Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has expressed her support for an ethics code for the court, while noting that the justices are divided on the issue. This follows a series of controversial rulings and ethical controversies, and Kagan has suggested that Congress could take action to address the issue. It remains to be seen what action Congress will take.
Posts tagged as “1st Congressional District”
Mike Pence has taken direct aim at Donald Trump in the wake of his four-count federal indictment, defending himself for ignoring Trump's pleas and emphasizing the importance of upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. Pence was a key witness in the prosecution's case, and his statement serves as a reminder of the importance of putting the country first.
Donald Trump has criticized GOP presidential candidate Will Hurd for being booed at an Iowa crowd after suggesting Trump was running for office to "stay out of prison." Former Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo believes the best way to beat Trump is by showing his movement has been rejected in general elections three times in a row. Trump's criticism of Hurd comes as the GOP primary field continues to grow, with many candidates vying to be the party's nominee in the 2024 election.
Democrats have pushed a Supreme Court ethics legislation through a Senate committee, which has been met with opposition from Justice Alito, who is the first member of the court to take a public stand against it. The legislation is in response to Justice Alito's interview with two Wall Street Journal writers, including one who is an attorney representing plaintiffs in a key case before the Supreme Court. Its prospects in the full Senate remain uncertain.
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to implement reforms passed by Congress that will significantly strengthen how the military handles sexual assault cases. The order transfers the decision to prosecute certain major crimes, including sexual assault, out of the chain of command and assigns them to independent military attorneys. It also requires the military to provide training to all personnel on the new system and to review and update policies and procedures to ensure that victims are treated with dignity and respect. This order is a major step forward in the effort to ensure justice for victims of sexual assault in the military and to hold perpetrators accountable.
The Supreme Court has granted an emergency request from Mountain Valley Pipeline, allowing construction of the 303.5 mile natural gas pipeline to resume. The project, which will transport natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia, has been entangled in numerous legal challenges from environmental groups, but Congress recently stripped courts of authority to review approval of the pipeline. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and provide an economic boost to the region, and is now expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
At a House Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, witnesses and lawmakers discussed the issue of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs or UFOs). Former U.S. intelligence official David Grusch claimed that the government has a long-standing program to retrieve UAPs, while former Navy Commander David Fravor and former Navy pilot Ryan Graves reported their own experiences with UAPs. Lawmakers called for more information from the federal government and urged them to address the stigma surrounding UFO reporting.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was briefly escorted away from a press conference on Wednesday after freezing up mid-sentence while giving his opening remarks. Concerned aides and colleagues came to his side, and he returned a few minutes later to take questions as normal. McConnell's office released a statement saying he was "feeling fine" and had simply "lost his train of thought," raising questions about his health and ability to continue to serve in the Senate.