NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.
You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform
EXPERT ALERTS
- Trump's Cybersecurity Executive Order
- Fate of Neoliberalism Under President Trump
- How Both President Obama and President Trump Use Social Media Effectively
- What Should Democrats Do to Survive?
EXPERT ROUNDUP
- Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch (19 experts)
MEDIA JOBS
- Reporter, Industrials – Wall Street Journal
- Writer, Mortgage Market Insights – NerdWallet
- Features/Special Projects Editor – Modern Healthcare
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- The Digital News Race: How Media Meets the Demands of an Online-First World
- 9 Design Hacks for Bloggers Who Aren't Designers
- Blog Profiles: Tattoo Blogs
-------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPERT ALERTS:
Trump's Cybersecurity Executive Order
Josephine Wolff
Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Computing Security
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Trump's Cybersecurity Executive Order has been postponed and the final text of the EO hasn't been released yet. Wolff, a leading researcher in cybersecurity and Internet policy, can generally discuss the topic of the Cybersecurity Executive Order and how it compares to previous administrations' cybersecurity policies: "This order will set the tone for cybersecurity planning and policy in the administration and clarify who the president will look to for guidance and accountability in this area, but it is unlikely to radically reform the existing infrastructure and policies."
Wolff has written on computer security topics for Scientific American, Newsweek and currently for Slate. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Cyber Security Policy and Law.
Website: http://www.rit.edu
Contact: Scott Bureau, [email protected]
Fate of Neoliberalism Under President Trump
Mehdi Noorbaksh
Professor of International Affairs
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
With the rise of alt-right politics in Europe and the United States, along with the election of Donald Trump, some argue that the era of neoliberalism has come to an end. Those who advocate this idea claim that neoliberalism as a political and economic doctrine and belief has paved the way for much of the generated and existing imbalances and displacements in the world economy and in the U.S. Says Noorbaksh: "President Trump cannot drastically change the norms that have developed in the arena of international trade in the past few decades. He stands for weakening multilateralism in both international trade and politics. Countries that have less opportunity cost in producing goods and services are the ones that can produce and export them. Countries that do not have this low opportunity cost must import. For the United States to be more resilient in the arena of international trade, one must start from the requirements of a knowledge economy: an educated and advanced workforce. The U.S. has not invested properly in the education and reeducation that would support the development of advanced intellectual resources and capital."
Noorbaksh specializes in several areas, including international politics, global energy and health, and democratic movements and processes in Middle East politics. His most recent academic achievements include receiving his Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) in 2006 from the University of Houston. In 1996, Noorbaksh earned both his PhD in Government Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a position at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies as a post-doctoral fellow.
Website: www.HarrisburgU.edu
Contact: Steve Infanti, [email protected]
How Both President Obama and President Trump Use Social Media Effectively
Charles Palmer
Executive Director, Center for Advanced Entertainment & Learning Technologies
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
President Obama used social media to organize a grassroots effort the led to his election and re-election. President Trump uses it to control the narrative. Both use it every effectively. Says Palmer: "Twitter had a troublesome year with the exit of its COO and CTO and a declining user base. But President Trump's use of the platform has brought a new life to the tool. The company now needs to figure out how to convert non-users to the platform. This is a golden opportunity, they need to show the average person that it's not about tweeting. The real use of the tool is following news sources and influential news makers to stay connected in ways that other platforms can't."
Palmer oversees the design and development of ventures in new and emerging technologies, serves as the Program Lead for the undergraduate Interactive Media program, is an adviser to the Learning Technology Masters of Science program, coordinates the High School Gaming Academy, and mentors students on research projects in the fields of augmented and virtual reality, mobile computing, web application development, video production, desktop manufacturing (3D printing), motion graphics and interactive games. As a technologist, author and international speaker, Palmer lectures on virtual reality, 3D printing, gamification, and simulations linking learning and research to practical outcomes.
Website: www.HarrisburgU.edu
Contact: Steve Infanti, [email protected]
What Should Democrats Do to Survive?
