Legal Scholar [Chemerinsky] to Become Law School Dean

[The Roux Comes First]

Source: Associated Press

A renowned legal scholar was reappointed Monday as dean of the new law school at the University of California, Irvine, a week after the school rejected him.

Erwin Chemerinsky, a liberal scholar and commentator on constitutional law who recently represented exposed CIA agent Valerie Plame, was re-offered the position after talking in depth with UC Irvine Chancellor Michael V. Drake over the weekend.

His appointment must be approved by the UC Board of Regents.

Chemerinsky has said Drake told him the offer had been withdrawn Sept. 11 because some board members were concerned about Chemerinsky's politics. Drake has insisted that Chemerinsky did not lose the post because of his politics.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ivKM8F7T3KbiEfNNp8y2...

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The prior rejection stirred up quite a flap as it appeared the Chancellor allowed conservative board members to make up his mind for him.

[kurth]

1. Drake's chances of becoming UC president are nil now

[bemildred]

2. And rightly so. On the other hand, I guess he keeps his job for now. nt

[annabanana]

3. Another sign that sanity is returning to the public sphere. . . . .n/t

[EleanorR]

4. Erwin's Gifts

I have known Erwin Chemerinsky since the early 1970s when he was an undergraduate debater at Northwestern University. Even then, every person who met EC would note that the guy is A) brilliant, B) articulate, and C) one of the nicest people on the planet. Having followed his career over the years, I understand and agree with the assessments that he is one of the finest legal minds in the nation. Since so much has already been said about UCI's Drake's poor handling of the situation, I only want to add one tidbit: Shame on the media accounts that immediate slip in the adjective "liberal" before the phrase "legal scholar" as if the output of his (or anyone's mind) is entirely predetermined. Why not leave it as "gifted" or "brilliant" because that came first, the politics followed. Read his book, Interpreting the Constitution, and you don't find a radical polemic, but instead you will find a careful, thoughtful, well-reasoned defense for a particular approach to interpreting the constitution that is not intrinsically conservative or liberal, just Smart. What makes EC into a "liberal legal scholar" is that he has a conscience and cares about people, plus he is smart enough to understand that the conservative assault on constitutional rights is based on really poor arguments. As a Dean, I am quite confident Erwin will not be judging the quality of the faculty's work by its political allegiance. If only Drake had extended Erwin the same courtesy.

[Lionel Mandrake]

5. This is good news for Universities everywhere.

Academic freedom is still alive in the University of California, even in Orange County.

The conservative old boy network tried to prevent Erwin Chemerinsky from becoming Dean of the new law school at the Irvine campus. They must have brought enormous pressure to bear on Chancellor Drake, who caved in at first, and now wishes he hadn't. He denied that his previous decision to revoke the offer had anything to do with politics, and he denied that academic freedom was at stake. These statements by Drake are hardly believable. Drake is an embarrassment to the university, but Chemerinsky will be a real asset.

[Kaleko]

6. Very glad to hear about this turn-around!

Every victory for honesty and decency counts.

Straightforward clarity.

Seeing through right-wing spin tactics, propaganda, smear campaigns and fear-mongering BS.

Re-framing their buzz words and talking points, calling a spade a spade, and not softly, but firmly and loud!

That's what's required of everyone of us.

Hearts on fire.

[IndianaGreen]

7. It's a bigger flap when conservative legal scholars came to Chemerinsky's defence

Chancellor Drake has egg all over his face!