Gormley Discusses Role, Limits of Executive Power as Part of New ‘Governing in Crisis’ Series

President Ken Gormley, a constitutional law scholar and award-winning author, played a key part in the May 19 launch of a locally produced series of discussions designed to bring insight into the process as local, state and federal governments navigate the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics (IoP) and the Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law and Public Policy present Governing in Crisis: Preserving Democracy, the Rule of Law and American Values, which offers an ongoing virtual discussion focused on key issues surrounding public health, the economy and the state of government, and public institutions during the coronavirus crisis.

Gormley was the guest in episode one of the series, which featured a discussion on mistakes and overreaching by governments during times of crisis with Duquesne University President Ken Gormley.

During the interview, Gormley noted that legal solutions such as the Espionage Act, which strongly curtailed free speech during World War I, and the internment of Japanese American citizens during World War II were both signed off by courts at the peak of a crisis and repealed years later as improper due to civil and human rights implications.

“We’ve seen a lot of these examples during the most pressure-filled times, when the government takes such steps and lives to regret it,” Gormley said. “I’m grateful that Chancellor Emeritus Nordenberg is addressing these important topics through his virtual series, which could not be more timely.”

Pitt Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg, IoP chair and director of the Thornburgh Forum, interviews regional and national civic leaders during the Governing in Crisis series about the pandemic’s impacts, not only on public health and the economy, but on basic governance processes.

“The series is intended to help policymakers and interested citizens, whatever their position or political leanings, to better understand the governance issues that continue to arise,” said Nordenberg. “It is offered in the hope that we will emerge from this crisis not only with our economy restored and with our basic values intact, but on a committed journey that will take us to an even better America together.”

The first installment kicks off Tuesday, May 19 at 10 am Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will be the featured guest for the second installment, which will be posted to the IoP YouTube channel on May 26.

Episodes of Governing in Crisis: Preserving Democracy, the Rule of Law and American Values appear on Pittwire Live and on the Institute of Politics YouTube channel. For more information, visit http://iop.pitt.edu/home.