Tag Archives: Supreme Court

Judicial Organization Declines To Refer Thomas To DOJ

NBC News reports: A judicial organization that sets national policy for federal courts has rejected a request from two Democratic lawmakers to refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Justice Department over free travel and gifts from wealthy benefactors that were largely omitted from his financial disclosure forms. The group, the Judicial Conference, sent identical letters Thursday to Sen. …

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Roberts Decries “Illegitimate” Criticism Of Judiciary

NBC News reports: Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday blasted what he called “illegitimate activity” aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary. While facing criticism of contentious court rulings is part of the job for judges, some recent actions have crossed the line, Roberts said in his annual end-of-year report. He outlined four areas of concern: violence, intimidation, disinformation …

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Free Speech Advocates: TikTok Ban Is Authoritarian

Reuters reports: A U.S. law against Chinese-owned TikTok evokes the censorship regimes put in place by the United States’ authoritarian enemies, free-speech advocates told the Supreme Court on Friday. In an amicus filing, PEN America, Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, and the Free Press urged the country’s highest court to strike down the federal TikTok law to ban it …

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Senate Dems Issue Scathing Report On SCOTUS Ethics

Politico reports: Senate Democrats wrapped up their extensive investigation of Supreme Court justices’ ethics practices Saturday, issuing a report blasting two conservative justices for accepting expensive gifts from wealthy benefactors and slamming Chief Justice John Roberts for a lackadaisical response to ethical lapses by his colleagues. “Now more than ever before, as a result of information gathered by subpoenas, we …

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Supreme Court Agrees To Hear TikTok Ban Challenge

CBS News reports: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will take up a challenge to a new law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the U.S, setting up a showdown over access to a widely popular app used by tens of millions of Americans. Arguments will be heard by the high court on Jan. 10, an …

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Federal Judge Sanctioned For Essay Criticizing Alito

The Wall Street Journal reports: Amid collapsing public confidence in U.S. courts, a federal judge has been found culpable of misconduct. The offense? Questioning the ethics of a Supreme Court justice. U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor published an essay in the New York Times arguing that the display of flags associated with President-elect Donald Trump’s MAGA movement at Justice Samuel …

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SCOTUS Rejects Navarro’s Appeal Over Email Records

The Associated Press reports: The Supreme Court turned back an appeal Monday from Peter Navarro, the former White House official who is set to return in Donald Trump’s second term after serving prison time on contempt of Congress charges. The court declined to hear the appeal in a brief order without explanation, as is typical. It comes after the Justice …

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Dem Senators Propose Term Limits For SCOTUS Justices

The Hill reports: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (I) and Vermont Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have introduced a resolution to impose 18-year term limits on Supreme Court justices, which would require some turnover on the high court every two years. Specifically, their resolution calls for a constitutional amendment to institute nonrenewable 18-year terms for new Supreme Court justices, with a …

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SCOTUS Rejects Challenge To Hawaii Gun Permit Law

USA Today reports: Christopher Wilson had a loaded pistol in his waistband when the Maui Police Department in 2017 responded to a complaint that he was trespassing on private property. Wilson did not, though, have a permit to carry that gun. And in a case that put a spotlight on Hawaii’s strict gun regulations, as well as on its low …

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SCOTUS Likely To Uphold Anti-Trans Youth Care Law

The Washington Post reports: The Supreme Court appeared deeply divided along ideological lines Wednesday in a historic case involving gender transition care for transgender minors, with key conservative justices expressing concern about courts intervening in an evolving nationwide debate over access to treatments for young people. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh repeatedly suggested that …

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LIVE AUDIO: Supreme Court Hears Trans Youth Case

NBC News reports: The conservative-majority Supreme Court on Wednesday dives into the culture war issue of transgender rights as it weighs whether states can restrict gender transition care for minors. President-elect Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly pushed an anti-transgender rights message during the recently concluded election. Among other things, he has pledged to restrict access to gender-affirming health care …

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TODAY: Supreme Court Hears Trans Youth Care Case

The New York Times reports: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday over whether a Tennessee law denying some kinds of medical care to transgender youth runs afoul of the Constitution. Twenty-three other states have similar laws. The court’s decision, expected by June, will almost certainly yield a major statement on transgender rights against the backdrop of a fierce …

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SCOTUS Rejects Challenge To Warnings On Cigarettes

CNN reports: The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a challenge from major tobacco companies to the FDA’s requirement that they place graphic health warnings on cigarette packages and in advertisements. The FDA issued a rule in 2020 that requires health warnings on cigarette packages and in advertisements, occupying the top 50% of the area on the front and back …

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RFK Loses SCOTUS Fight To Protect Anti-Vax Doctors

NBC News reports: The Supreme Court late on Wednesday rejected an attempt by Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to protect doctors being investigated in Washington state for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 virus. The emergency application was denied by Justice Elena Kagan on behalf of the court. “We hope that one day …

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SCOTUS Rejects Challenge To NY Rent Control Rules

Bloomberg News reports: The United States Supreme Court refused to question New York’s rent-control system, turning away two appeals that said the rules violate apartment owners’ constitutional rights. One appeal, pressed by 12 sets of property owners in New York City and Yonkers, targeted restrictions on landlords who want to reclaim rental units for personal use or convert buildings to …

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Meadows Loses SCOTUS Appeal On Georgia Case

NBC News reports: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a setback to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in his defense against 2020 election interference charges in Georgia, turning away his attempt to transfer his case from state to federal court. His lawyers argued that the case should be moved because he was acting as a “federal officer” …

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Iowa Gay Couples Rush To Marry Ahead Of Trump

Des Moines’ CBS affiliate reports: A local chaplain is helping dozens of same-sex couples across the state tie the knot before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January due to concerns about marriage equality protections under the new administration. Des Moines area chaplain Anitta Milloro said they’re working with more than 40 couples who want to get …

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REPORT: Justice Sotomayor Has No Plans To Retire

CNN reports: Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has made clear she has no plans to step down, according to people close to her, despite calls from some on the left that Biden should try to name a successor before Trump takes office. “She’s in great health, and the court needs her now more than ever,” said one person close to …

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CNN Analyst Suggests Sotomayor Should Retire Before Trump Takes Office So Biden Can Then Nominate Harris

Mediaite reports: CNN anchor John Berman was stunned by a bombshell suggestion from analyst Bakari Sellers — that President Joe Biden should rush through the nomination and confirmation of Vice President Kamala Harris to the Supreme Court. Politico Playbook led Friday morning with a piece on the chatter among Democrats to encourage Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to retire and …

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GOP Loses SCOTUS Battle Over PA Provisional Ballots

CBS News reports: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to freeze a decision from Pennsylvania’s highest court that required election officials to count provisional ballots cast by people whose mail ballots are invalid because they lacked mandatory secrecy envelopes. The order from the justices means that election officials in the key battleground state must tally provisional ballots submitted on Election …

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