This just in: apparently Erwin Chemerinsky is a liberal

Duke law professor Erwin Chemerinsky, formerly of USC, almost of U.C. Irvine, has been fired for being too liberal:

Just days after he signed a contract to become the first dean of UC Irvine's new law school, Erwin Chemerinsky was told this week that the deal was off because he was too "politically controversial."

Chemerinsky said in an interview today that UC Irvine Chancellor Michael V. Drake had flown to North Carolina on Tuesday and told him at a hotel near the airport that that he did not realize the extent to which there were "conservatives out to get me." ...

The professor said Drake told him that he thought there would have been a "bloody battle" among the regents over the appointment.

I'm with InstaPundit on this one, on all counts:

Hiring and firing Erwin Chemerinsky in one week? Because it turns out he's too liberal? First of all, who doesn't know about Erwin's politics? Certainly anybody who managed to hire him without knowing his political leanings would have to have been grossly negligent in their evaluation. Second, he's a nice, fair guy regardless of his politics -- which aren't that liberal by law school standards -- and which just shouldn't matter anyway. Perhaps there's more to this story than we're hearing, though I'm not sure what it could be, but it makes absolutely no sense as reported. Anyway, I have to agree with Brian Leiter that this is going to make it very hard for them to recruit anyone of comparable stature for the position now.

Glenn just posted an update.

Comments

[Admiral Halsey]

Perhaps that big donor who basically funded the school is really upset about Erwin's involvement in the Plame case.

In any event, it seems odd that they wouldn't have consulted with said donor before giving the job to Chemerinsky. I think there's something else going on here, and this liberal thing is just a cover.

[Aaron]

Since I've been ragging on Reynolds a bit today, I have to give him credit here. He's clearly correct,

Not too much credit though. This isn't exactly an out-on-a-limb defense of a liberal he's making here.

[Sandy Underpants]

How the hell do they find a conservative to be a dean? The must be looking for a Libertarian because Republicans are too greedy to take a teaching salary and too stupid to lead.

[Wobbly H]

Please, Sandy, you're talking out of your ass. Plenty of conservative lawyers, whether greedy or not, take some time in academia or make a mid-career switch. Do you think Notre Dame Law School can't find any conservative professors?

I'd imagine that a dean with a liberal slant (representing Rachel Corrie, the hippie who stood in front of the tank, in a lawsuit against the tank maker, for example) would have an interest in getting dynamic academics from all political and legal analytical persuasions to raise the profile of his school. That's why this reason stinks to high heaven.

[Andrew]

Stipulated:

-- Erwin Chemerinsky is liberal, but not that radical by typical ivory tower and law school standards.

-- Erwin is a pretty fair guy who would have done an excellent job as Dean, from an academic/administration perspective.

-- UC Irvine looks completely dumb and grossly incompetent hiring and firing Erwin in the span of a week based on political considerations/pressure.

That said, the reality is that UC Irvine is not an established law school; it is brand new and not yet open for matriculation. UC Irvine is going to require loads of donor support from the local business and law community to get off the ground and establish itself. UC Irvine is in the heart of Orange County, CA, which is one of the richest counties in the country, as well as the most solidly conservative and Republican outpost in California for the national and state GOP. UC Irvine would be shooting itself in the foot big-time if it did not acknowledge the political realities in the community around it and hire administration personnel, including a chancellor and a dean, who are unlikely to offend potential donors. UC Irvine, while temporarily looking terribly incompetent, nevertheless is doing the absolute right thing for its long-term success. The fact is, people opening their wallets to support a fledgling law school are under absolutely no obligation to see their money go to a new establishment that will staff and operate in such a manner as to be antithetical to their political interests.

Hiring Erwin Chemerinsky to be dean of UC Irvine law school would make about as much sense and be even less productive and more damaging than UC Berkeley hiring Ken Starr to be its dean.

[dcl]

I can't say I disagree with Andrew. I can say that Erwin is, without hesitation, one of the best three professors I had in my time at USC. And with a little reservation, I'd say he is probably the best. And I will say that politics stopped the moment he walked into the classroom. I recall discussing Bush v. Gore in class with him (a case he helped argue) and nobody could bate him into getting political on the discussion of the case--and not for want of trying. That said, he was probably not the right fit for UC Irvine. But you'd really have to be a dope not to notice that ahead of time.

[USC 2L]

Come back to SC!

[Joe Mama]

My only experience with Chemerinsky was via BARBRI videotapes on Con Law. He is exceedingly bright, and gave his entire multi-day lecture without any notes at all.

[ndls06]

I'm trying to imagine what "else" could be going on. Maybe something like O'Leary? UC Irivine must have been shocked to find out that he wasnt on the football team at Northwestern.
I hope he knows the offices will be very nice in the new law school building at ND, despite our football team having the same record as Duke right now.

[B. Minich]

See, I think he'd probably be a great candidate, and I'm pretty conservative. Basically, what are you looking for in a dean? Someone who is a smart, established scholar. Also, it helps if he can get you through accreditation as a law school - apparently, Chemerinsky has connections with the accreditation boards, and this would have helped UC Irvine immensely. Hiring and then firing him is going to have the opposite effect. Also, to land someone like him was a coup for a new school - lightning will not strike the bottle twice, especially if the other lightning avoids said bottle.

How's that for some metaphor mixing?

[Melissa]

That "big donor" is Michael Bren - who runs the Irvine Company. My money is one Bren being behind this in some way just because of the timing of the donation and then this. That being said, I agree with the various posts above re: Orange County (and Irvine in particular). This is a very conservative area, at least as measured by CA standards. But, Chemerinsky is a big name, a brilliant guy, and I would be shocked if he tried to use a position as dean to force his politics on the school. This is an unfortunate way for the new law school to get its first real publicity. Hopefully they will find an equally excellent candidate to fill the spot soon.

[Sandy Underpants]

If this went the other direction Bill O and Horowitz and the rest of the right nuts would be going... nuts. I don't mind it though, the university is entitled to put whatever program they want together. I've never seen Chemerinsky behave in a radical or irresponsible fashion or thrust his views in people's faces. That said, it's typical Orange County phony BS and they certainly will get what they deserve, which is appropriately what they want-- A guy who says one thing and pretends to be one thing but pays hookers and blows dudes in airport bathrooms while out of the public eye.

[Joe Mama]

To quote Wobbly H above: Please, Sandy, you're talking out of your ass.

A less crass observation here.

[Joe Mama]

Victor Davis Hanson: Hire Back Chemerinksy