Ed Uravic
Professor
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
"If Democrats want to be a national party, they need a national candidate. Incremental gains in the off-year House elections won't get them anywhere," says Uravic. "Style counts. The Democrats should do what Trump did. Go for the drama in 140 characters, in blood-soaked rhetoric aimed right at our hearts. LBJ did it, and Bill Clinton did it. Obama, an unlikely mixed-race surfer dude, punched his ticket to the White House on the heels of millions angry at a political class in Washington who cared more about themselves than us. George W. Bush flirted with it after 9/11 with a bullhorn in his hand and a country willing to follow him anywhere, including to war. In the long term, Democrats don't need new policies. They need a champion who can grab us by the throat, get our attention, and tell us it's going to be OK. It would be ideal, but not necessary, that this budding Huey Long might be minimally."
Uravic, author of the political mysteries "Lying Cheating Scum" and "I Used to Be Somebody," is a former Washington lobbyist, a congressional chief of staff and a committee director in the Pennsylvania legislature. He worked on or managed more than 20 political campaigns at every level in the '70s, '80s and '90s, before he got a "real job" teaching technology professionals at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
Website: www.HarrisburgU.edu
Contact: Steve Infanti, [email protected]
EXPERT ROUNDUP: Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch (19 experts)
Following are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia's seat on the Supreme Court:
Stephen McAllister
E.S. & Tom W. Hampton Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Kansas School of Law
McAllister can discuss President Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court, his qualifications, the makeup of the court and the upcoming confirmation process: "I have known Judge Gorsuch for many years, in part because we both clerked for Justice Byron White, he shortly after me, and we've remained in contact over the years about various topics, including law clerks, hiring and events involving his court, the Tenth Circuit. He is an outstanding nominee."
McAllister has argued before the Supreme Court nine times, clerked with Gorsuch for the high court and is the solicitor general for Kansas.
Contact: Mike Krings, [email protected]
Matt Hedstrom
Attorney, Partner
Alston & Bird's State & Local Tax Practice, New York
"Judge Gorsuch is certainly familiar with the debate surrounding the continued viability of the Quill decision. Given the various state attacks on Quill, his potential appointment could be impactful. In his DMA concurrence, he echoed the notions expressed in Justice Kennedy's now infamous concurrence (calling for the judicial system to find the appropriate case to challenge Quill) by essentially asking whether Quill was intended to 'wash away with the tides of time.' That said, the debate with respect to Quill is a debate that should largely be based on the principle of stare decisis, and Judge Gorsuch's views on following existing judicial precedent will have a lot to do with his ultimate opinion on any case challenging Quill -- if one ever makes it to the Supreme Court. Just as interesting is Judge Gorsuch's view on the dormant commerce clause itself. His view in DMA that it 'might be said to be an artifact of judicial precedent' could impact state tax jurisprudence beyond the Quill nexus issue. Given the comparisons to Scalia, however, it is an open question whether his potential presence on the Court will ultimately meaningfully change the discourse given the current makeup."
Hedstrom writes frequently on state and local tax issues. Recent articles include: "Carlton: The U.S. Supreme Court's Jekyll and Hyde Decision Still Raises Questions in State Tax Retroactivity Cases Bloomberg BNA" (see http://tinyurl.com/ztse7z5), "Losing the Forests for the Trees" (see http://tinyurl.com/jc4dpwe), and "C is for Cookie—that's good enough for Ohio (see http://tinyurl.com/hwd3lan).
Website: http://www.alston.com
Bio page: http://www.alston.com/professionals/matt-hedstrom/
Contact: John Lee, [email protected]
Stephen Gottlieb
Distinguished Professor of Law
Albany Law School
"Judge Gorsuch is not on record with respect to many hot-button issues, and that may be one of the reasons Trump nominated him."
Gottlieb, a constitutional law expert and court watcher, is the author of "The Roberts Court and the Breakdown of American Politics" and "Morality Imposed: The Rehnquist Court and Liberty in America." He can address Gorsuch's record, the confirmation process, historical context, cases and issues to watch, and how the nomination could impact the Supreme Court.
Contact: Chris Colton, [email protected]
Vincent Bonventre
Distinguished Professor of Law
Albany Law School
"By education and experience, Judge Gorsuch is pretty extraordinary. That doesn't necessarily mean he is going to be the wisest judge or the fairest judge, but he comes very well-equipped. I think it's going to be very difficult for the Democrats to dent his qualifications or credentials."
Bonventre, a former U.S. Supreme Court Judicial Fellow, is the author of New York Court Watcher, a blog devoted to commentary on developments at the Supreme Court, the New York Court of Appeals, and other state supreme courts nationwide. He is the founder and Director of the Center for Judicial Process. He can address Gorsuch's record as a jurist, qualifications, judicial philosophy, the confirmation process, cases and issues to watch, and how the nomination could impact the Supreme Court.
