Louisiana appellate court blocks LSU law professor from returning to class
The main building of the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, pictured March 20, 2023, in Baton Rouge. (Matthew Perschall/Louisiana Illuminator)
A suspended LSU law professor who had been cleared to return to the classroom won't be going back just yet. The state's 1st Circuit Court of Appeal blocked a district judge's order from earlier this week that would have let Ken Levy teach again, the Louisiana attorney general confirmed Thursday.
The university removed Ken Levy from his teaching duties for comments about Gov. Jeff Landry that LSU President William Tate said were 'over a line that I would expect to see in a law classroom,' according to the campus leader's testimony in court Tuesday. Transcripts Tate reviewed from Levy's lecture, which a student had recorded, featured the professor's comments about Landry and President Donald Trump that included profanities.
Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill have been highly critical of Levy on social media. The professor's attorney, Jill Craft, has said LSU's actions are in violation of her client's First Amendment right to free speech, prompting him to sue the school. Levy also maintains the university violated its own policy for tenured professors.
During a hearing in the case Monday, state Judge Tarvald Smith issued an order that directed LSU to end the professor's suspension while its investigation into his alleged conduct took place. The 1st Circuit ruling Thursday overrides Smith's order and places him back on suspension.
'I'm glad to see that the Court of Appeal paused this clearly improper order. This matter will proceed now in an ordinary course, and I'm sure Professor Levy will get the process to which he's due,' Murrill said Thursday in a statement.
In his lawsuit, Levy insists that his comments about the Republican governor and president were made in a joking manner in order to emphasize his 'no recording' policy for his classes.
'Disgusting and inexcusable behavior from Ken Levy. Deranged behavior like this has no place in our classrooms!' Landry wrote in one of two social media posts he made Wednesday regarding the court case.
Earlier in the day, the governor, who earned his law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, called the judge's order returning Levy to the classroom 'absurd' and said Smith had ignored 'the facts, the law and the Constitution.'
The 1st Circuit panel that rejected Smith's order included Judges Kelly Balfour and Walt Lanier III and Chief Judge Paige McClendon.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Race for Rockland County Executive is on: Parietti on November ballot on 'Good Gov' line
NEW CITY -- Ramapo resident Michael Parietti officially joined the ballot Wednesday as a candidate for Rockland County executive in the Nov. 4 election. The Rockland Board of Elections affirmed that Parietti amassed the minimum 1,500 signatures on petitions to qualify for the ballot on the independent "Good Gov" line. Parietti and his supporters filed more than 3,000 names with the board on May 27. Republican County Executive Ed Day challenged the petitions, but the Board of Elections commissioners sustained the signatures beyond the minimum needed. The commissioners, Democrat Allison Weinraub and Republican Patricia Giblin, informed Parietti by letter on Wednesday. "Upon examination of the specific objection, we hereby rule that the said objection is not sustained and the petition filed by Michael I. Parietti is hereby declared valid," the commissioners wrote. With that notification, Rockland's voters have a choice for county executive. Rockland Democrats did not field a candidate. Parietti said in a statement that more than 3,000 signatures represented broad support across the county. He said that Republican operatives attempted to knock him off the ballot by filing what he called baseless objections to his petitions. Parietti has said that in his numerous past campaigns, he'd never tried to knock a candidate off the ballot, arguing competition is good for the electoral process. 'They hired a high-priced consultant to try and silence voters,' Parietti said. 'But the signatures stood, and democracy won. Now voters can decide between entrenched political interests or new ideas and real accountability for the future of our county.' Day, a Republican seeking his fourth, four-year term as county executive, could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday. Day has said he's running on his record. His bread-and-butter issues have been keeping down county property taxes and maintaining services. Day took office in January 2014 with the county facing a deficit of $138 million. The county's 2024 budget paid off a $96 million bond to help cover the deficit. For 2025, the county government has accumulated a fund balance topping $300 million. Day has promoted decreases in county taxes in the last two fiscal years, including a 2% cut in the $876 million budget for 2025. He rose from a New City civic association president to county legislator before winning election as county executive in November 2013. He won his last two elections by comfortable margins. Day started the 2025 election season with no challengers before Parietti filed, as Rockland Democrats could not field a candidate. One registered Democrat, Ernest Morales, a retired police officer, made noise about seeking the party's nomination. But he and his supporters could not muster the required number of signatures to get on the ballot. Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@ Twitter: @lohudlegal. Read more articles and bio. Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland NY Executive Ed Day to face independent Mike Parietti Nov. 4
Business Wire
26 minutes ago
- Business Wire
Redfin Survey: Americans Are Torn on How Immigration, Tariffs Impact Housing Affordability
