Constitutional Law

Joyce Fdn's Second Amendment Research Center

A comment here noted that Ohio St. University's Second Amendment Research Center (funded by Joyce Foundation, to attack the Second Amendment) appears to have vanished. Looks like Joyce invested over $600,000 in it, but stopped funding after Heller, the Center closed, and Prof. Cornell moved on to a position with Fordham (It's an endowed chair, meaning better pay and prestige). Prof. Joe Olson verified that the Center had vanished, and Prof. Randy Barnett noted it at the Volokh Conspiracy.

Olson thereafter got this email:

"STEVEN CONN
11/25/2009 4:25 PM >>>
Dear Prof. Olsen,

I've just come across your crowing obituary for Saul Cornell's 2nd ammendment center. It did indeed serve its purposes - among which was to expose the intellectually flaccid historical work done by so-called legal historians working in law schools. It is easy to achieve a "consensus" around the 2nd ammendment if the those who form it exist entirely in an intellectual echo chamber. I sure wish I got to publish without any peer review process!

Saul also published a major book (Oxford University Press) whose findings, while they have generated a great deal of nasty invective, have stood up as accurate. We all eagerly await your next publication of any consequence. And you will also note that Saul has left OSU to fill a endowed chair at Fordham. Perhaps someday you too will get an offer which will allow you to leave Hamlin College.

Happy Shooting,

Steve

Steven Conn
Professor and Director, Public History
History Department
Ohio State University"

To which Joe responded, "That's zero for one.

The obit. on VC is by Professor Randy BARNETT, not me. BTW, you misspelled my name too. Perhaps, peer review is required?"

Full post as published by Of Arms and the Law on November 25, 2009 (boomark / email).