Blog: http://nycourtwatcher.blogspot.com
Contact: Chris Colton, [email protected]
Ben Feuer
Chairman
California Appellate Law Group, San Francisco
Feuer has written numerous amicus briefs to the Supreme Court, and is highly familiar with Gorsuch and judicial nominees in general. Here are his thoughts on Gorsuch's nomination: "Aside from what everyone knows about him by this point -- he's very, very smart and accomplished, young, and a conservative jurist with a coherent, originalist approach to the Constitution -- I think there are a few interesting, more nuanced facts worth thinking about. First, he was a law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy, and this would be the first time a justice has sat with a former law clerk on the Supreme Court. Does this mean he may be able to influence Kennedy better than other justices? Might his nomination be intended to convince Kennedy that he can retire and Trump will appoint a serious person as his replacement? Second, Gorsuch is not a crony and he's not a party-line hack. He is an independent jurist and the president has no reason to assume he will rubber-stamp executive decisions. In fact, in some ways, Gorsuch has been more critical of agency and executive actions than Justice Scalia was. Third, Democrats won't be able to object to him on the ground that he's unqualified, as they did with George W. Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers. That said, there's little question that Merrick Garland was also fully qualified for the court, and rather a centrist. If the Democrats filibuster Gorsuch, the Senate will likely pass the "more nuclear" option, to remove the filibuster for Supreme Court appointments (as the president has called for). That would allow any president with a majority of votes in the Senate to appoint a justice of his or her choosing, now and down the road. Democrats are probably still ruing their decision in 2013 to remove the filibuster for lower court judges and executive appointments, given Trump's victory and Republican control of the Senate today. What goes around does indeed come around."
Bio: http://calapplaw.com/attorneys/ben-feuer/
Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]
Shannon Zmud Teicher
Media Law Attorney
Jackson Walker, Dallas
"Given the new administration's already strained relationship with the press, it is important to look at Gorsuch's judicial record on the First Amendment. Although there is not a lot of case history to study, what is on the record leaves me cautiously optimistic that he would be favorable on Free Speech issues."
Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]
Fred Smith
Visiting Professor
Emory University School of Law
On Gorsuch's qualifications: "Judge Gorsuch is, to be sure, very conservative. But the important point, in my view, is that he does not approach the job with an agenda. He writes opinions characterized by clarity, opinions in which law and logic take front stage. Further, he is highly qualified and capable."
On Gorsuch's confirmation hearings: "In my view, in a game of escalating tit-for-tat with respect to the federal judiciary, the ultimate losers are the American people and the rule of law, as it erodes the integrity of the only remaining branch of government in which Americans still have faith."
Bio: http://law.emory.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/faculty-profiles/smith-fred-profile.html
Contact: Elaine Justice, [email protected], or Fred Smith, [email protected]
Alexander Volokh
Associate Professor
Emory University School of Law
"I'm unexpectedly pleased that of the three judges who were apparently on Trump's short list, Judge Gorsuch is probably the best on civil liberties issues."
Since the election, Volokh has been a board member of 11/9 Coalition, a non-partisan grassroots organization working for the protection of civil liberties and the rule of law. The coalition has created summaries of the civil liberties records of potential Supreme Court nominees, including Gorsuch. Volokh's interests include law and economics, administrative law and the regulatory process, antitrust, privatization and legal history. He clerked for Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit and for Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Samuel Alito.
Bio: http://law.emory.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/faculty-profiles/volokh-profile.html
Website: http://119coalition.org
Contact: Elaine Justice, [email protected], or Alexander Volokh, [email protected]
David Reiss
Professor of Law and Research Director, Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship (CUBE)
Brooklyn Law School
Reiss is available to discuss Gorsuch's nomination and how it will affect business issues: "The Roberts Court has generally been pro-business, meaning it has more often ruled in favor of employers and against consumers and employees. Chief Justice Roberts himself has been especially pro-business, as has Justice Alito. Both were appointed by President George W. Bush. Judge Gorsuch has a conservative judicial record with an originalist bent similar to Scalia's. He tends to favor employers in his decisions, e.g., ruling for the employers in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. That case held that Christian employers were not required to provide certain insurance coverage for contraceptives. Hobby Lobby was the first case to recognize a corporation's freedom of religion claim. He has ruled against (or dissented in cases finding for) employees in a number of more run of the mill disputes. Gorsuch has ruled in favor of employees in some cases, e.g., he signed onto an opinion in 2011 that allowed a transgendered woman's sex-discrimination complaint to proceed."