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: RDFN) — Over half of U.S. homeowners and renters (51.2%) strongly or somewhat agree with the following statement: 'Less immigration will result in fewer construction workers, and thereby fewer new homes, making homes more expensive.' That's according to a new survey commissioned by Redfin ( the technology-powered real estate brokerage. But much of the nation holds the opposite view; 38.5% of homeowners and renters strongly or somewhat agree with this statement: 'Less immigration will reduce demand for housing, making it more affordable.' Democrat respondents were more likely than Republican respondents to agree with the idea that less immigration will make homes more expensive: 67.1% vs 38.7%. These survey findings are from a nationally representative Redfin-commissioned survey of 4,000 U.S. homeowners and renters conducted by Ipsos March 28, 2025-April 28, 2025. The relevant survey question is: 'To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements in relation to recent and/or proposed changes to laws or policies that could affect the housing market?' U.S. homeowners and renters are also torn on how tariffs will impact the housing market. Over two-thirds (67.9%) strongly or somewhat agree with the following statement: 'Tariffs will cause price inflation and keep interest rates high.' But over one-third (34.7%) strongly or somewhat agree with this statement: 'Tariffs will help boost the U.S. economy so more people can afford homes.' Republican respondents were more likely than Democrat respondents to agree with the idea that tariffs will help boost the economy so more people can afford homes: 55.3% vs 23.9%. Redfin reported in April that nearly 1 in 4 U.S. residents are canceling plans to make a major purchase, such as a home or a car, because of President Trump's new tariff policies. 43% of U.S. Homeowners and Renters Are Worried About Impact of Tariffs on Housing Market More than 2 in 5 U.S. homeowners and renters (43.1%) feel very or somewhat worried about the effect tariffs could have on their local housing market/home values. Roughly one-third (33.1%) feel very or somewhat hopeful. When it comes to immigration, 40.7% of homeowners and renters feel very or somewhat hopeful about the effect deportations/fewer immigrants could have on the economy, while 26.3% feel very or somewhat worried. To view the full report, including charts and detailed methodology, please visit: About Redfin Redfin ( is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, rentals, lending, and title insurance services. We run the country's #1 real estate brokerage site. Our customers can save thousands in fees while working with a top agent. Our home-buying customers see homes first with on-demand tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Since launching in 2006, we've saved customers more than $1.8 billion in commissions. We serve approximately 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 4,000 people. Redfin's subsidiaries and affiliated brands include: Bay Equity Home Loans®, Rent.™, Apartment Guide®, Title Forward® and WalkScore®. For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, email press@ To view Redfin's press center, click here.
Fox News
26 minutes ago
- Fox News
Walz, Hochul, Pritzker face off with Congress as Newsom battles Trump
Democratic "sanctuary governors" will face a barrage of tough questions at a highly anticipated congressional hearing Thursday morning, as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump continue to throw jabs over immigration policy. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will testify before the House Oversight Committee and sources tell Fox that Los Angeles riots over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and Newsom's battle with Trump will likely be prominent topics of discussion. Fox News Digital obtained opening remarks to be delivered by Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, which will set the tone for the fiery hearing. "These Governors handcuff law enforcement from doing their jobs, harbor predators, and call it 'compassion,'" Comer's opening remarks explain. "It is NOT compassion, and it is costing lives, hurting Americans, and draining taxpayer money. Congress must consider whether to defund every single penny of federal dollars going to cities and states that prioritize criminal aliens over the American people." "Americans want a return to common sense. The Trump Administration and this Republican Congress aims to restore our safety and sovereignty. It is past time for these governors to put Americans first." All three Democratic governors testifying at the hearing sided with Newsom in a statement Sunday addressing Trump's use of the National Guard to dispel riots that have been raging over the past few days in Los Angeles. Rioters set cars on fire, looted businesses, and clashed with law enforcement. "We stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation," the statement signed by Walz, Pritzker, and Hochul reads. Since LA's riots, protests over President Trump's immigration policies have since spread to Pritzker and Hochul's states on Tuesday with large gatherings in Lower Manhattan in New York and Federal Plaza in Chicago, blocking off streets and causing disruptions. Fox News Digital also received J.B. Pritzker's opening remarks, where the governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate said his state "could not simply ignore the suffering" illegal migrants faced in Illionis. "The crisis at the southern border in recent years has been devastating; the response from some of our political leaders even more so," Prtizker's statement reads. "As individuals fleeing poverty, violence, and persecution arrived at our border, our nation's leaders were confronted with a choice: would we do everything possible to make the promise of America the practice of America?" "Some border state governors and mayors abandoned our nation's highest ideals – instead of choosing to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to treat people as pawns, busing them to states like ours in a dehumanizing attempt to leverage the crisis for political gain. The State of Illinois chose a different path." Republican members on the Oversight Committee spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of Thursday's action, saying the three governors testifying "are willing to trade public safety for left-wing virtue signaling." "Democrat-run sanctuary states shield criminal aliens from federal immigration enforcement, put law enforcement in unnecessary danger, and disregard the safety of millions of Americans," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan told Fox News Digital. "Seventy-seven million people gave President Trump a mandate last November to put an end to the Democrats' prioritization of illegal aliens over American citizens. And he's doing just that." "To folks like Walz, Hochul and Pritzker, sanctuary state policies are a badge of honor. They are willing to trade public safety for left-wing virtue signaling," said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, explained to Fox News Digital. "Perhaps Governor Gavin Newsom will take a break from defying federal authority to tune in and see why Americans are fleeing California in droves to escape his failed policies that invite illegal migrant crime and anarchist thugs," Fallon added. The stage is set for the hearing, which will take place on Thursday at 10 AM eastern time. Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul and Walz but did not receive a response. Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to and on X @MizellPreston
