Senator Hawley and UPenn Law Professor Spar Over Judicial Injunctions

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri engaged in a heated debate with a University of Pennsylvania law professor on judicial injunctions during a recent Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing. The discussion centered on the influence of district judges on President Donald Trump’s executive actions, which include policies on deportations, tariffs, and federal funding cuts.

The hearing, titled The Supposedly ‘Least Dangerous Branch’: District Judges v. Trump, featured Hawley presenting a bar chart that showcased the significant increase in nationwide injunctions against the executive branch during Trump’s initial term. He argued that these injunctions, which were virtually nonexistent prior to the 1960s, surged when Trump took office and then saw a marked decline during President Joe Biden’s administration.

During the exchange, Hawley directly challenged law professor Kate Shaw, asking,