Reiss oversees REFinBlog, a blog that offers a daily roundup of developments in the law and practices related to the real estate finance industry.
Blog: http://www.refinblog.com
Website: https://www.brooklaw.edu
Expert Contact: [email protected]
Patrick Miller
Assistant Professor of Political Science
University of Kansas
"Republicans are in a much better position today to replace Scalia with the nominee of their choice than they were a year ago, given that Republicans now control the White House and the Senate, albeit with a reduced majority in that chamber after the election. So from that angle, the gamble that McConnell made on refusing to give Garland a vote in the Senate paid off. However, that does not necessarily mean that Judge Gorsuch will have a clear path to being confirmed. The Senate has a tradition of deference to the Supreme Court nominees of presidents in that it has traditionally been the bipartisan consensus that those nominees should be given a vote and confirmed. With some exceptions where a nominee has been extremely controversial, that has been the norm. But Democrats can credibly argue now that McConnell killed that norm with his refusal to allow a vote on Garland."
Miller is available to comment in the issues surrounding Gorsuch's nomination process and what might occur in the Senate, especially after Republicans successfully blocked Garland's nomination before Obama's term expired. Miller in 2016 talked about how partisanship and dysfunctionality would test the American political system surrounding replacing Scalia, and he pointed to the possibility that Senate Republicans would ignore Obama's nomination (see http://bit.ly/1QgQvt9). Miller has authored journal articles on national politics and attitudes of partisanship, and his research expertise has appeared in numerous media publications, including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Miami Herald.
Contact: George Diepenbrock, [email protected]
F. Michael Higginbotham
Joseph Curtis Professor of Law and Former Interim Dean
University of Baltimore School of Law
Higginbotham, author of "Ghosts of Jim Crow, Ending Racism in Post Racial America," is an internationally renowned expert on matters of civil rights and constitutional law. He can discuss both qualifications for the Supreme Court and the likelihood of Gorsuch's confirmation: "Some Democrats view this nomination as a 'stolen seat' because of the unusually long delay preventing consideration of President Obama's nominee. Many Republicans seem to have 'selective memory loss' and appear to want this nominee treated as if this is a case of first impression. That seems inconsistent with previous practice and disrespectful to a co-equal branch of government."
Contact: Rhonda Overby, [email protected]
Senator Mark Pryor
Leader, Legislative and Government Affairs and State Attorneys General Practice Groups
Venable
Pryor joined Venable, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, as a partner in 2015 after two terms as senator from Arkansas. He served on several key Senate committees, including Appropriations; Armed Services; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Rules and Administration; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and the Select Committee on Ethics. He is available to discuss the approval process and possible filibuster.
Contact: Stephanie Kantor Holtzman, [email protected]
Kimberly Robinson
Supreme Court Reporter
Bloomberg BNA
An attorney, Robinson is one of approximately two dozen reporters credentialed by the Supreme Court. She has done a number of interviews this week regarding the final three candidates and the selection of Gorsuch. Among the issues she can discuss about Judge Gorsuch include: his background; the likelihood he'll be tied up in a confirmation battle; whether he will be on the bench before the end of the term to hear polarizing cases on transgender rights, class actions and religious freedom; his impact on the ideological makeup of the Court; and his record on key issues.
Bio: https://www.bna.com/kimberly-robinson-m17179917752/
Contact: David Peikin, [email protected]
Tony Mauro
Supreme Court Reporter
The National Law Journal, Legal Times, Supreme Court Brief
Mauro has covered the Supreme Court for 36 years and still thinks it's the best beat in town. He has written two books about the Supreme Court and is on the steering committee of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. He is available to provide detailed insights on the current workings of the court system and how the court will respond to and function with the new selection.
Bio: http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202619714428/Tony-Mauro
Twitter: @Tonymauro
Contact: Andrew Murray, [email protected]
Marcia Coyle
Chief Washington Correspondent
The National Law Journal, Legal Times, Supreme Court Brief
Coyle is the chief Washington correspondent for The National Law Journal, covering the U.S. Supreme Court and national legal issues. She can provide detailed insights on the current workings of the court system and how the court will respond to and function with the new selection.
