Author: Stephen Rohde

Stephen Rohde, an author and social justice advocate, practiced civil rights and constitutional law for over 45 years, including representing two men on California’s death row. He is the former chair of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and former national chair of Bend the Arc, a Jewish Partnership for Justice. He is also a board member of Death Penalty Focus.

A Podcast for Our Constitutional Crisis: ‘Speaking Freely’ Provides Echoes of History—and Warnings for Today

As threats to free speech continue to escalate under the Trump administration, we must do our part to defend First Amendment rights for all.

In an illuminating new 10-episode series, Speaking Freely: A First Amendment Podcast, Stephen Rohde, who has litigated and written about freedom of expression for decades, explores some of the most controversial free speech and free press cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court—looking at hot-button issues like hate speech, defamation, incitement, social media, obscenity, flag burning, espionage and academic freedom.

Listen to Speaking Freely on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or iHeart. All 10 episodes available now.

‘With Sorrow, We Dissent’: The Three Justices Who Rejected Dobbs

In their dissent, Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan systematically refuted the arrogant, cruel and legally unsound majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization eliminating a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. For the first time in American history, the Supreme Court has rescinded a constitutional right and conferred it on the states where it may be regulated, abolished and criminalized.

The dissent blasts the conservative justices for overruling Roe and Casey “for one and only one reason: because [they have] always despised them, and now [have] the votes to discard them.”

The Feminist Case for Ending the Death Penalty

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Feminists have every reason to be suspicious of capital punishment. Death penalty laws in the U.S. were enacted by legislatures dominated by men; death sentences are sought by prosecutors who are predominately men; juries that condemn defendants to death have historically been mostly male; and judges who sentence defendants to death are overwhelmingly male.

The Constitution Supports the Impeachment of Trump and Disqualification From Office

The Constitution Supports the Impeachment of Trump and Disqualification From Office

The U.S. Constitution, historical precedents, and the undisputed facts offer clear, compelling reasons to hold Trump accountable and disqualify him from ever holding federal office again.

Based on the facts we all saw with our own eyes, Trump is guilty of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” And no elected official gets a free pass to commit impeachable offenses and then resign or leave office and escape liability for his misdeeds.