New Feature: Ilya Confusion Watch

October 13th, 2013

I am introducing a new feature to the blog, called Ilya Confusion Watch. Ilya Somin (GMU) and Ilya Shapiro (Cato), two excellent friends, are often confused. I mean how hard could it be go tell apart two libertarians in Washington, both with the name Ilya, and last initial S? Apparently really hard. Especially in light of the fact that they often write and think the same thing (but not always). So hard, in fact, that I have held two Battle of the Ilyas Contests (2009 and 2010) to help decide who is the official Ilya. (In case anyone is keeping score at home, Shapiro is 2-0). All related posts are here.

Often, both Shapiro and Somin will forward me emails when someone confuses them. In this new feature, I will catalogue all of the confusions. These are all the emails that I can find/reprint. Others are too personal. But some are hilarious.

  • 10/8/10- AtlanticWire refers to Cato’s Ilya Somin. They meant Shapiro.
  • 6/11/12 – Shapiro is on a TV segment and is referred to as Volokh Conspiracy blogger. Shapiro writes, “How many such public mentions are required before I can assert VC membership by estoppel/laches?”
  • 7/23/13 – A newspaper sent Shapiro proofs of an op-ed Somin wrote. Shapiro had written an op-ed in that paper a few weeks earlier, and the editor responded to that thread.
  • 8/27/13 – Above The Law Legal Eagle Wedding Watch noted the wedding of Ilya Somin. In fact, it was Shapiro who got married (It was fixed).
  • 10/13/13: Article III Judge emails Ilya Somin, thanking him for sending the latest issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review. Of course, it was Ilya Shapiro who sent it. Somin replies to Judge, and notes that he did author an article in the volume, but it was Shapiro who sent it.

More to come. I usually get about 2 of these a month.