Varsity Blues

* The new US News rankings are out for everyone to complain about and the final tally of boycotting law schools rests at 63. Congratulations… the rankings make even less sense now than before because of you! [Law.com]

* On that note, the new US News rankings also devalued faculty expertise… right when institutions in GOP-led states are attacking tenure. Great job! [Chronicle of Higher Education]

* First Circuit tosses Varsity Blues conviction, which is great news for admissions officers looking to earn some on the side. [Law360]

* Dianne Feinstein returns to the Senate allowing the Judiciary Committee to sort of function again. And all it cost is some self-imposed elder abuse. [Bloomberg Law News]

* Fani Willis drops objection to Kimberly Debrow now that the lawyer has shed a couple more clients. Honestly unsure what’s worse: the prosecutor trying to get you kicked off the case or the prosecutor then deciding, “you know what… we’re happy to have you represent the defendants.” [NY Times]

* Antitrust is broken and willing prosecutors aren’t enough to fix it because corporate stooge judges make taking a case to trial poses too much risk. And Democratic nominees have been largely to blame. [American Prospect]

* University of Maryland forced to end its streaming service after being reminded that it doesn’t own its streaming rights. This is what happens when you try to come out of your shell. [Washington Post]

* A lawyer caught up in the college admissions scandal has had his law license suspended. Maybe he also helped his kid get into law school… [New York Post]

* The former top lawyer for a firm co-founded by Peter Thiel is suing her ex-employer for wrongful termination. [Los Angeles Times]

* The San Francisco District Attorney race may be decided by only a few thousand votes. Never doubt that every vote counts. [San Francisco Chronicle]

* A lawyer who claimed he missed a hearing due to his grandfather’s death must supply proof to the court. This reminds me of an episode of Seinfeld… [ABA Journal]

* President Trump has paid $2M to settle a lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General regarding the Trump Foundation. [CNN]

* Remember Deborah Ramirez, one of the first women to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while he was going through his Supreme Court confirmation hearings? It turns out the FBI never really investigated her allegations because of limitations imposed by the Republican-controlled Senate. [New York Times]

* President Trump, of course, has come forward to defend Kavanaugh against allegations that the justice exposed himself to unwilling women in college, proclaiming, “He is an innocent man who has been treated HORRIBLY,” and that Kavanaugh “should start suing people for libel, or the Justice Department should come to his rescue.” [NBC News]

* What could happen if Donald Trump refuses to step down as president should he lose the 2020 election? National security expert Josh Geltzer says that as a nation, we should “be prepared for the worst.” [Slate]

* “Desperate Housewife” Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in jail, one year of probation, 250 hours of community service, and a $30,000 fine for her role in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, while “Fuller House” star Lori Loughlin has “resolved” to stay out of the Big House. [CBS News; Page Six]

* In case you missed it, Texas lawyer-politician Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) made a “death threat” via tweet against Beto O’Rourke, saying “My AR is ready for you,” after the Democratic presidential candidate promised to “take your AR-15[s]” during the latest debate, but there are likely no legal ethics repercussions coming his way. [Texas Lawyer]

* In the two years or so that Justice Neil Gorsuch has served on the Supreme Court, he’s become “everything conservatives hoped for and liberals feared,” having voted to overturn or suggested revisiting 11 of the court’s precedents thus far. [Washington Post]

* Speaking of Justice Gorsuch, here are the two rules he tells each of his law clerks to follow: “Rule number one: Don’t make it up — follow the law. Rule number two: when everybody else around you is yelling at you, asking you to make it up and condemning you for not making it up, refer to rule number one.” [Fox News]

* “I’m indebted to have his help and advice. He truly is a great American.” Frequent Trump critic George Conway, the Wachtell of counsel married to Kellyanne Conway, is informally advising former Rep. Joe Walsh’s 2020 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. [CNN]

* According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the legal sector added around 4,100 jobs in August, outpacing U.S. job growth. This seems like exciting news, but it capped off a summer where overall growth for law jobs was mostly flat. [American Lawyer]

* A Housewife Desperate to stay out of jail: Federal prosecutors say probation isn’t enough for Felicity Huffman’s participation in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and want her to serve at least one month in jail, but her lawyers don’t agree. [TODAY]

* Harvey Weinstein will face sex trafficking charges. [Law360]

* “LSU Creates Model for Colleges Embroiled in Varsity Blues Scandal.” Yeah, um, no offense but LSU didn’t have to anything to worry about. [Corporate Counsel]

* MoFo’s horribly ill-advised sanctions motion meets the swift demise it deserved. [The Recorder]

* Meanwhile, the Jones Day attorney named in its gender bias case has left. [American Lawyer]

* Sears is suing Eddie Lampert and Steve Mnuchin for destroying the company. [CNBC]

* Ninth Circuit hands Trump’s immigration plans another defeat. [Courthouse News Service]

* Varsity Blues students receive target letters, which are basically acceptance letters to the criminal justice system. [NY Times]

* Greg Craig looking at an August trial date. That may sound soon, but this matter is all about the rushin’. [National Law Journal]

* The Department of the Interior has opened an ethics investigation into its new head. He was confirmed a mere four days ago. [Courthouse News Service]

* Circuit splits are on the rise and many are blaming the Supreme Court for not taking up the important cases for judicial efficiency. Who’d have thought morphing the body into an ideology factory would have a downside? [Law360]

* Google has a database of every physical location you’ve visited that they willingly share with law enforcement. Enjoy! [How To Geek]

* Legal operations are entering the law school curriculum in the event your legal dream is to be an efficiency expert for Biglaw. [American Lawyer]

* The sitting president compared interest in his finances as an elected official to FBI harassment of civil rights leaders. This is a thing that really happened. [Daily Beast]