History of Jonathan Turley in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 25, 2024

Jonathan Turley is an American legal scholar, commentator, and analyst known for his expertise in constitutional law. He is a professor at George Washington University Law School and a prominent First Amendment advocate, frequently writing and speaking on free speech issues. Turley has provided expert testimony in numerous congressional proceedings, including multiple impeachment trials, notably those of Presidents Clinton and Trump. He is the author of "The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in the Age of Rage."

1977: House Leadership Page

Jonathan Turley served as a House leadership page in 1977 under the sponsorship of Illinois Democrat Sidney Yates.

1978: House Leadership Page

Jonathan Turley served as a House leadership page in 1978 under the sponsorship of Illinois Democrat Sidney Yates.

1983: Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chicago

Jonathan Turley graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1983.

1987: Juris Doctor Degree from Northwestern University School of Law

Jonathan Turley obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1987, where he was also the Executive Articles Editor of the Northwestern University Law Review.

1997: Turley's Marriage

Jonathan Turley married Leslie in 1997. They have four children together.

2000: Defense of Protesters at the World Bank/IMF Demonstrations

In 2000, Jonathan Turley provided legal defense for protesters involved in the World Bank/IMF demonstrations.

2000: Commentary on the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election Controversy

Jonathan Turley provided commentary on the 2000 U.S. presidential election controversy.

2001: Ranked Among Top Public Intellectuals

In 2001, Jonathan Turley was ranked 38th in a study of the top 100 most cited public intellectuals, and he was recognized as the second most cited law professor.

2003: Contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Jonathan Turley began contributing to Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC in 2003.

October 2004: Argument for the Legalization of Polygamy

In October 2004, Jonathan Turley wrote an article for USA Today advocating for the legalization of polygamy, sparking debate and responses from other writers like Stanley Kurtz.

2005: Commentary on the Terri Schiavo Case

Jonathan Turley provided commentary on the Terri Schiavo case in 2005.

2005: Columnist of the Year Award

Jonathan Turley received the Columnist of the Year award for Single-Issue Advocacy in 2005 from the Aspen Institute and The Week magazine, recognizing his impactful columns on civil liberties.

October 2006: Disapproval of the Military Commissions Act of 2006

In October 2006, during an interview with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC, Jonathan Turley expressed his strong disapproval of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, arguing that it undermined habeas corpus and represented a fundamental change in the United States.

2008: Recognized as a Top Lawyer and Military Lawyer

In 2008, Jonathan Turley was ranked among the nation's top 500 lawyers and recognized as the second most cited law professor in the country. He was also ranked among the top ten military lawyers.

2008: Honorary Doctorate of Law

Jonathan Turley was awarded an honorary doctorate of law by John Marshall Law School in 2008, acknowledging his work as an advocate for civil liberties and constitutional rights.

2008: Top Law Professor Blog

Jonathan Turley's blog was recognized as the top law professor blog and legal theory blog in a 2008 survey of the top 100 blogs by the American Bar Association Journal.

2010: Criticism of the Obama Administration's Handling of Leaks and Surveillance

In this text, Jonathan Turley criticizes the Obama Administration's handling of leaks and surveillance, specifically focusing on the actions of Attorney General Eric Holder in shielding officials from prosecution for torture, expanding secret surveillance, and justifying the "kill list" policy. Turley highlights the Justice Department's investigation into Fox News correspondent James Rosen's email and phone records as an example of the administration's attack on the news media.

2011: Contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Jonathan Turley contributed to Countdown with Keith Olbermann until 2011 on MSNBC and later on Current TV.

2011: Dr. Mary Ann Quaranta Elder Justice Award

Jonathan Turley's work with older prisoners earned him the Dr. Mary Ann Quaranta Elder Justice Award at Fordham University in 2011.

2012: Contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Current TV

Jonathan Turley contributed to Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Current TV until early 2012.

December 2013: Congressional Hearing Testimony on Presidential Power

During a December 2013 congressional hearing, in response to a question from Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jonathan Turley expressed his views on presidential power within the Obama administration.

November 21, 2014: Representation of House Speaker John Boehner in a Lawsuit Against the Obama Administration

Jonathan Turley agreed to represent House Speaker John Boehner and the Republican Party on November 21, 2014, in a lawsuit against the Obama administration. The suit alleged unconstitutional implementation of the Affordable Care Act, particularly the individual mandate.

2014: Lead Counsel in the Affordable Care Act Challenge

Jonathan Turley served as lead counsel in 2014, challenging the Affordable Care Act.

October 11, 2016: Consideration for Supreme Court Seat

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced on October 11, 2016, that Jonathan Turley was one of his top choices for the vacant Supreme Court seat left by Justice Antonin Scalia's death.

2016: Federal Court Ruling on the Affordable Care Act Lawsuit

In 2016, a federal court ruled that the Obama administration had violated the separation of powers by directing billions of dollars to insurance companies without congressional appropriation. This ruling pertained to the lawsuit filed in 2014.

2017: Criticism of Military Intervention in the Middle East

In a 2017 column for The Hill, Jonathan Turley criticized U.S. military intervention in the Middle East, questioning its constitutionality, and expressed support for Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination.

December 4, 2019: Testimony Before the House Judiciary Committee on the Impeachment Inquiry Against President Donald Trump

Jonathan Turley testified before the House Judiciary Committee on December 4, 2019, concerning the constitutional basis for presidential impeachment as part of the impeachment inquiry against then-President Donald Trump. Turley argued against impeaching Trump.

2019: University Fellow at Utah Valley University

In 2019, Jonathan Turley was named one of four university fellows at Utah Valley University. He also received the James Madison award.

2020: Arguments Against Specific Impeachment Charges and Call for More Time

During the impeachment inquiry, Jonathan Turley argued that the evidence against President Trump did not meet the criteria for bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and campaign finance violations. He believed the charges represented a lowering of impeachment standards. He also advocated for more time to build a comprehensive case record. While the Committee ultimately adopted two articles Turley considered legitimate (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress), they rejected his request for additional time, a point of contention later revisited when new evidence surfaced in 2020.

2020: Support for Court Involvement in Vetting the 2020 Election Results

Following the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Jonathan Turley argued that, while he doubted the existence of widespread fraud, Americans should welcome the courts' involvement in validating the election results.

2020: Consideration for Supreme Court Seat by Libertarian Presidential Candidates

Jonathan Turley continued to be considered as a top pick for the Supreme Court by Libertarian presidential candidates in 2020.

January 2021: Turley's Views on Trump's Second Impeachment

In January 2021, Jonathan Turley's views on impeachment were cited during Donald Trump's second impeachment trial. While he believed Trump's conduct was potentially impeachable, he opposed the rapid impeachment process and expressed concerns about the language used in the article of impeachment. He advocated for a bipartisan censure instead.