal/2025...
Good to be on @newsmax.com talking about ambiguous Trump Administration statements on nuclear testing. @ohiostatelaw.bsky.social @mershoncenter.bsky.social
In living memory there was a moderating, pluralistic, pro-liberty, strife-reduction civic consensus. Center-out, top to bottom. I saw it firsthand. Well articulated here at the Ohio Statehouse by WWII vet, lawyer, and OSU Law alum Rep. Bill McCulloch (R-OH). We can have it again if people want it.
Honored to join Judge Robert Lasnik & other excellent colleagues on ethics panel at Federal Bar Association in Anchorage last week. Judge & his kids got death threats after he did his job and issued ruling govt didn't like. They refuse to be intimidated. Profiles in courage.
Off to Alaska to speak on ethics at Fed Bar Assoc conf. I will be present my essay (link in comments) arguing that courage & integrity are not optional as legal & civic commitments. Entire legal ethical regime & rule of law hang in balance today. Cool that Trump & Putin coming to Anchorage too.
Trump’s $75 billion & very violent ICE force will only be used vs non-citizens, right? New DC deployment of ICE vs street crime = strong reason to think again. Sincerely interested in hearing why ICE legally cannot become a paramilitary army the President can deploy domestically at will.
In Italy I looked for evidence for claim that Musk & Bannon did “Roman salute” when they did straight-arm flat-palm fascist salutes. I saw 100s of ancient Roman statues, mosaics, frescoes. Not 1 had distinctive salute of Mussolini & Hitler regimes. My analysis of the salutes is in comments.
Ancient Roman tablets I encountered in Italy reflect a central menace the Framers drafted US Constitution to prevent: concentration of powers in the Chief Executive, rather than separated, co-equal, checking powers. Founding Fathers wanted us to avoid Rome’s fate. Pics: Trajan tablet + analysis
Guide: Do any of you know much about Roman history? My wife: My husband is a professor and knows a lot of Roman history! Guide [face buried in her hands]: Oh God, this is my worst day.
If your group of 6 is gender balanced, at this point add 1 red dude.
A worrisome amount of evidence that Steve Dycus here is right. Now, as always, reject violence and freely exercise your constitutional rights. Speech, assembly, protest, petition, all of them. Do not be afraid or intimidated. Under the constitution We the People are sovereign. Govt works for us.