Bio: http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202619848483/Marcia-Coyle
Twitter: @MarciaCoyle
Contact: Andrew Murray, [email protected]
Artemus Ward
Professor of Political Science
Northern Illinois University
A leading expert on the politics of Supreme Court appointment, Ward has written six books on the topic, including "Deciding to Leave: The Politics of Retirement from the United States Supreme Court (2003)," "Sorcerers' Apprentices: 100 Years of Law Clerks at the United States Supreme Court (2006)," "In Chambers: Stories of Law Clerks and Their Justices (2012)," "The Puzzle of Unanimity: Consensus on the United States Supreme Court (2013)" and "American Judicial Process: Myth and Reality in Law and Courts (2015)." His articles have appeared in such outlets as Congress & the Presidency, Journal of Supreme Court History, Justice System Journal, Marquette Law Review, Political Analysis, Tulsa Law Review, and White House Studies. His research and commentary has been featured by the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, NBC Nightly News, Fox News, and C-SPAN, and he is a two-time winner of the Hughes-Gossett Prize for historical excellence from the Supreme Court Historical Society. He received his Ph.D. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University and was a Congressional Fellow on the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C.
Contact: Max Bever, [email protected]
Richard R. Meneghello
Partner
Fisher Phillips
Meneghello is available to discuss how Judge Gorsuch might handle labor and employment cases. Earlier in his career, Meneghello was the lead associate in a case before the SCOTUS. He oversees the firm's legal alerts that cover the SCOTUS, and was lead author on an alert that examined how Justice Gorsuch might handle labor and employment matters (see https://www.fisherphillips.com/resources-alerts-will-scotus-justice-gorsuch-treat-employers-well)
Bio: https://www.fisherphillips.com/attorneys-rmeneghello
Contact: Kevin L. Sullivan, [email protected]
Collin O'Connor Udell
Of Counsel
Jackson Lewis
O'Connor Udell is Of Counsel at Jackson Lewis, one of the nation's largest labor and employment law firms representing management. Her practice focuses on United States Supreme Court litigation and on complex or novel issues arising in other federal appeals. She has taken a central role in over 35 cases before the United States Supreme Court and can provide some perspective on Trump's pick and what it means for businesses.
Bio: http://www.jacksonlewis.com/people/collin-o-connor-udell
Website: http://www.jacksonlewis.com
Contact: Roger Ardan, [email protected]
Douglas Edlin
Associate Professor of Political Science
Dickinson College
Edlin can speak to the confirmation process and the battle ahead, including a potential filibuster of Judge Gorsuch's nomination and the GOP's treatment of Obama's SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland compared to what the GOP are now saying Democrats should do with respect to Gorsuch. Edlin is the author of "Common Law Judging" and "Judges and Unjust Laws." His research and teaching interests are in comparative constitutionalism, the judicial process and judicial review, the legal and policy issues raised by developments in assisted reproductive technology, and the politics of race and gender in the U.S.
Contact: Christine Baksi, [email protected]
****************
MEDIA JOBS:
Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/
- Reporter, Industrials – Wall Street Journal
- Writer, Mortgage Market Insights – NerdWallet
- Features/Special Projects Editor – Modern Healthcare
*****************
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.
- THE DIGITAL NEWS RACE: HOW MEDIA MEETS THE DEMANDS OF AN ONLINE-FIRST WORLD. Every newsroom faces this challenge: News breaks, and it's a rush to get the story online. News organizations have been placing more focus on digital and social media for years. The past year even has been a turning point for many news organizations, including newspapers that have cut back on print editions and put more stock and resources into their online presence. Read more: http://bit.ly/2jXiBOn
- 9 DESIGN HACKS FOR BLOGGERS WHO AREN'T DESIGNERS. As a blogger, producing regular content is a necessity if you want to maintain a lasting relationship with your audience. Your consistent voice -- whether it's via a blog post or social share -- is instrumental to keeping your blogger brand current, memorable, and engaging. But with so many people creating content on the web, how can you cut through the noise? What's the X-factor to set you apart? The short answer: the ability to support your writing with a positive visual experience: http://bit.ly/2lcaU8Q
- BLOG PROFILES: TATTOO BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry or subject and a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at tattoo blogs: http://prn.to/2kjiNYo
****************
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.
SOURCE ProfNet
Share this article